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There are so many interesting things to spot and chat about when you look out of the window.
See what grabs your little one's attention and then expand on what they say. It's a great moment in the day to introduce your child to more words.
What are the benefits of playing I spy out the window?
- Talking about what you see out the window introduces children to lots of new words.
- Encouraging them to say more about what they see helps them practise putting words into sentences.
- Following their lead and chatting about what catches their eye helps them pick up new words more quickly.
- Having a conversation about what's out the window involves turn-taking, so it develops social and language skills.
How to turn looking out the window with toddlers into a fun activity
See what things they can spot out of the window - ask them, "what can you see?"
If they name something or say a few words about something, then build that out into a full sentence for them. So for example, if they say "postman", you could say "Yes, it's the postman bringing people their letters".
Ask them some simple questions about the things they see. So if they say "mummy's car", you could ask them "what colour is mummy's car?". Or if they say "there's a bird in the tree", you could say "Do you think the bird lives there?"
You can use "I wonder鈥" sentences to help expand your toddlers talking. You could say, "I wonder how many cars there are" and then help your little one count them.
"I wonder鈥" sentences can also encourage your toddler to use their imagination. See if you can spot a person or an animal outside your window and say, "I wonder where that man is going today."
Playing I spy is also a great activity to try when looking out the window. At this age, you can give them a clue in a way that doesn鈥檛 involve letters.
For example, you could say, "I spy with my little eye something that is flying" or "I spy with my little eye something that鈥檚 red".
More easy ways to chat more during your everyday routine
- Getting ready to go out is a brilliant opportunity to chat with your little ones and help them learn a life skill.
- Why not play a game of pretend washing up?
- Pairing socks together is a great way to boost your child's communication skills.
- Doing the laundry can be a great conversation starter with your little one.
