Imitation – Tips for teaching your child how to copy and learn from others
Channel: 1to1 Therapy Services
Date: 2015-09-16

For more information about Imitation please visit our website at http://www.1to1therapy.ca/

HOW TO IMPROVE IMITATION:

Here are tips for you to help your child with imitation: 

1. Be face to face with your child. Your child needs to see your eyes, mouth and facial expressions. It is important for your child to see how you are making the sounds with your mouth. If your child does not make eye contact or look at you directly, you can hold an interesting object close to your face to draw your child’s attention.

2. Imitate your child’s sounds, actions and facial expressions. If your infant makes a face or smiles, imitate his facial expression.  As you imitate, your child will be more likely to engage: back-and-forth.  This turn taking is the beginning of learning conversation.

3. Wait for your child to babble or say a word and then imitate your child’s speech.

4. Watch your child playing and imitate their actions. If your child is banging a drum, imitate him by banging the drum as well. 

5. Help your child to imitate motor actions such as clapping hands or gestures such as waving. You can use hand over hand to assist your child to imitate these actions. 
6. Imitate your child during People Games such as Peek-a-Boo. 

7. Sing songs repetitively to your child. Once he has heard a song many times he may begin to imitate the sounds, words and actions. Help your child by saying a line and encouraging fill in the blanks. For example, “The Wheels on the ____” 


8. Animal sounds are a great way to encourage imitation. Have fun with your child while you play with a farm set, puzzle or book. Say, “moo” or “meow” and wait for imitation.