How to Support Speech Development Without Screens | Jaques o

A child's first word rarely arrives with fanfare. It surfaces in the middle of an ordinary morning — a hand pointing at a cup, a sound that lands somewhere near "more". The adults in the room lean in, repeat it, and the back-and-forth that builds language is already underway.

That exchange is the real engine of speech. It happens in play, at the table, and on the floor with a handful of wooden pieces — not through a glowing rectangle. The toys that support it best are the simple, hard-wearing kind. Ours are made from responsibly sourced FSC-certified timber and tested to UKCA and CE safety standards, because an object a toddler mouths and throws should be built to be trusted.

This guide sets out what speech development looks like year by year, why stepping back from screens matters, and which screen-free activities and games genuinely help a child find their words.

What Does Speech Development Actually Look Like in the Early Years?

Speech develops in a fairly predictable order, though the timing varies widely from child to child. According to NHS child development guidance, most children speak their first words between 12 and 18 months — usually names for familiar people, foods, or objects they want.

Before those words appear, there is a long run-up. Babbling, pointing, eye contact, and copying sounds are all part of it. A child who waves, shares a look, and babbles in sentence-like runs is already practising the rhythm of conversation.

By age two, the NHS notes that most children use around fifty words or more and begin joining two together — "more milk", "daddy gone". This is a turning point. Once two words combine, grammar starts to take shape, and vocabulary tends to grow quickly.

Between two and three, sentences lengthen and questions multiply. Three- and four-year-olds narrate what they are doing, invent stories, and start to be understood by people outside the family. The move from naming things to telling tales is enormous, and much of it is rehearsed in play.

Understanding comes before speaking at every stage. A child who follows instructions and points to pictures in a book is building the comprehension that speech rests on. If you are watching a toddler's language closely, our writing on physical play and speech development in toddlers covers how movement and talk grow together.

None of this is a race. The milestones are signposts, not deadlines, and they help you recognise where a child is and what to offer next.

Why Cutting Back on Screens Makes a Real Difference to How Children Talk

The case against heavy screen use in the early years is not about blame. It is about what a screen quietly replaces: the words spoken directly to a child.

Research published in Psychological Science found that the number of words spoken straight to a child — not overheard from a television or from adult chatter — in the first three years of life is strongly linked to vocabulary size and language development. Words aimed at a child do work that background noise cannot.

A screen tends to fill the air with speech while removing the person on the other end of it. There is no pause for the child to respond, no adjustment to their face, no shared pointing at the same thing at the same moment. That responsive loop is precisely what seems to matter most.

The health guidance reflects this. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time at all for children under 18 to 24 months, aside from video chatting. The World Health Organization advises no sedentary screen time under the age of two, and no more than one hour a day for children aged three and four.

Longer-term patterns point the same way. A study published in JAMA Pediatrics in 2019 found that more screen time at 24 months was associated with poorer communication and problem-solving skills at age five.

Cutting back is less about strict rules than about protecting time. Every hour not spent watching is an hour available for talking, playing, and reading. For a wider look at that trade-off, our comparison of pen-and-paper learning versus digital screens is a useful companion piece.

How to Build Speech and Language Into Everyday Life at Home

You do not need a programme or a timetable to support speech. The most effective approach is to talk through ordinary life, out loud, as it happens.

Narrate what you are doing. "I'm washing the red apple. It's cold and wet." This gives a child a running commentary of words tied to things they can see and touch — the direct speech that research links so strongly to vocabulary.

Follow the child's lead. If they point at a dog, name it, describe it, and wait. That pause invites a response and treats the child as a conversation partner rather than an audience.

Reading aloud belongs in every day. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended since 2014 that doctors advise parents to read aloud from birth, and a meta-analysis in Reading Research Quarterly found shared book reading produces significant gains in vocabulary and storytelling. You do not have to read every word — talking about the pictures counts.

