Verbal routines are fantastic for boosting communication skills... but what are verbal routines?

Verbal routines (when the same words are used during activities or daily routines) are great for supporting your baby to join in with parts of the day. They help promote the development of language by offering actions and words that relate to specific activities.  

When can they be used? 

A routine can be brushing teeth, playing a game, bedtime or mealtimes.  

Patterns of words are said in the same way for each routine, making the language repetitive and predictable. Your baby can watch actions and listen to words – this supports them in understanding which words come next. 

When language is consistent, it becomes predictable and therefore much easier to understand. It may take time to build up your verbal routines, but keep going. 

Why are they important? 

Verbal routines create lovely opportunities for your baby to listen to, understand and participate in conversations. It’s a natural way to support their understanding of words as they are heard in the same way each time.  

When language is predictable, it has a greater chance of increasing your baby’s confidence to join in. You’re also building on your ever-growing relationship by setting the stage for turn-taking conversations.  

How can I create a routine? 

• Start by showing them specific steps. So, say you are brushing their teeth, your steps might be: look for your baby’s toothbrush, find the toothpaste, put toothpaste on the brush, turn on the tap, wet the toothbrush, then clean their teeth. Once their teeth are clean, ask them to spit out the toothpaste and rinse the toothbrush together under the tap and put it away. Talk about each step in the process with your baby as you’re doing it. 
• Invite your baby to help you with the steps. Start with the first step and add more as they become familiar with the routine. For toothbrushing, ask your baby to help you find their toothbrush; you could say something like, “Oooh, where is your toothbrush?” When they know how to find their toothbrush ask them to help find the toothpaste. 
• Follow the verbal routine each time. With practice, your baby will start to initiate the verbal routine. They may eventually carry out the routine independently. 

Top tips for using verbal routines 

Practice. Become familiar with the sequence, words and actions.  

Use playful speech which sounds fun and exciting. This will engage your baby and encourage them to listen to what you’re saying. 

Look for signs that they are listening, such as giggling, looking, watching what you are doing or uttering words or sounds. 

Notice if your baby imitates what you are doing. This demonstrates their understanding. 

Encourage participation. Pause at predictable times and give your baby time to think about what should happen next. 

Routines can be made more fun by adding a song to accompany some of the actions. You could change the words of a well-known nursery rhyme to match what you are doing in the routine. 

Keep it simple. These routines are a time for easy enjoyment.