Could the idea of ‘mine’ help your toddler learn new words?

Do you feel like you hear, “MINE,” a million times a day? That could be an exaggeration but, “mine”, like “no”, can seem a powerful word to a toddler and might be one they use a lot as they seek to become more independent. This isn’t always easy, especially if your toddler lays claim to something that clearly isn’t theirs! But, did you know awareness of ownership might help your toddler learn new words?  

Learning new words is a complex process; your toddler will hear lots of words – but they won’t remember all of them.  

Ownership and remembering words 

One of the things that might help your toddler remember a word is if it’s linked to something that belongs to them.  

Scientists call this ‘the self-referenced effect’ and it applies not only to toddlers but also to us when we’re learning new vocabulary.^[1] 

Sharing interests and remembering words 

Your toddler is beginning to understand ownership, and the fact that ownership can change. This means if they’re playing with something, they will view that item as theirs while they play.  

So, if you talk about something your toddler is playing with or holding, they are more likely to remember the words you use than if you talk about something they don’t currently see as theirs.  

You might still want to encourage other ways to say, “I’d like a turn,” but if your toddler says, “Mine,” embrace the moment as one that might be perfect to introduce some new vocabulary. 

Reference: 

[1] Axlesson, E.L., Dawson, R.L., Yim, S.Y. & Quddus, T. (2018). Mine, mine, mine: Self-reference and children’s retention of novel words. Frontiers in Psychology, 9.958.