Before words come gestures, looks, movement, tone, and behavior. In this session, we’ll look at all the tiny ways toddlers communicate long before language “shows up.”  We’ll slow down and notice what your child is already telling you and how to respond in ways that make them feel understood and supported. 

We’ll learn how to gently support your child’s communication from where they already are. Whether that looks like building their observation skills, using gestures, introducing signs/words, or expanding language. You’ll practice adding just one small step above what your child is already doing, so communication grows naturally through play, not pressure.

We’ll explore how to use simple, meaningful choices to help your child communicate preferences, build confidence, and feel heard. You’ll learn when (and when not) to offer choices, how to keep them from becoming overwhelming, and how to navigate the everyday moments that can make offering choices tricky.

We’ll talk about how to stay grounded when emotions rise (yours and your child’s). You’ll learn how to co-regulate through presence and tone without creating dependency, and how to know when to offer simple replacement language (and when not to).