Play on the floor, at their level. Open-ended toys invite back-and-forth far better than anything that performs for the child. Pulling out a box from our wooden toys and simply talking about what you both build gives speech somewhere to grow.

Keep screens out of mealtimes and the bedtime routine, the two slots richest in natural conversation. If you want more ideas for filling longer stretches, our guide to school holidays without screens is built around exactly this. The point throughout is contact: your voice, their voice, and a shared thing to talk about.

The Best Screen-Free Activities for Speech Development, Broken Down by Age

Activities work best when they meet a child where their language already is. Here is a rough guide by age.

Under 18 months: name everything. Point to body parts, animals, and food. Simple peekaboo and nursery rhymes teach turn-taking and repetition. Chunky, mouth-safe objects suit this stage, and our educational toys for toddlers are chosen for exactly these early hands.

18 months to 2 years: build on single words. Offer choices aloud — "banana or apple?" — to prompt a spoken reply. Sorting and matching games give a child something to label while they play. Dressing and pretend play introduce verbs and descriptions, a theme we explore in our piece on encouraging imaginative play without screens.

2 to 3 years: encourage two- and three-word phrases. A set like the Wooden Puzzle Game Bears Dress Up Set invites talk about clothes, colours, and what the bear is doing — natural fuel for combining words. Ask "what" and "where" questions as you play.

3 to 4 years: feed storytelling and sequencing. Ask a child to tell you what happened, or to make up an ending. Turn-based games teach the rhythm of taking it in turns to speak and listen. Many of our board games suit this stage, where rules and waiting become part of the conversation.

Across every age, keep the activity short and responsive. Stop before boredom sets in, repeat the games they love, and let the child steer. Our overview of wooden toys and speech and language development sets out why simple, open-ended play outperforms busier alternatives.

Which Toys and Games Are Worth Buying to Support Your Child's Language?

The best toys for language do very little on their own. They wait for the child and the adult to supply the words. A toy that talks, flashes, and plays music tends to do the talking for everyone — which is the opposite of what helps.

Look for open-ended, durable pieces that reward description and invention. Blocks, shape sorters, and dressing games all give a child something concrete to name, sort, and talk through. Many of our wooden toys are designed around this quiet, child-led quality.

The Wooden Puzzle Game Bears Dress Up Set, at £19.99, is a good all-rounder: it combines matching, pretend play, and plenty to describe, so a child practises vocabulary and an adult has natural prompts for conversation.

For slightly older children, turn-based play adds another layer. Waiting for your go, following a rule, and saying what you have done all stretch spoken language. Our board games and traditional games are built for exactly this kind of shared, talkative play around a table.

Safety and longevity matter when a toy is meant to be handled daily for years. Ours are made from FSC-certified timber and tested to UKCA and CE standards, so they stand up to real use and can pass between siblings.

You do not need many toys. A handful of well-made pieces, pulled out and genuinely played with alongside a child, will do more for speech than a shelf of gadgets. As a company that has made games since 1795, our view is a simple one: the best toy is the one that keeps the two of you talking.

Frequently Asked Questions About Speech Development Screens

How do you play I Spy to help a child learn new words?

I Spy is a simple observation game that builds vocabulary by connecting words to objects in a child's environment. One player says, 'I spy with my little eye, something beginning with [letter]' or, for younger children, 'something that is [colour or shape].' The other player looks around and guesses. To maximise language development, name the object clearly when revealing the answer, describe it, and encourage the child to form their own clue. Playing regularly with household objects, outdoor scenes, or picture books introduces new words in a natural, conversational context.

What are the rules of storytelling dice games for young children?

Storytelling dice games typically use illustrated dice — each face showing a different image such as a character, place, or object. Players take turns rolling one or more dice, then must incorporate the images shown into an ongoing story. For young children, simplified rules work best: one die per turn, short sentences encouraged, and no wrong answers. A grown-up can model story language by going first. The aim is imaginative participation, not competition, so there are no winners or losers — the shared story itself is the outcome, making it ideal for building spoken narrative skills.

