Nursery World - What makes a good conversation?

Conversation for children can be verbal or non-verbal. Just look at the conversation Neve is having in the sequence of pictures opposite. Babies will use eye contact and gazing to invite others to respond and share an intimate word with them. Later on they will smile, coo and invent intriguing bubbling raspberry sounds as they exercise the parts of their mouth, throat and lungs that are needed for talking.

Babies will use eye contact and gazing to invite others to respond and share an intimate word with them. Later on they will smile, coo and invent intriguing bubbling raspberry sounds as they exercise the parts of their mouth, throat and lungs that are needed for talking.

When babies sit up they begin to use other 'tools' for talking, a favorite one being the passing game. The baby hands us a toy, spoon or piece of food and then we have to give it back. This becomes a game or a conversation without words and enables them to lead the fun and have 'control' of the adult.

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