Reports of stammering in young children, particularly those aged between 2 and 5, is one of the most common concerns when parents get in touch with us – and there is good reason for that!

A lovely Mum I know asked me about her son’s language development today. What she described wasn’t too concerning, so I gave her a few tips, one of which was ‘Don’t ask him to say words’.

The rise of social media can certainly be looked upon as both a blessing and a curse for parents out there. There are of course the huge benefits of finding allies on those social networks - other Mums who are going through the same trials and tribulations that come with parenthood, people who can offer a friendly ear, advice or support.

We all do it – when we play with young children, we ask them a lot of questions. But is this the best way to support their language development?

If your little one is anything like baby J, chances are they love animals! Children are fascinated with animals and that makes for a fantastic opportunity for communication. In our house, our pet cat Roger (or Roger 4th to give him his full title) has been a favourite 'toy' of baby J's since she was old enough to realise he existed.

No, I'm not talking about popping open the prosecco bottles for the festive season, although I'm sure that will be happening too. I'm talking about all the fantastic opportunities there are for developing your child's language skills whilst playing with bubbles.