# How to Work on Eye Contact and Non-Verbal Communication at Home

Canonical: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-eye-contact-and-nonverbal-communication-with-my-child-at-home
Publisher: Pinnacle Blooms Network / Bharath Healthcare Laboratories Private Limited

Build eye contact and non-verbal communication at home through face-to-face play, following your child's interests, holding favourite toys near your eyes, and modelling gestures like pointing and waving — never by forcing your child to look. Short playful moments many times a day work best.

*Eye contact and gesture aren't about forcing your child to look at you — they're about making connection so rewarding that your child wants to look.*

## In short
You can build [eye contact and non-verbal communication](/eye-contact-and-nonverbal-communication) at home through everyday play, by getting face-to-face at your child's eye level, following their interests, and pairing your eyes with things they love. Never demand or hold a child's face to force looking — instead make your face the most interesting, joyful thing in the room. Small, playful moments many times a day work far better than long sessions.

## Activities you can do today
**Get into position**
- Sit or lie down so you are face-to-face at your child's level — on the floor is perfect.
- Hold a favourite toy or snack up near your eyes, so looking at the toy means looking near your face. Wait, smile, then give it the moment your child glances up.

**Use play that pulls eyes to faces**
- Peek-a-boo, "so big!", tickle games and bubbles all build the pause-look-react rhythm of communication.
- Try anticipation games: "Ready... ready... GO!" Pause before "go" and wait for any look, sound or gesture before delighting them.

**Build gestures, not just looking**
- Model waving, clapping, pointing and "all done" hands. Hold your hand out and wait for them to give or reach rather than handing things over instantly.
- Offer choices held in each hand so your child must point, reach or look to tell you which one.

**Follow their lead**
- Watch what your child looks at, then join in and talk about it. Shared attention to the same object is the foundation of communication.
- Keep your face animated — big smiles, raised eyebrows, sing-song voice. Non-verbal communication is something you show, not something you test.

## A gentle note
Some children, including many who are simply busy explorers, give less eye contact and that alone is not a worry. But if reduced eye contact, pointing or gesture goes alongside delayed words or limited back-and-forth play across many settings, a friendly developmental check is wise — early support is gentle and effective.

## The Pinnacle way
Across 70+ centres in 4 states, our [speech therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) and developmental teams coach families in exactly these playful, everyday strategies. Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. under qualified clinician care — the [AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) is a clinician-administered structured assessment that gives your child a clear baseline and tracks progress as you practise at home.

## Trusted sources
Guidance here aligns with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association on early social communication, and the CDC's developmental milestone resources on gestures, pointing and shared attention.

**Next step —** message our team on WhatsApp at +91 9100 181 181 to book a developmental assessment and get a home-activity plan tailored to your child.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

## Sources
- ASHA — early social communication and play: https://www.asha.org
- CDC — developmental milestones: gestures and shared attention: https://www.cdc.gov/child-development

## Connected topics and perspectives
- Parent: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/parent
- Communication: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/domain/communication
- Find Activities: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/intent/find_activities
- Family Empowerment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/empowerment/family_empowerment

## Related question paths

### At home & in everyday life
- How can I work on Gesture and Eye Contact with my child at home?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-gesture-and-eye-contact-with-my-child-at-home
- How can I work on Nonverbal Communication Skills with my child at home?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-nonverbal-communication-skills-with-my-child-at-home
- How can I work on Eye Contact Building with my child at home?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-eye-contact-building-with-my-child-at-home
- How can I work on Eye Contact and Gesture with my child at home?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-eye-contact-and-gesture-with-my-child-at-home
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- How can I work on Nonverbal Communication with my child at home?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-nonverbal-communication-role-with-my-child-at-home