Communication
As human beings – social creatures by nature – our ability to communicate with the people around us is critical to our survival. So the development of communication skills – at a pace that suits the individual – is a really important part of every child’s development.
Even as adults, we can sometimes struggle to articulate the way we’re feeling. So for children – particularly those who are struggling with their emotions for whatever reason – developing new communication skills can make a huge improvement to their lives.
In fact, for young children who have experienced domestic abuse, communication skills really can mean the difference between emotional recovery and ongoing mental health struggles.
Communication skills for children
Communication skills are essential for children. For those with learning difficulties or speech delays, communication doesn’t have to be verbal. Interacting, pointing, exploring, making sounds and listening are all communication skills for children that can be used before language has been acquired.
When we work with children to develop their communication skills, there are a few things we usually do:
| We remove distractions | No televisions or tablets for them to drift towards. This helps them to focus. |
| We read to them | Children understand language long before they can use it themselves. They also love looking at pictures and getting attention from adults. So reading together is an important part of developing communication skills for children. |
| We ask questions | We ask open-ended questions. We prefer to do the listening than the talking when we’re working on communication skills for children. |
| We make referrals | We refer children for speech and language therapy if necessary. |
By developing positive communication skills – being able to describe emotions and work through thoughts and feelings that are troubling them – children can learn to express themselves without screaming, shouting or being aggressive.
Feel free to download our free communication worksheet by clicking on the image below. The worksheet is taken from our communication self-help guide, which is available to purchase in full for just £2 from our online shop.
Abusive communication patterns
Children develop their communication skills by learning from the adults around them. So if a child grows up experiencing abusive communication patterns – such as shouting, name calling, criticism, threats, blame, accusations and gaslighting – they’re likely to perceive those things as normal and develop abusive communication patterns themselves.
For professionals working with children who have developed abusive communication patterns, the goal is to help children understand more about why they communicate the way they do and help them develop more positive ways to express themselves – with a focus on respecting themselves and others.
Parents can help their children to develop positive communication skills by modelling the kind of communication – both verbal and non-verbal – that they want their children to develop.
Communication skills for children with Monkey Bob
Play therapy can help young children who are struggling with their emotions to express themselves when they’re not able to use words to describe their thoughts and feelings. Monkey Bob can help children open up. He’s bright, cheerful and friendly. Kids love him.
They don’t even have to talk to him. Children can tell us about their emotions by the way they interact with Monkey Bob. For example, acting out anger, aggression and abandonment are clear signs that something needs exploring in a bit more detail.
Children who have the language skills often assign their own emotions to Monkey Bob, giving us lots of possible directions for progression. So if you’re looking for a therapeutic toy that will help you work on communication skills for children, why not give Monkey Bob a try?
Visit the Monkey Bob shop to place your order now. Or read our resources page for more about supporting children and young people. Just contact us if you have any questions.