These phrases may be utilized spontaneously, as well as when you see your child attempting to
request something, reach for something, stop playing with a toy, when he wants to end a specific
activity, or when eating. You want to set up communicative attempts with him; watch what he
does and make all activities into a conversation/learning experience. Try to build upon what he
is doing. For example: If you know that he needs help model the phrase “Help me.” If he wants
another cookie, say “More cookie” or “Give me cookie.” If he stops playing with a toy, tries to
walk away, or pushes away toy say “All done ball” or “Bye-bye ball.”
- Requesting
- “Give me (desired object/food)”
- “Help me”
- Protesting
- “No more”
- “No more (specific action/food/object)”
- Labeling
- Name items, toys, food in his environment that he is looking at or playing with
- Labeling action
- Utilize 2-word phrases to describe simple actions
- For example: “Ball______” (in, up, out, down”
- For example: “_ ball/car” (push, roll, bounce)
- This may also be used during other activities (“Johnny eat”)
- Recurrence
- “More (toy/action/food)”
- Disappearance
- When something is taken away or he or you are done playing with or eating something
- “All done (specific item/action)”
- “All gone (specific item)”
- “Bye bye (specific item)”
- Turn-taking
- “My turn”
- “Your turn”
- “Mommy’s turn”
- • “Johnny’s turn”