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

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

Build nonverbal communication at home through warm, playful back-and-forth — face-to-face play, gestures paired with words, shared-attention games like peekaboo and bubbles, and responding to your child's looks, reaches and points as real messages. Little and often works best.

*Long before words arrive, your child is already talking — with their eyes, hands, face and whole body. Tuning into that conversation is one of the most powerful things you can do at home.*

## In short
[Nonverbal communication](/nonverbal-communication) — eye contact, pointing, gestures, facial expression and shared attention — is the foundation that spoken language is built on. You can grow it at home through playful, repeated back-and-forth moments during everyday routines. The aim is simple: notice your child's signals, respond warmly, and gently model your own.

## Everyday activities you can try
**Get face-to-face and follow their lead**
- Sit at your child's eye level during play and meals so faces and gestures are easy to see.
- Watch what they look at or reach for, then name it and respond — this teaches them their signals "work".

**Make gestures part of daily life**
- Pair words with actions: wave for "bye", clap for "yay", arms up for "up", palms out for "all gone".
- Offer choices held in each hand so pointing or reaching becomes meaningful ("banana or biscuit?").

**Build shared attention and turn-taking**
- Play peekaboo, rolling a ball back and forth, or blowing bubbles and pausing — wait for them to look at you or gesture for "more" before continuing.
- Use big, friendly facial expressions and pause expectantly; the pause invites them to respond.

**Read and respond to their cues**
- Treat reaching, looking, pushing away or pointing as real messages, and answer them as if they spoke.
- Imitate their sounds, gestures and expressions — children love being copied, and it grows the back-and-forth.

Little and often beats long sessions — a few playful minutes woven through the day is ideal.

## When to check in with someone
These activities suit most children and carry no risk. If by around 12 months your child rarely points, shows or follows a point, makes little eye contact, or doesn't use gestures like waving, it's worth a friendly developmental check — not a cause for alarm, simply a chance to understand and support.

## The Pinnacle way
At Pinnacle Blooms Network, we strengthen nonverbal communication through play-based [speech therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) that meets your child where they are. A clinical [AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care — never from an online read. With 25 million+ therapy sessions and 4.95 lakh+ families supported across 70+ centres, we help you turn everyday moments into communication wins.

## Trusted sources
Guidance here is consistent with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association on early communication, the CDC's developmental milestones, and the American Academy of Pediatrics' HealthyChildren parenting resources on play and interaction.

**Next step —** for a play-based plan tailored to your child, book a developmental assessment with 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
- ASHA — early communication development: https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/communicationdevelopment/
- CDC — developmental milestones: https://www.cdc.gov/child-development
- AAP HealthyChildren — ages & stages: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/Pages/default.aspx

## 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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