how to talk to a 2/3 year old

[cloudhands]

this may sound like a stupid question. I have a 9 month old DD but I have many friends with children age 2 or 3. I often feel like I am ignoring the kids and just chatting with the mums, but I feel like I should talk to them in some way, but just not sure how! Anyone got any tips?

Get down on their level, call them sweetheart or such, play games, tell them what a cool spiderman jumper they are wearing. Basically if you make it all about how great they are you can't go wrong. .

My large, bearded, 40-something brother is a huge hit with toddlers. He talks utter garbage to them .... how the Dow Jones Index is doing, why Starbursts will always be Opal Fruits, random limericks... but always with a big smile. They love him.

Speak to them as people. That's what they are. They are just very short, usually loud and probably filthy.

Or is that just my son?