Words & communication

Choice of two

Offer two real options and wait for a look, gesture, sound or word.

5 minutes

What you'll need

Two large one-piece toys labelled suitable for children under 3

Before you start

Can attend to a shared object briefly

Best fit: either · calm energy · low caregiver effort · low mess

How to play

  1. Hold both choices where they are easy to see.
  2. Name each once.
  3. Wait quietly, then honour the response.
Make it easier

Use two very different favourite objects.

Standard

Offer two real options and wait for a look, gesture, sound or word.

Extend it

Invite your child to name the choice or choose for someone else.

What you might notice

How your child communicates preference without needing a spoken word.

Keep it safe

Stay within arm's reach. Inspect both under-3 toys for damage or detachable parts, offer them at floor level, stop mouthing or throwing, and count and store both items after the choice.

Why it may be useful

This activity creates an easy moment for back-and-forth communication, shared attention and hearing useful words in context.

strong

Applies to caregiver-led language opportunities; it does not predict an individual child's language trajectory.

Jeong et al. (2021) — Parenting interventions to promote early child development in the first three years of life: A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Dowdall et al. (2025) — Home-based shared book reading and developmental outcomes in young children: a systematic review with meta-analyses

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