Developmental delay is when children develop physical, emotional, social, communication and thinking skills slower than expected. Early intervention is recommended to help children develop skills faster. However, there is also things you can do at home as a carer or parent to help your child with their development.
With the right support and activities, children with developmental delay can learn and develop new skills. In this blog post, we share some of the activities which can help your child.
Shared Drawing
In shared drawing, the carer or parent and child draw a picture together, taking turns to add to the picture. It could be any type of picture, for example drawing shapes or patterns. This activity teaches children how to share and work with others as a team. It also helps in building the children’s motor skills and creativity. Some children have trouble communicating through speech, so drawing is a good way for them to communicate with others.
Provide Structure or a Set Routine
Providing structure or daily routines are good for children with developmental delay, as they can get overwhelmed by daily tasks which can lead to them acting out. Children with developmental delay having a daily routine can help them become less overwhelmed as they know what to expect and can make learning new skills easier. For example, a daily schedule could be written out for the child and posted on a wall where the child can see it.
Naming Game
Naming games have many cognitive benefits for children which include recognising names to teach them how to communicate, read and write. Children can understand the difference between the names and understand what each name represents. An example of a naming game involves getting flash cards with different words or pictures on them, reading out what the picture or word is and getting the child to repeat it.
Modelling a Task
Children with developmental delay are often strong visual learners, understanding things through seeing rather than hearing. Therefore, when explaining a task to a child it helps for the parent or carer to perform the task physically in front of them.
Sand Tray Play
Children with developmental delay can have problems with talking about their thoughts and feelings, therefore sand play gives children a way to explore their thoughts and feelings through creating objects with the sand. It can also help calm the child and encourages creativity.
We hope you have found this blog post helpful. If there is anything you would like to add on what can help children develop new skills, post in the comment section below.
