Talking and Listening: Build Your Child’s Vocabulary Through Everyday Chat – Week 7

Do you know one of the best ways you can prepare your child for reading?
Talking to them. A lot.

Before phonics. Before reading. Before writing. Children need language. They need to hear words, try them out, and use them to express thoughts, ideas, and stories.

In Phase 1 phonics, this “everyday chat and conversation” is just as important as sound games. It builds the vocabulary and confidence children need to make sense of the words they’ll soon be reading.

• Why Talking Matters in Phase 1 Phonics
• 5 Easy Ways to Build Vocabulary through Chat
• Free Phonics Activity Worksheet
• Greetings from Grace
• Week 8’s Preview
• FAQs

Intro

If you’ve ever worried you’re not “doing enough” to help your child learn to read — stop right there. One of the best things you can do is something you’re probably already doing every single day: talking.

This week is all about how simple, everyday conversations can boost your child’s reading journey—and how you can do it naturally, without extra time or pressure.

Why Talking (and Listening) Helps with Phonics

Here’s the thing: phonics is all about connecting spoken sounds with written letters. But if your child hasn’t heard or used many words yet, it’s a bit like trying to build a house with no bricks.

Talking builds:

• Vocabulary (the words they know and use)
• Confidence in expressing ideas
• Awareness of sounds in words
• Listening and memory skills

And the best part? It fits right into what you’re already doing—getting dressed, eating lunch, walking to the park. All you need is your voice.

5 Easy Ways to Build Vocabulary Through Chat

Let’s look at some fun, simple ways to help your child soak up new words, practice listening, and build strong phonics foundations—without adding anything extra to your day.

1. “Tell Me About…” at Mealtimes

While you’re eating, ask open-ended questions:

“Tell me about your favourite toy.”
“What would you do if it rained jelly?”
“What do you think dinosaurs would eat for lunch?”

🟣 Why this helps: It gets them practising sentence structure and exploring new words with your support.

2. Comment, Don’t Quiz

Instead of rapid-fire questions (“What’s that? What colour is it?”), try describing what they’re doing:

“You’re building a really tall tower!”
“That’s a fast scooter — it zoomed across the path!”

🟣 Parent Tip: This models great vocabulary and removes pressure from them needing the “right” answer.

3. Talk Your Day Out Loud

As you go through the day, describe your actions aloud:

“I’m pouring the milk into your cup.”
“Let’s zip up your jacket — one, two, three!”

🟣 Why this works: It helps your child connect spoken language to everyday objects and routines.

4. Sound Explorers Game

Play “Sound Explorers” by choosing a letter sound (e.g., /s/) and going on a hunt:

“What can you see that starts with /s/? Spoon? Sock? Sofa?”

🟣 Variation: Try it while driving or walking: “Can you spot anything that starts with /b/?”

5. Silly Story Builders

Start a silly story and take turns adding bits:

You: “Once upon a time, a rabbit went to the…”
Your child: “…supermarket!”
You: “And there, it found a…”

🟣 Why this helps: It builds creativity, vocabulary, and spoken sentence flow—all great pre-reading skills.

Download Your Free Echo Me! Activity Worksheet

Want a little help getting started?
Download our FREE Echo Me! Activity Worksheet 👉 [Click here to download]

Have fun with words like:

Fun & Silly Words:

• Animal Sounds: woof, meow, moo, chirp, roar.
• Onomatopoeia: vroom, pop, bang, crash, buzz, zoom, achoo.
• Other: tickle, giggle, wiggle, wriggle.

Action Words:

• Movement: jump, run, walk, skip, dance, hop, slide, climb.
• Simple Actions: eat, drink, sleep, wash, open, close, push, pull, catch, throw, give.
• Sensory: see, look, hear, touch. 

Descriptive Words:

• Size: big, little, small.
• Feelings/Emotions: happy, sad, silly, scared, angry.
• Qualities: loud, quiet, clean, dirty, wet, dry, soft, fluffy. 

Hi there, it’s Grace again. 👋

So it turns out it’s really important to try and be as vocal as you can.

Now, I didn’t always know this—and even now, I sometimes wonder if I was a bit too quiet in those early months and years with my son. There’s a little part of me that wonders whether that played a role in the speech and language delay he experienced.

Speaking to him now, it’s hard to imagine he ever had a speech and language delay—and for that, I give all the glory to God.

Why I’m Sharing This

In the beginning, it was hard. I felt unsure of myself, worried I wasn’t doing enough or doing the “right” things to help him. One of the first pieces of advice I was given was to talk to him often—even if it didn’t come naturally.

So that’s what I started trying to do. And it didn’t need to be anything fancy or planned—just a running commentary of whatever was happening in the moment.

What Does That Sound Like?

It could be something like:

“Good morning. How are you? Did you have a nice sleep? Oh, that’s a big yawn! Let me rub your back. Shall I pick you up? Come on, let’s get ready. It’s sunny outside today—shall we brush your teeth first, or have a bath?”

It’s as simple as that—narrating your day, inviting your child to engage, letting them hear the natural rhythm and flow of language.

And If This Isn’t Natural For You?

That’s okay. Some parents are naturally chatty, others may be quieter like I was. You might be affectionate, attentive, and wonderfully present—but not naturally very vocal.

The good news? This is a skill you can learn, just like any other. It doesn’t have to be constant chatter—just regular moments where your child hears you speaking, describing, and connecting through words.

Because every time you do, you’re building a foundation for their listening, understanding, and eventually, their reading.

The more language your child hears, the stronger their foundation for phonics and reading will be.

Coming Up Next Week…

Next week is all about rhythm and rhyme — how poems, nursery rhymes, and silly songs can build a child’s ear for patterns in language.

🟡 Read next: [Week 8 – Rhyme Time: Simple Ways to Build Early Phonics Through Rhyming Play]

FAQs

Why is talking important for phonics?
Talking builds the vocabulary and sound awareness children need to connect spoken words with written letters in phonics.

How much should I talk to my child each day?
There’s no set amount. Focus on frequent, natural conversations during everyday activities.

What if I’m not naturally chatty?
That’s okay — you can narrate daily routines, describe what you see, or play simple word games to build the habit.

Does talking really help with reading later on?
Yes. The more language your child hears and practises, the stronger their foundation for phonics, comprehension, and writing.

What age should I start?
From birth! But it’s never too late — chatting regularly supports language and reading development at any age.

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If you found this post helpful, send it to a friend with a 3-5 year old.