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Communication

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

Two women chatting using American Sign Language at a reunion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

What is Communication?

Communication is how we share thoughts, ideas, and feelings with each other. It is very important for everyone because it helps us make friends, work together, and understand one another. People can communicate in many ways, like talking, writing, using sign language, or even with body language and facial expressions.

Talking and Writing

One of the most common ways humans communicate is by talking. We use words to share what we think or feel. Writing is another way, like sending a letter or a message on a phone. Both talking and writing help us share ideas even when we are far apart.

Body Language and Faces

We also communicate without words. Smiling shows we are happy. Crossing our arms might show we are upset. These ways of communicating are called non-verbal communication. They help us understand each other better, even when we do not use words.

Animals Talk Too!

Animals communicate in their own ways too. Birds sing to find friends, and bees dance to show where food is. Wolves howl to call their pack. Even plants can send messages! They sometimes release chemicals to warn other plants about danger.

Sharing with Tools

Today, we have many tools to help us communicate. We can send emails, use the internet, or talk on the phone. These tools make it easy to share information quickly with people all around the world. Whether we are talking to a friend next door or sending a message across the ocean, communication helps us all stay connected.

Images

A little bird singing joyfully near a window.
Stingless bees collecting nectar and pollen from flowers in their natural habitat.
A friendly handshake symbolizing unity and friendship between people of different backgrounds.
Kathy Matayoshi, School Superintendent of Hawaii, speaking at the ConnectED Summit at the White House.
A honey bee pollinating a Cosmos flower in Turkey.
An ancient Sumerian clay tablet showing one of the earliest known written contracts, recording the sale of a field and a house.
A beautiful statue standing outside a store on Stephen Avenue in Calgary, Canada.
A peaceful painting from 1901 showing a woman sitting thoughtfully in a boat, titled 'Daydream' by Paul César Helleu.
A female glow-worm (Lampyris noctiluca) glowing gently in nature.
An illustration of the Shannon-Weaver communication model, showing how information travels from a sender to a receiver.

Related articles

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Communication, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.