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Go on a listening walk

When you're out and about, it's not just the things you can see that grab your little one's attention.

Next time you go out for a walk with them, try getting them to focus on all the different noises you can both hear.

Thinking about and naming sounds is just as important for language development as learning words. Watch the short video below to find out why.

Why are sensory walks good for language development?

  • Chatting about all of the things you see on your walk, introduces lots of words into your child's vocabulary.
  • Naming and labelling the noises you hear, helps toddlers identify and recognise sounds.
  • Learning about different types of sounds at a young age can help children when they learn to read.
  • Using facial expressions, gestures and an exciting tone of voice can help your child remember all these new words.
A young girl is out in the forest on a walk. She is wearing a red anorak and smiling up at a man who is holding her hands but whose face is off screen.
You could try snapping a twig - 'stick... snap!'. Or stepping on crunchy leaves.

Making the most of a walk with your toddler

Going for walks is great for both you and your baby from a young age and is usually a key part of a newborn's routine.

As your baby gets older, a daily walk can become more than a mindful exercise. It's also a great opportunity to engage the senses and stimulate language learning.

If your pushchair allows, try facing your baby when you go out. This will allow you to engage with them really easily and talk about all the different environmental sounds you explore together.

It's also a great opportunity for face-to-face engagement. Use loads of gestures and facial expressions to catch your baby's interest help their brain make connections.

As well as just chatting about all of the things you and your baby see on your walk, try listening. Talk about the things you can hear.

You could try snapping a twig - "stick鈥 snap!". Or stepping on crunchy leaves - &辩耻辞迟;谤耻蝉迟濒别鈥耻蝉迟濒别&辩耻辞迟;. All noises are new to your baby until you name them.

Why not set yourself a challenge to name as many new sounds as possible every time you go out with your child?

See if they can remember the sounds you talked about last time. If they can't, repeat them. Repetition is a key part of a child's language learning.

Find out more about how toddlers learn words from repetition.

A young girl is out in the forest on a walk. She is wearing a red anorak and smiling up at a man who is holding her hands but whose face is off screen.
You could try snapping a twig - 'stick... snap!'. Or stepping on crunchy leaves.

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