Everyday activities, such as eating dinner or taking a bath, provide opportunities to talk, sometimes in detail, about what's happening and respond to your child. First let's stick the plug in the drain. Now we'll turn on the water. I see you want to put your rubber duck in the bathtub. That's a good idea.
Children have their own special thoughts and feelings, joys and sorrows, hopes and fears.
As their language skills develop, encourage them to talk. Listening is the best way to learn what's on their minds and to discover what they know and don't know, and how they think and learn. It also shows children that their feelings and ideas are valuable. You might point out how the leaves are the same, and how they are different. Answer your children's questions thoughtfully and, whenever possible, encourage them to answer their own questions.