CATCHPHRASE

My little mister is a chatterbox, a parrot, a babbler, a windbag, a copycat and very talkative. He is definitely communicative, stringing together all sorts of words he knows to make up various short sentences. He's getting pretty vocal indeed and pretty good at communicating what he wants from life! (Read bossy boots!)

Favourite phrases are:
I do that || I like that || this way || that way || cup of tea || mummy shower || mummy cup of tea || mummy do that // mummy big yuddle // yuddle Mr.Moo Mummy (his cuddly cow toy) || that one on // that one back // bye bye bin men || that one daddy's/mummy's/stanley's || NO betty || it in mouth (when he's finished eating) // I wuv you // daddy bicycle, vroom vroom (Ben goes to the train station to work on a bike!) || I like "....." and then a various amount of things he likes, the most popular being 'cake' 'biscuits' and 'homebase' which for those of you not living in the UK is a DIY store??!!!

"1,3,8" is his method of counting. Everything. He seems really against the number 2. And no matter how matter times I say 1, 2, 3. He will always reply with 1, 3, 8?!

He repeats almost everything I or anyone says to him. We are having to be so careful round the house with what we say and what language we use! (I've always been a keen swearer I'm afraid!) He's pretty good at "please" and "thank you" now which is nice. In fact just recently he's been saying 'thank you Mummy' really clearly if I set down a treat, or a snack, or help him with something. Completely unpromted to do so - it's so heart warming! He struggles to pronounce his 'c's and his 'k's' which I guess is pretty normal. So some words like cuddle come out as "yuddle". And milk is pronounced more like "malt"! I find most of these developmental stages fascinating, but this language for me has been the most interesting. I can almost see and sense him practising words and short phrases. No wonder it is a good idea to teach children another language at an early age as they have no fear about failing and are happy to go round chanting little things until they get it absolutely right. I'm just a bit miffed I can't teach him a second language!

Between 18 months and 2 years they are supposed to be constructing 2-3 word sentences, and that is certainly what Stanley is up too. They are supposed to understand as many as 200 words, many of which are nouns, and learn up to 10 new words a day! It makes me wonder if I should try and expand my volcabulary a bit. In stead of just saying, "yes what a big truck". Should I perhaps say what an enmoromous truck. What do think, do any of you with little ones try and be more inventive with how you describe things. I am in my day job quite creative with language (and of course imagery) but I feel like I almost should be teaching him a wee bit more now. Perhaps I need to read up on some pre-school teachings. Maybe some Montessori style activities and learnings. Do any of you have any good recommendations? I certainly don't want to go down something tedious and stern (for him or me) but I would like to improve his language and skills in a fun way, especially as he seems to enjoy it too.