Runningbrook International Preschool
San Carlos Center: Carlos Peña Otaegui 11206 (intersection La Fuente) San Carlos de Apoquindo, Las Condes
Runningbrook International Preschool
San Carlos Center: Carlos Peña Otaegui 11206 (intersection La Fuente) San Carlos de Apoquindo, Las Condes
November 2, 2026
Children don't need flashcards or special lessons to learn new words. Many of the best chances happen during moments you already share every day: pouring milk at breakfast, buttoning a coat, choosing apples at the market or getting ready for bed. These ordinary routines are full of language, and your child is listening, watching and soaking it in.
At Runningbrook International Preschool, we have spent more than 30 years with families from over 35 countries, and we see the same thing again and again. Children's language grows best through warm, back-and-forth connection with the people they love. In this article we share a simple approach you can use at home, Talk, Narrate, Repeat, along with what to expect at different ages and practical ideas you can start using today.
Routines happen over and over, and that's why they work so well. When your child hears the same words in the same setting day after day (spoon, bowl, stir, warm), those words start to stick. Over time, your child moves from recognizing a word to understanding it, and then to using it.
Research supports this. The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University describes “serve and return” interactions as essential to early brain development. A child babbles, points or asks a question, and an adult responds with attention and words. A 2018 study by researchers at MIT and Harvard (Romeo and colleagues, published in Psychological Science) found that the number of conversational turns between adults and young children was linked to stronger activity in language areas of the brain. That link held regardless of how many words children simply overheard. In other words, it isn't just about how much we talk to children. It's about how much we talk with them.
Daily routines give you lots of natural chances for these exchanges, with no extra time or materials needed.
Every child develops at their own pace, and there is a wide, healthy range of what's typical. The descriptions below are general patterns, not checklists. Your child may move faster in some areas and take more time in others, and that's perfectly normal.
If your child is growing up with more than one language, you may notice that they know some words in one language and other words in another. They might mix languages in a single sentence too. This is a normal and healthy part of bilingual education and development. Research by Barbara Zurer Pearson, Sylvia Fernández and D. Kimbrough Oller (1993) showed that when bilingual children's vocabularies in both languages are counted together, their total vocabulary is comparable to that of children learning one language. Speaking with your child in the language you feel most comfortable and expressive in is one of the best gifts you can give.
You don't need to change your family's rhythm. These strategies fit into what you're already doing, and you can adapt them to your own style, culture and home languages.
Invite your child into the moment with questions, pauses and real interest in what they say. Even with babies, pause after you speak as if waiting for a reply. Their coo or kick is their turn!
Try open-ended questions that can't be answered with just “yes” or “no,” especially with preschoolers. And when your child starts a conversation by pointing at a dog, a bus or a bird, follow their lead. Children learn words most easily when the topic is something they already care about.
Describe what you're doing, what your child is doing and what you both notice, a bit like a friendly sports commentator. This gives your child words for actions, objects and feelings right as they happen.
For older children, add richer words now and then. Instead of “big,” try “enormous” or “gigantic.” Instead of “good,” try “delicious” or “crunchy.” Children love grown-up words, especially when they come with a clear, real-life example.
Repetition isn't boring for young children. It's how they learn. Use the same key words in the same routines each day, and feel free to bring back the same songs, rhymes and bedtime stories. You might notice your child starting to “fill in” the words before you say them. That's a wonderful sign that learning is happening.
When your child says a word or short phrase, repeat it back and add a little more. If your toddler says “Car!”, you might reply, “Yes, a blue car! The blue car is going fast.” If your preschooler says “I goed to the park,” you can gently answer, “You went to the park! What did you do there?” This shows the correct form without correcting, and it keeps the conversation going.
Pretend play is a natural extension of daily routines. A toy kitchen, a doll's bath or a pretend shop lets children practice the words they hear at home in their own way. Join in by playing a customer or a guest. Your child gets to lead, and you get to model new vocabulary through the game.
Families talk with children in many different ways. In some cultures, children learn mostly by watching and listening closely to adults. In others, adults ask children lots of direct questions. Some families sing a lot, while others share stories or talk around the table at mealtimes. All of these traditions support language. Your family's songs, sayings, foods and celebrations are full of words and meaning, and sharing them helps your child build both vocabulary and a strong sense of who they are.
In our multicultural environment, we see every day how children enrich one another with words, games and traditions from home. A child who knows the word for “grandmother” in three languages has a richer vocabulary, and a deeper connection to family.
Our child-centered approach and play-based learning philosophy follow these same principles. In our classrooms, routines like arrival, snack time, handwashing, outdoor play and tidying up become chances for conversation. Our educators narrate, ask questions, follow children's interests and repeat songs and phrases that children come to love and anticipate.
Small group sizes let our educators have real back-and-forth conversations with each child. Our indoor and outdoor play spaces give children plenty to talk about, from the texture of sand to the colors of autumn leaves. From Growing Steps through Pre-Kinder, we see vocabulary growth as part of children's wider early childhood development, connected to their self-esteem, social confidence, creativity and curiosity.
You don't need to be a teacher or follow a perfect plan to help your child's vocabulary grow. The moments you already share, whether giggling in the bath, chatting at dinner or wondering aloud on a walk, are exactly what your child needs. Some days will be full of conversation, and others will be busy or tired. That's okay. What matters most is the warm, steady connection you build over time.
Remember, too, that you are the expert on your own child. You know their personality, their interests and the little signs that show what they're understanding. If you ever have questions about your child's language development, trust your instincts and talk with your child's educators or pediatrician. Every child's path is different, and support is always available.
So tomorrow morning, as you pour the cereal or tie the shoes, try it: talk, narrate, repeat. Small words, said with love, add up to something wonderful.