Have fun!

Why is having fun such a key ingredient for children when learning language?

…because research shows that children learn to communicate best within enjoyable (i.e., “fun”), extended interactions with their caregivers.

Having fun together can benefit both the child and the adult. When caregivers follow a child’s interests and respond to their communication, they create opportunities for back-and-forth interactions. These interactions give children opportunities to communicate and hear language that relates to what interests them.

Since having fun during interactions is an essential part of children’s language learning, it’s a focus in all Hanen Programs for parents and caregivers.

What makes an interaction fun?

Fun looks different for every child. What delights one child may not interest another, and what captures a child’s attention today may not hold it tomorrow. However, three important elements can help make interactions enjoyable and support language learning.

1. The child’s interests and curiosity – The interaction should be based on the child’s interests and curiosity – that means the interaction should involve activities the child finds enjoyable.
2. A responsive caregiver – When caregivers are responsive to the child’s interests and to what they communicate (i.e., they respond quickly and positively), research shows that language learning is accelerated.
3. The child’s motivation – The child is motivated when a caregiver is responsive because it makes them feel competent and connected. This encourages them to stay in the interaction and use their communication skills.

What a child finds fun changes over time

The key is to pay attention to what the child enjoys and adjust the interaction as their interests and abilities change. For example, peek-a-boo may be exciting at first, but once a child knows exactly what will happen, the game may become less interesting. Adding a new twist or following the child’s idea can bring back the fun.

Five ways to make interactions fun and support communication

1: Know the child’s interests and abilities

Understanding a child’s abilities, interests and preferences helps when choosing activities that encourage fun back-and-forth interactions.

Consider the child’s:

• Communication skills: How do they currently communicate? Do they use gestures, sounds, words, or a combination of these?
• Play skills: What kinds of activities do they enjoy? How do they explore and play with toys?
• Interests and preferences: What captures their attention? Are there particular activities, objects, movements, or sensory experiences they seek out or avoid?

Noticing these things helps adults discover what motivates a child to participate and communicate.

2: Choose activities that invite interaction

Choose activities the child enjoys and that offer opportunities to communicate with another person. These might include playing with favourite toys, looking at books, singing songs, preparing a snack, or exploring the outdoors.

Consider whether the activity allows both the child and the adult to take turns. Some electronic toys, apps, or books with lots of sounds, lights, or pre-recorded messages can capture a child’s attention without leaving many opportunities for back-and-forth interaction.

Children also have different sensory preferences. For example, a child may enjoy movement and noisy games, while another may prefer quieter activities. Choosing activities that include these preferences can help children feel comfortable and motivated to communicate.

It isn’t about finding the perfect toy or activity. It’s about finding something the child enjoys that creates opportunities to connect and communicate.

3: Let the Child Lead: Observe, Wait and Listen (OWL™)

Start by noticing what the child is doing. Getting face to face with the child makes it easier to notice and respond to their communication.

The Hanen strategy Observe, Wait and Listen™ (OWL™) helps caregivers tune in to the child and create opportunities for the child to start the interaction.

• Observe: Watch what the child looks at, reaches for, plays with, or seems to enjoy.
• Wait: Pause to give the child time to start an interaction and communicate in their own way.
• Listen: Pay attention to your child’s sounds, words, and gestures to understand what they may be communicating.

When caregivers slow down and give children time to communicate, they’re more likely to discover what interests them and respond in ways that keep the interaction going.

4: Follow the Child’s Lead

Once the interaction is started, Following the Child’s Lead helps keep it enjoyable. Try these strategies:

• Join In with what the child is doing and communicating about during play. Playing the child’s way shows interest in what matters to them.
• Imitate the child’s actions, sounds, or words. This encourages the child to take another turn and lets them know what they are doing is important and interesting.
• Make a comment in response to what the child communicates or does. Using an exaggerated and interesting voice can help the fun words stand out in a short, grammatical sentence.

5: Discover the child’s favourite part

Sometimes what a child enjoys about an activity isn’t what adults expect. Watch for signs of enjoyment, such as smiling, laughing, repeating an action, looking toward an adult, or returning to an activity.

Imagine a child who repeatedly drops a block into a container. A caregiver might think the fun is in building a tower, but the child may be most interested in the sound the block makes when it lands.

By noticing what captures the child’s attention, adults can join in and build on the child’s interest to create more opportunities for enjoyable back-and-forth interactions.

Making fun part of everyday interactions

Enjoyable interactions don’t require special toys, elaborate activities, or extra time set aside for teaching. They can happen during play, mealtimes, getting dressed, reading books, or sharing a favourite activity.

The important thing is to notice what captures the child’s interest, respond to their communication, and give them opportunities to take turns. When adults follow the child’s lead, everyday moments can become opportunities for having fun together and support language learning. When children are having fun, they have more reason to stay engaged and communicate.

The Hanen Centre’s programs and workshops help professionals and families learn practical strategies for supporting children’s communication through everyday interactions.