Narrate what you do together: say Now we wash hands, then wait. The full method, including how to pause and respond, is in the narration template below.
Your narration template
Pick a routine you both do daily, like getting dressed or snack time, so the words repeat naturally every day.
Say one short sentence about what is happening, using simple, clear words: Banana, you want banana.
Pause and look at your toddler, waiting several seconds for any sound, word, or gesture.
Respond to whatever they give you, then gently expand it. If they say ba, answer Banana, yes, big banana. Answering whatever your toddler says keeps the back-and-forth going, because it follows what they are already looking at or interested in.
Repeat the pattern a few times in the same routine, keep sentences short, and finish with the same closing words each day, so the phrase becomes familiar and predictable for your toddler to try joining in with.
The template in action
Here is a finished snack-time narration you can copy word for word. Say it slowly, then pause after each line: Banana! You want banana. Big banana, yum. Ba? Ba-ba, banana!
If your toddler says ba, reply Banana, yes, big banana, and hand the piece over. The pause matters. It leaves a gap for any sound, word, or gesture, and answering whatever they give you keeps the exchange going.
Book time works the same way. Point at the picture and name it: Dog! Brown dog. Then link the page to real life: Dog, like the dog at Grandma's house! Pointing, naming, repeating, and connecting the story to your child's own world are the core moves of shared reading.
On days when you add a shared book like this, parent talk, child talk, and high-quality language exchanges all go up compared with days without it. Your narration and response moves add the rest, so no single activity carries the whole result.
Try it now: pick the next routine you do together, narrate it with these moves, and see what your toddler offers back.
Quick completion check
Run the check right after your next routine: did you say one short sentence, pause, and respond to whatever came back? If all three happened, the snack-time narration is complete, even if your toddler stayed silent. The exchange pattern matters more than their output.
Your sentences were short and about the here and now, like Banana, you want banana. Keeping words simple and tied to the moment is the core move.
You paused for several seconds after speaking, giving your toddler a real gap to fill with any sound, word, or gesture.
You answered whatever they gave you, even a single syllable, and expanded it gently, as in replying to ba with Banana, yes, big banana.
You repeated the pattern during the routine and finished with the same closing phrase, so it becomes predictable enough for your toddler to try joining in.
One honest caveat: research on parental input, including a small correlational study of 46 mother-toddler dyads at 18 months, links richer input with later expressive language, but that kind of study cannot prove your narration causes new words. Treat the check as habit complete, not outcome guaranteed, and enjoy the exchange for its own sake.