questions

Questions are the key to communication, without them it would be impossible to learn new things or extend our vocabulary. The same is true for children.
Yet, it's not only about asking questions it's about asking the right questions which stimulate a child to think or utter some words.
Let me give you an example: When I want Hugo to drink something I say: Would you like something to drink? then he usually answers: Yes. The next step is the choice of drink; I never ask him: What would you like to drink? because then he could start inventing things so I teach him to make choices and say: Would you like  tea or juice? (Giving a limited choice is still A CHOICE but it saves parents' trouble of satisfying the endless list of kids wishes;)) Now he can say the words tea or juice; yet, before I simply showed him tea and juice and asked: This or this? In this way, I managed to kill two birds with one stone because I taught him to make decisions related to his needs and stimulated him to speak. If I had simply asked him: Would you like tea? he wouldn't have had to think and he would only say Yes or No.

For us the tactic of asking open questions (those beginning with Who?, what?, why?, whose? etc.)  worked prefectly and proved very effective.
P.S. It also works well for all learners of English, it stimulates them to speak, my students always know that there is the magic follow-up question WHY?