Language and Learning

When babies play, they are learning about themselves and the world around them. Play encourages social growth, language growth, problem solving, and imagination. In this section you will find exciting ways to encourage your baby to use play to explore the world.

From bubble blowing to blocks, from stuffed animals to stacking toys, babies love to learn through play. You can help your baby who is deaf or hard of hearing encounter the language that their peers with typical hearing experience as they learn from their play. You will find ways to expand everyday activities into creative play, and ways to support your baby's first attempts at exploring fantasy and imagination.

During play, your child will learn from the senses and about feelings. He or she will learn to problem-solve, and to use creativity and language.

Senses

• Feeling the textures of woolly blankets, smooth sheets, fuzzy bears and bumpy carpets
• Seeing edges, bright colors, stripes and movement
• Becoming aware of sounds and relating sounds to their sources
• Smelling wonderful things or smelling stinky things and making faces

Feelings

• When a toy is very interesting, your baby feels content.
• When it is hidden, your baby gets curious or upset.
• If a toy stops working, a child may feel frustrated -- then relieved after you wind it up again.
• It is not too early to talk or sign about those feelings. Take opportunities to build conversations.
• You can comment on feeling your child experiences. ("You are curious. Uh-oh, you are upset. That surprised you.")

Problem-Solving

• If the circle block won't go into the square hole, your baby will learn to try a different hole.
• If a toy disappears, your baby will learn to look for it, move the box or paper bag it is hiding under, or ask for it.
• Later on, as children play together and disagree, they learn to use their language to reach a compromise. This is social problem solving, a key part of later play.

Creativity

Play is the beginning of creativity.

• Soon your child will have many creative interests...in doll houses, play dough, construction toys, dress up and block and truck play.
• When the stuffed pig snuffles at your child's tummy and the stuffed dog "barks", your child is discovering the exciting possibilities of pretend.
• When the pan lid becomes a "hat" or the block goes to the ear like a cell phone... pretend and creativity has begun!

Learning Language

Play gives you and your child much to chat about!

• Experiences in early life, especially exciting, interesting, or calming play experiences, give your baby things to talk or sign about.
• The language that accompanies play will become the language of the family, the language of the community and the language of school.
• Example: Starting up a conversation with your little one "on the phone"

  • "Is it Nana?" You can say, "hi Nana."
• "Is Nana coming over?"
• "Bye-bye, Nana."