Private speech has an impact on creativity. Young children frequently talk out loud as they play and explore the environment. This self-directed talk is known as ‘private speech’, and is one way children regulate their thoughts and actions.

Research on 32 children in a Headstart Programme that supports lower-income children in the USA, found that children who used private speech to regulate themselves were more able to plan, describe, and find solutions to problems. They were also more creative problem-solvers. Thus, talking to babies about their actions while they are exploring, and helping them use speech to regulate their feelings, may help build their language abilities for private speech when older.

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2. Daugherty, M., & White, C. S. (2008). Relationships among private speech and creativity in head start and low-socioeconomic status preschool children. The Gifted Child Quarterly, 52(1), 30-39.

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