When your critter can’t yet conjugate, she may make up verbs, like “I doos” instead of “I do.” Or you may hear your little chatterbox adding -ed to make everything past tense, as in, “We goed” or “We haved fun.” But that’s actually good news for language development: It means your toddler is picking up the basics of verb conjugation, which usually starts with regular past-tense verbs (“jumped”) between ages two and three.
Why learning verbs is tricky:
Simply put, it's hard for little brains to understand how to use these parts of speech. Kids need to build a vocabulary of verbs and other toddler words first, and then they’ll turn to working on more complex tasks, like using them correctly.
What you need to know as your child is learning verbs:
It's unlikely your sweetie has a speech delay — verb problems are par for the toddler course. If your little one is still having trouble with the basics at age four, talk to your pediatrician. He or she should be able to suggest ways to get over this hurdle.
How to help your tot with verb problems:
- Be a role model. Kids imitate your speech, so if your tiny talker says, “We goed to the park,” repeat the thought in a sentence using the correct words: “That’s right, we went to the park. What did we do while we were there?”
- Hit the books. Yet another reason to read to your toddler: Your child will learn more quickly if reading is a regular part of your routine. But some stories have characters using incorrect grammar (“runned” instead of “ran”). Skim through books before reading them if your child is having trouble learning verbs, and steer clear of any with characters who have verb problems.
- Try make-believe. Make up a story (or just tell a true one) and include lots of verbs in your tale. Say something like, “Today I drove to the grocery store. I picked up a cantaloupe to feel if it was ripe, I poured nuts into a bag, and I pushed my cart down the aisle.” Even though you’re just explaining a series of events, hearing you use verbs the right way will help your toddler do the same.
Yes 
No 
Trending On What to Expect
