Simple speech and language activities for babies and toddlers aged 6 months to 4 years. Play ideas that encourage talking, with the exact words to say.
On a laptop?
You don’t need flashcards to help your toddler talk. Children learn language through back-and-forth play with the people they love: a coo copied back, a daft word in a favourite song, a toy just out of reach. These moments build speech far better than any screen.
Here are speech and language activities from the Mooshie Moments app for babies and toddlers from 6 months to 4 years. Each one takes around 10 minutes, needs nothing you don’t already have, and tells you exactly what to say.
Get down to their level so they can see your mouth move.
Short phrases like “Ball. Big ball. Roll the ball.” are easier to copy than long sentences.
Count to five in your head after you speak. The silence is their invitation to answer.
Pointing, reaching, a sound, a look or a sign is communication, so respond to it.
If they say “tat”, say “Yes, a cat!” warmly. No “say it properly”.
This is your baby’s first conversation. They’re learning that their voice makes you respond, which is the foundation of all talking.
You’ll need: just your voice
During nappy changes, bath time and meals, name what your baby is looking at or touching: “Sock. Soft sock. Off comes the sock!” Repeat the same few words every day. Familiar routines are where first words come from.
This teaches the most important lesson in communication: my pointing and my sounds make things happen.
You’ll need: three or four favourite toys and a low shelf or chair
Do it three or four times, then sing it through properly. Toddlers love being the expert.
You’ll need: a book or song they know well
Take turns doing actions and naming them: “Jump! You jumped!” “Now run… stop!” Doing and saying at the same time builds verb vocabulary, the words that help toddlers move from single words to two-word phrases like “me jump” and “more run”.
You’ll need: a bit of floor space
Hide animal toys around the room. When your toddler finds one, make its sound together: “Cow! Moo!” Animal sounds are some of the easiest “words” to say, so they’re a great confidence boost for late talkers.
You’ll need: toy animals or picture books
Choices give toddlers a real reason to communicate, and the answer is right there in your hands to copy.
You’ll need: two snacks your toddler likes
Pop a sock on your hand and give it a silly voice. Have the puppet ask easy questions (“What’s your name?”, “Where’s your nose?”) and get things hilariously wrong so your toddler can correct it. Shy talkers often find it easier to chat to a puppet than to a grown-up, and it takes the pressure off completely.
You’ll need: an odd sock
You don’t need to set aside “speech time”. The richest language happens in the moments you’re already sharing:
name each item as it goes on, and leave gaps: “Socks on, now your…?”
talk about what’s happening, like “splash”, “pour”, “wet” and “all gone”, and let them fill a cup and tell you when to tip it.
point things out and wait. Buses, dogs and diggers are brilliant conversation starters.
“Where does teddy go? In the box!” Simple position words like in, on and under build understanding fast.
A few of these every day adds up to far more practice than one long session, and it all happens while life carries on.
Say a word with its first sound missing, like “…at” for “cat” or “…og” for “dog”, and let your child guess. Then swap roles. Playing with the sounds inside words helps later with reading.
You’ll need: nothing
Pick a sound, like “sss”. Read slowly, and your child puts a hand up every time they hear it. Count them together at the end, then try a new sound.
You’ll need: a picture book
Plus one picked for your child every day, matched to their age and how today is going.
“I used to spend 30 minutes looking for an activity on Pinterest, get overwhelmed, and just turn on the TV. Mooshie takes 5 seconds.”
“Finally, an app that tells me to put my phone away. The activities are actually doable with stuff I have in my junk drawer.”
“As a pediatric OT, I love that these activities build core developmental skills without feeling like ‘homework’ for parents.”
Every child develops at their own pace, and there’s a wide normal range. As a very rough guide, many children say their first words around 12 months and start putting two words together around 2 years. If you’re worried, talk to your health visitor or GP. You can also contact a speech and language therapy service directly in many areas.
They’re the kind of play-based, back-and-forth activities speech therapists often recommend for parents to do at home. They support language development but don’t replace a speech and language therapy assessment if you’re concerned.
Toddlers learn to talk through real conversation, with someone who responds to them. That’s why Mooshie is built for you to use, not your child. Check the idea, put the phone away and talk together.
Little and often is best. A few minutes a day, built into routines like bath time, meals and getting dressed, adds up to far more than one long session a week.
Mooshie is a play app, not medical advice. If you’re worried about your child’s development, speak to your health visitor or GP.
Your first moment is ready as soon as you tell us their age.
