Opposites!

January 18, 2008 · Filed Under Baby Talk, Child Development, Infant Speech

“Will you buckle me out, Mommy?” my daugher asked as we pulled into the driveway after running errands yesterday.

How funny! We always tell Grace that we need to ‘buckle her in’ her car seat before we go anywhere. So, she made the connection that if we “buckle her in“, we must need to “buckle her out” as well! That kind of comment lets me know she’s beginning to grasp the concept of opposites.

The concept of opposites usually begins to emerge between 2.5 and 3 years of age. It starts with the toddler understanding the simple oppposites of big/little and up/down. As they get older, they will gain further understanding of opposites.

When I was practicing as a speech-pathologist in an elementary school, I loved teaching opposites! They’re just fun!

So, start acquainting your toddler with opposites today! Opposites are everywhere; just look around your house. Objects that are big versus little, water that’s cold versus hot, toys that are ‘in’ a box versus ‘out‘ of a box, up versus down…be creative! The opportunites to talk about opposites are endless.

Talking about opposites are a fantastic and fun way to build your toddler’s language development!