Communication Tips
For 3 Years Old

• Describe things in sentences ("I'm really hungry", "That's a HUGE bite!")
• Repeat what the child says, using correct sounds and sentences (child - "Me want doose", adult - "I want juice too. I like juice!")
• Play games together and take turns
• Count things around you
• Talk about how things are the same or different
• Arrange times to play with other children their age
• Give the child lots of chances to choose ("Do you want a pear or an apple for a snack? Do you want to wear the red shirt or the blue shirt?")

• Ask the child to be "a helper" and give them small jobs to do
• Read books with pictures and take turns telling little stories about the pictures
• Make-believe play with or without toys (Pretend to go shopping, dress-up, play with pretend toy garages, dollhouses, kitchen sets)
• Sort pieces of clothing together while doing laundry (Sort by colours, who it belongs to, where they go, type of clothing)

• Can put a toy "in", "on", and "under" when asked
• Follows two step directions ("Take off your shoes and put them in the closet")
• Understands "one" versus "all" ("Pick up a ball" vs "Pick up all the balls")
• Answers "where"? And "what...doing?" ("Where's Mommy" "What is the boy doing?")

• Says 3 or more words in a sentence ("I want ball", "I can play Mommy.")
• Asks "Who?" "What?" "Where?" and "Why" questions o Adults can understand most of what the child is trying to say
• Can clearly make these sounds in words: p,b,m,n,w,t,d,h,y, and vowels: a,e,i,o,u

• Beginning to play co-operatively with other children
• Enjoys short periods of pretending and role-playing (playing house or going shopping)

• Periods of stuttering lasting longer than 3 months; this includes repeating sounds, parts of words or whole words, and not being able to get a sound started
• A child who rarely makes eye contact with anyone
• A child who has difficulty playing with others
• A child who avoids being with others
• Struggle and tension while speaking