How many players do you need for a conversation board game?

Most conversation board games are designed for two or more players, making them suitable for a parent and child, siblings, or a small family group. Some games specify a minimum of two and a maximum of four to six players. For speech development purposes, even a two-player game between an adult and child is effective, as research published in Psychological Science (2013) found that words spoken directly to a child — rather than overheard — are most strongly linked to vocabulary growth. The quality of back-and-forth conversation matters more than the number of players.

How do you win at word association games with kids?

Word association games do not typically have a winner in the conventional sense — the aim is to keep a chain of connected words going for as long as possible. One player says a word; the next says the first word that comes to mind linked to it, and so on. A player is usually 'out' if they hesitate too long, repeat a word already used, or cannot think of a connection. With young children, rules are best kept flexible. The game encourages rapid word retrieval and vocabulary use, making it a playful way to strengthen spoken language skills.

What do you need to play charades with toddlers?

Toddler charades requires no equipment — just space and willing players. Simplify the traditional format: instead of miming film or book titles, act out familiar animals, everyday actions (sleeping, eating, jumping), or simple objects. One player mimes; the others guess by calling out words. Toddlers often prefer taking turns being the actor rather than guessing. You can use picture cards as prompts if a child needs help choosing what to mime. The game encourages listening, word recognition, and speaking in a low-pressure, physical format that suits young children's natural energy and short attention spans.

How much screen time is too much for a toddler's speech development?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (2016) recommends no screen time for children under 18 to 24 months, except video chatting. The World Health Organisation (2019) similarly advises no sedentary screen time under age 2, and no more than one hour per day for children aged 3 to 4. A study published in JAMA Pediatrics (2019) found that increased screen time at 24 months was associated with poorer communication and problem-solving skills at age 5. Replacing screen time with direct conversation, reading aloud, and interactive play provides the language-rich experiences most beneficial for speech development.

What should a 2 year old be saying if they watch a lot of TV?

According to NHS child development milestones, most 2-year-olds can use approximately 50 or more words and begin combining two words together — regardless of screen habits. However, research matters here: a study in JAMA Pediatrics (2019) found that higher screen time at 24 months was linked to poorer communication skills at age 5. ly, research published in Psychological Science (2013) found that words heard directly from a person, not from television, drive vocabulary growth. If a 2-year-old is not meeting typical milestones, consulting a GP or health visitor is the appropriate step.

How do you encourage a quiet child to talk more at home?

Creating low-pressure opportunities for speech is more effective than prompting a child to talk. Narrate everyday activities aloud, ask open questions about things the child is already interested in, and give them time to respond without rushing. Shared book reading is well-supported: a meta-analysis in Reading Research Quarterly (2008) confirmed significant positive effects on language outcomes from reading together. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended reading aloud from birth since its 2014 policy statement. Play-based activities such as I Spy, storytelling games, and role play also invite speech naturally, without creating pressure around communication.

What games help children with delayed speech at home?

Games that involve repetition, turn-taking, and direct adult interaction are particularly helpful for children with delayed speech. Simple matching card games encourage naming objects; I Spy builds vocabulary; storytelling dice invite sentence construction; and sorting games with picture cards prompt descriptive language. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended reading aloud from birth as a language development tool since 2014. Research in Psychological Science (2013) confirms that words spoken directly to a child strengthen vocabulary more than overheard speech. If a child's speech delay is a concern, a GP or speech and language therapist can offer tailored guidance.

How do you play picture card games with a child who is not talking yet?

Picture card games can be adapted for pre-verbal children by focusing on recognition, pointing, and listening rather than spoken responses. Lay out a small selection of cards and name each image clearly and slowly. Ask the child to point to the cat, the ball, or the apple — this builds comprehension before speech emerges. Matching pairs games work well too; celebrate each match with animated praise. Research published in Psychological Science (2013) found that words spoken directly to a child are strongly linked to vocabulary development, so narrating each card and action provides meaningful language input even before a child speaks.