Language labExpress · 18–24 months

A little errand

You ask them to fetch something they know well and, as they hand it to you, they find out they can help at home.

To do with your toddler between 18 and 24 months. It works on: language development, memory and self confidence. You'll need: everyday objects (shoes, nappy, book).

In the app, one activity a day for their age →

What do I need?

• Everyday objects (shoes, nappy, book)

How do I do it?

1. 01

   Pick your moment

   Wait for a time in the day when you need something your little one knows well: their shoes, a nappy or their book. Check it's within reach, with no climbing or stairs to get to it.

2. 02

   Ask for one thing

   Call them by name and, once they look at you, ask calmly: “Can you bring me the nappy, please?” Wait 10 to 15 seconds without asking again.

3. 03

   Take what they bring

   Smile when they come back and name what they've brought: “Thank you! You brought me the nappy.” If they bring something else, thank them anyway and go together to find the nappy.

4. 04

   Find more errands

   Let them help with other simple errands through the day, as long as they're keen. If they don't feel like going today, fetch it yourself and name it as you pick it up.

What are they learning?

To bring you what you asked for, they have to understand the word and remember what the object looks like and where it is. Hearing its name just as they hand it over, they link the word to what's in their hand. Seeing that their help is useful makes them feel capable.

• Language development

  Understands your request and hears the object's name again as they hand it over

• Memory

  Remembers what you asked for and where it is while they go to get it

• Self confidence

  Finds out they can help at home with a simple errand

What the research says

1. Responding to babbling helps babies quickly learn speech sounds

   Goldstein & Schwade · 2008

2. How a baby's brain begins to build a past

   Bauer · 2006

3. Babies keep trying longer when they see an adult persist

   Leonard et al. · 2017

See all 6 references

1. Goldstein MH, Schwade JA. Social feedback to infants' babbling facilitates rapid phonological learning. Psychological Science. 2008;19(5):515-523. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02117.x doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02117.x
2. Weisleder A, Fernald A. Talking to children matters: early language experience strengthens processing and builds vocabulary. Psychological Science. 2013;24(11):2143-2152. doi:10.1177/0956797613488145 doi.org/10.1177/0956797613488145
3. Bauer PJ. Constructing a past in infancy: a neuro-developmental account. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 2006;10(4):175-181. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2006.02.009 doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2006.02.009
4. Hayne H. Infant memory development: implications for childhood amnesia. Developmental Review. 2004;24(1):33-73. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2003.09.007 doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2003.09.007
5. Leonard JA, Lee Y, Schulz LE. Infants make more attempts to achieve a goal when they see adults persist. Science. 2017;357(6357):1290-1294. doi:10.1126/science.aan2317 doi.org/10.1126/science.aan2317
6. Morgan GA, Harmon RJ, Maslin-Cole CA. Mastery motivation: definition and measurement. Early Education and Development. 1990;1(5):318-339. doi:10.1207/s15566935eed0105_1 doi.org/10.1207/s15566935eed0105_1

Reviewed by Javier Atance Ibar, PhD in Education