Vocal Turn-Taking Games
To develop conversational turn-taking and proto-literacy dialogue through responsive vocal play.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Literacy
- Learning area: Literacy
- Level: EYFS Birth-2
Objectives
- Initiates vocal exchange
- Waits for adult response
- Extends vocal turn-taking to three or more turns
- Varies vocalisations expressively
Materials
- Quiet, calm space
- Comfortable seating
- Visual face-to-face positioning
- No competing noise
Instructions
When a baby vocalises — coos, babbles, squeals — respond as if they've said something meaningful: 'Really? Tell me more! That sounds very interesting!' Then wait for another vocalisation.
Mirror the baby's sounds back to them, then add a word: 'Ba ba ba! Yes! Banana! Ba-NA-na!' This technique (extending) builds vocabulary from the baby's own sounds.
Leave generous pauses after you speak. Research shows adults typically wait only one second for a response — babies need three to five seconds to formulate a vocal reply. Count silently.
Respond to ALL vocalisations — not just the ones that sound like words. A blow-raspberry conversation is as valid as a babble conversation. Every exchange teaches turn-taking structure.
These vocal conversations are the direct precursor to dialogue, which is the direct precursor to understanding that text represents conversation. This is foundational literacy.
Record some exchanges in the baby's learning journal. Transcribe the 'conversation' — it makes beautiful evidence of early communication and language development.