Explaining differences – give more information to support early understanding
What to do
Comment with the correct name when you hear your toddler say a different one. So, if they saw a squirrel and said “Rabbit,” simply saying, “Oh that’s a squirrel,” will help them develop their understanding.
Support their knowledge of language with more words.
If they called a rabbit a squirrel, help them understand the difference between the animals by giving more information, “Squirrels have very long fluffy tails, they climb trees and bury nuts. Rabbits have little tails and stay on the ground.”