The aim of Tots Talking is to increase the amount of language parents and carers use with their toddlers, so that when they start nursery and school they have lots of words to help build their learning.

Research shows that the better children are at talking, the more prepared they are for nursery and school; having good language skills helps children do well with their learning, including reading, writing and maths. Babies and young children learn how to communicate from hearing language around them, and from being spoken to and interacted with. How parents talk to their children, and how much they do it, has a direct impact on how much language children understand and how many words they use. The Tots Talking app has been designed by I CAN, the children’s communication charity, and forms part of the Tots Talking intervention for parents of 2 yr old children. Tots Talking was co-produced with parent/carers of 2 yr olds, speech and language therapists and early years practitioners. It provides facts about children’s development and their language, films to promote discussion, and creative activities designed to increase the understanding of the importance of communication and language skills.