Switch off the television and start talking to your infants and toddlers. They'll learn to speak sooner and better, according to Lucia French, who studies language and cognitive development in young children at the University of Rochester.

Nothing contributes more to a child's early development than parent-child interaction, the developmental psychologist says.

French does not recommend any screen time for babies, saying they might acquire only a few individual words from a television show or video.

However, to learn to communicate effectively, they need to interact with those interested in talking with them.

Most children learn language readily if in a language-rich environment. Strong language skills are essential for later academic success. Parents can interact with infants and toddlers without a video as a prop, she says.

Tips to help enhance young children's language skills:

n Children who develop better communication skills and vocabulary are those whose parents go beyond "housekeeping talk" (e.g. stop, come here, go to sleep, eat your food, etc.) to talk about other things, such as recent happenings and plans for the near future.

n Parents should use feel-good words, vocabulary that includes affirmations, responsive terms and active listening, and should restate what the child says.

n Know what interests your child. Research suggests that when their parents play with them, children are more responsive; they learn language more quickly if the parent focuses on what the child is already doing, rather than trying to redirect the child's interest elsewhere.

n Remember that children understand a lot more language than they can use.

n Babies who don't yet talk withdraw their attention if they don't understand what the adult is saying. The younger the child, the more the adult needs to talk about the immediate environment, familiar objects and familiar routines.

n Babies and toddlers like faces, music, movement and bright colours. Parents should use non-video props and activities that tap into these.

n Read to your baby two to three times a day. Reading to children under nine months does not necessarily contribute to language development, but connects the child to the reader through the book.

n Use picture books for children under 18 months, and as language develops, increase the amount of text. This interaction is about talking together with a book as the focus.