Communication and Language

What it is Communication and Language?

This is one of the three key Prime Areas of learning in the Early Years. Being successful here will enable your child to thrive in other areas too.

The area is broken down into three main components.

Listening and Attention – How well does your child pay attention, follow instructions and actively listen in conversations and interactions. Encouraging your child to become immersed in activities and being able to ignore distractions are all key elements to this strand.

Understanding – Here the focus is on your child showing understanding about what is being asked of them, i.e. to put away or take out an object. It is also based on their ability to listen and understand other children in conversations and groups. Can they also answer ‘why’ questions, for example when reading a story can they understand why someone may be sad in the book.

Speaking – Here the focus is on how your child expresses themselves effectively. It is also about introducing new words and vocabulary from conversations or books and stories. You will need to consider how well your child communicates in both smaller and larger groups, can they let their voice be heard.

How is Communication and Language supported in Story Sense?

Attending a Story Sense class is the perfect way to support your child’s communication and language skills, as it combines storytelling, sensory activities, and interactive play in a fun, engaging and social environment.

1. Encourages Listening and Attention

Storytelling captures children’s attention and helps them practice focusing on a single activity for a period of time.
Children learn to listen to the storyteller’s tone, rhythm, and words, which helps them understand how to follow a narrative.
Sensory elements (like props, music and sounds) make the story engaging and interactive, reinforcing listening skills.

2. Supports Understanding

Through interactive storytelling, children hear new words and see their meaning brought to life with sensory props, actions and visual aids. We use real life images with Makaton signs to help aid understanding for new words or common words which they can then use to communicate with.
Activities such as answering questions about the story (“What’s the bear doing?”) or following instructions (“Find the shiny star!”) help develop comprehension.

Example: When our story involves a rainy day, sensory props like a spray of water or umbrellas help children connect words like “wet” and “rain” to real-life experiences. It is all about making links.

3. Builds Vocabulary and Speaking Skills

Story Sense introduces children to a wide range of new words, phrases, and expressions in context.
Encouraging children to join in by repeating lines or joining in with songs helps them practice speaking from a very early age.
The social aspect of Story Sense classes also allows the children to engage with one another, practising turn taking skills in both play and conversation even at its earliest stage.

Six things you can do at home to support your child’s Communication and Language skills:

Listening and Attention Games:

1. Sound Hunt

Play a listening game where you make different sounds (e.g., clapping, tapping a table, shaking keys) and ask your child to identify the source of the sound.

You can also take it outside: “Can you hear the birds? What else can you hear?”

Why it helps: It sharpens auditory discrimination skills and encourages focused listening.

2. Musical Freeze Game

Play music and encourage your child to dance. When the music stops, they have to freeze in place.

Add variations, such as freezing in specific poses (e.g., like an animal or superhero).

Why it helps: Children practice listening for cues (the music stopping) while staying focused on the activity.

Understanding Games:

3. Sorting and Matching Games

Ask your child to sort or group objects based on instructions.

Examples:

“Can you find all the blue blocks?”

“Put the spoons with the other spoons and the forks with the forks.”

Why it helps: Boosts understanding of categories, instructions, and relationships between objects.

4. Role-Play with Instructions

Create role-play scenarios like pretending to be in a shop, doctor’s office, or café.

Give instructions like: “Can you give me the milk from your shop?” or “What would the doctor say to help the teddy bear feel better?”

Why it helps: Encourages children to interpret language in context and understand everyday conversations.

Speaking Games:

5. Storytelling Together

Read books and encourage your child to join in by talking about the pictures, repeating key phrases, or guessing what happens next.

You can also make up your own stories together by asking questions like, “What happens if the dog goes on an adventure?”

Why it helps: Builds vocabulary, sentence structure, and the confidence to express ideas.

6. Sing Songs and Rhymes

Sing nursery rhymes and action songs like Wheels on the Bus or Old MacDonald Had a Farm.

Encourage your child to fill in the missing words or make animal sounds during the songs.

Why it helps: Repetition and rhythm help children learn new words and practice forming sentences.

These ideas are by no means exhaustive and are just a good place to start alongside our Story Sense Classes.