Language Modeling at the Store

Have you ever wondered how you can support your child's language development while at the grocery store? Here are some fun and easy tips:

• If you make a grocery list you can talk through the list with your child: for older children discuss where you might find items in the store, for younger add a sound effect for the food (eg., if you are going to buy apples you could model a "crunch" sound)

• Describe the produce: you can talk about the color, shape, size, texture

• Comment on things your child points to: label the item and if they are requesting it, explain why they can or cannot have it

• If they sit in a cart, talk about how it feels: is the metal cold? hard? Are the wheels squeaky? Does the cart shake when it moves?

• If appropriate, they can help put the food items on the conveyor belt

Have fun shopping!

- McKenzie Rushcamp MA CCC-SLP