A toddler, brimming with imagination and creativity, is hungry for words because that is the easiest medium to express multiple ideas. In absence of words, a toddler only has smiles, giggles, crying and gestures to resort to. But how much can one express through these alone? Hence, we need to empower our children with vocabulary and introduce them to this wonderful world that they now not just imagine internally but can express externally.
The power of vocabulary goes well beyond just the ability to express oneself confidently. Being able to straddle effectively between the internal world made of thoughts and emotions and the external physical world made of actions is crucial for overall well-being and language acts as a bridge between these two worlds.
Research shows that thought and language are initially separate systems from the beginning of life, merging at around three years of age, producing verbal thought (inner speech).
Have you noticed most children refer to themselves in third person? This happens because the child is unable to differentiate their internal reality from their external reality.
An important milestone in social cognitive development results from an internalization of language. As children get older, this self-directed speech becomes silent (or private) speech, referring to the inner dialogues that we have with ourselves as we plan and carry out activities.
More words learnt early lend this unique advantage to children where they can begin internalizing speech and develop social cognitive skills.
