# How to Work on Non-Verbal Cues at Home

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

Non-verbal cues — gestures, eye contact, facial expressions and body language — can be built at home through everyday play. Get face-to-face, follow your child's interest, pair words with clear gestures, and use games like peek-a-boo and pointing. These moments build the foundation for spoken language.

*Long before children master words, they speak with their eyes, hands and faces — and you can grow that language together, right at home.*

## In short
Non-verbal cues are the gestures, eye contact, facial expressions and body language children use to connect and share meaning. You can strengthen them at home through everyday play — pointing, waving, showing, and face-to-face moments — by getting down to your child's level, following their interest, and pairing your words with clear gestures and warm expressions. These small, repeated moments build the foundation for spoken language.

## Activities you can try at home
**Get face-to-face and follow their lead**
- Sit or kneel so your eyes meet your child's — share toys at eye level
- Notice what they are looking at, then point to it and name it
- Pause and wait expectantly; give them a beat to respond with a look, reach or sound

**Make gestures part of daily life**
- Wave "hello" and "bye-bye" every time, and clap for little wins
- Point to show interesting things — birds, lights, the dog — and encourage pointing back
- Use simple signs for "more", "all done", "up" while you say the word

**Play that grows connection**
- Peek-a-boo, tickle games and "so big!" invite eye contact and anticipation
- Blow bubbles, then pause — let your child look at you or reach to ask for more
- Use exaggerated, happy faces during songs and stories so expressions stand out

**Read faces and feelings**
- Name emotions in books and mirrors — "happy face", "sad face"
- Copy your child's expressions and sounds; turn-taking is the heart of communication

## When to seek a check
Most children build these cues naturally between roughly 9 and 18 months — sharing a look, pointing to show you things, and following your point. If by 12 months there is little eye contact, no waving or pointing, or your child rarely shares interest with you, it is worth a gentle developmental check rather than waiting. Trust your instincts — early support is encouraging, never alarming.

## The Pinnacle way
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 the care of a qualified clinician — these home activities support, but never replace, that. Our therapists can show you exactly how to weave [non-verbal cues](/nonverbal-cues) into your daily routine, and [speech therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) builds on these very foundations. Across 70+ centres in 4 states, our 700+ therapists partner with families through play-based, everyday-life goals.

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

**Next step —** to learn personalised non-verbal communication activities for your child, book a developmental assessment with the Pinnacle 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 and gesture development: https://www.asha.org
- CDC — Learn the Signs. Act Early. milestones: https://www.cdc.gov
- AAP HealthyChildren — responsive back-and-forth interaction: 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

## Related question paths

### At home & in everyday life
- How to Work on Nonverbal Cues and Gestures at Home: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-nonverbal-cues-and-gestures-with-my-child-at-home
- 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
- 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 to Improve Non-Verbal Communication at Home: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-improving-nonverbal-with-my-child-at-home
- How can I work on Nonverbal Communication with my child at home?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-nonverbal-communication-with-my-child-at-home
- How to Enhance Nonverbal Communication at Home: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-enhancing-nonverbal-with-my-child-at-home