# How can I work on Nonverbal Communication with my child at home?

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

Strengthen your child's nonverbal communication at home through face-to-face play that builds eye contact, gestures, pointing, facial expression and turn-taking. Pause and wait, follow your child's lead, and respond warmly to every attempt — these daily moments are the foundation of spoken language.

*Long before words arrive, your child is already talking — with eyes, hands, faces and bodies. Nonverbal communication is the foundation that spoken language is built upon.*

## In short
You can strengthen your child's nonverbal communication at home through everyday play that invites eye contact, gestures, pointing, facial expression and turn-taking. The trick is simple: pause, get face-to-face, follow your child's interest, and respond warmly to every attempt to connect — even a glance or a reach. These small, daily moments are where communication grows.

## Everyday activities to try
**Get face-to-face and wait**
- Sit at your child's eye level during play and meals — this makes your face easy to read.
- After you say or do something, pause and count silently to five. That gap invites your child to respond with a look, a sound or a gesture.

**Build gestures and pointing**
- Model waving "bye-bye", clapping, blowing kisses and the "all done" sign — children copy what they see often.
- Place a favourite toy just out of reach so your child reaches or points; respond instantly so they learn that gestures *work*.

**Play with faces and feelings**
- Use big, clear facial expressions during peekaboo, surprise and tickle games.
- Name feelings with your face and voice — "Oh! You're *happy*!" — so expressions gain meaning.

**Take turns**
- Roll a ball back and forth, stack blocks one-by-one, or sing songs with actions like *Round and Round the Garden*. Turn-taking is the rhythm behind all conversation.
- Imitate your child's sounds and movements; when you copy them, they often copy you back.

## When to seek a check
If by around 12 months your child rarely makes eye contact, doesn't gesture (no waving, reaching or pointing), or doesn't respond to their name, it's worth a friendly developmental check — alongside a routine hearing check. Persistent parental concern is itself a good reason to ask. This is about timely support, not alarm.

## The Pinnacle way
Every child's communication journey is their own. At Pinnacle Blooms Network, a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a centre under qualified clinician care — never from an app or a checklist at home. Our therapists can show you how to weave [nonverbal communication](/nonverbal-communication-role) work into your daily routine, and our [speech therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) team builds on these early gesture-and-eye-contact foundations. To understand where your child stands today, learn how the [AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) works.

## Trusted sources
Aligned with guidance from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the CDC's developmental milestone resources, and the American Academy of Pediatrics on early communication and gesture development.

**Next step —** book a developmental assessment to map your child's communication strengths and get a home plan tailored to them. Reach our team on WhatsApp: +91 91001 81181.

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

## Sources
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association — communication development: https://www.asha.org
- CDC — developmental milestones: https://www.cdc.gov/child-development
- AAP HealthyChildren — early communication: https://www.healthychildren.org

## 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

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