Tips on Learning to Talk
When do babies start talking? Learn about language development and find age-appropriate activities for children birth to 3 years old who are learning to talk.
Learning to Talk: From Birth to 3 Months
A baby listens to your voice. They coo and gurgle and try to make the same sounds you make. You can help babies learn how nice voices can be when you:
- Sing to the baby. You can do this even before they are born! The baby will hear you.
- Talk to the baby. Talk to others when they are near. They won’t understand the words, but will like your voice and your smile. They will enjoy hearing and seeing other people, too.
- Plan for quiet time. Babies need time to babble and play quietly without TV or radio or other noises.
Making Sounds: From 3 to 6 Months
A baby is learning how people talk to each other. You help them become a “talker” when you:
- Hold a baby close so they will look in your eyes.
- Talk to him and smile.
- When a baby babbles, imitate the sounds.
- If they try to make the same sound you do, say the word again.
What does the research say about parentese? And how can early childhood professional encourage parents to use it?
Dr. Ferjan Ramírez’s research focuses on understanding the extent and origins of variability in linguistic and brain growth among young children of diverse backgrounds.
Encouraging Babbling: From 6 to 9 Months
A baby will play with sounds. Some of these sound like words, such as “baba or “dada.” Baby smiles on hearing a happy voice, and cries or looks unhappy on hearing an angry voice. You can help babies understand words (even if she can’t say them yet) by using conversational turn taking.
Things to talk to babies about:
- Play games like Peek-a-Boo or Pat-a-Cake. Help her move her hands along with the rhyme.
- Give them a toy and say something about it, like “Feel how fuzzy Teddy Bear is.”
- Let them see themself in a mirror and ask, “Who’s that?” If they don’t respond, say their name.
- Ask the baby questions, like “Where’s doggie?” If they don’t answer, show her where.
Comprehending Phrases: From 9 to 12 Months
A baby will begin to understand simple words. They stop to look at you if you say “no-no.” If someone asks “Where’s Mommy?” they will look. They will point, make sounds, and use their bodies to “tell” you what they want. For example, they may look up at you and lift their arms up to show you they “want up.” They may hand you a toy to let you know they want to play. You can help the baby “talk” when you: Show them how to wave “bye-bye.”
First Words: From 12 to 15 Months
This is a key timeframe when many infants begin to translate sounds to language and begin to use words. This includes using the same sounds consistently to identify an object, such as “baba” for bottle or “juju” for juice. Many babies have one or two words and understand 25 or more. They will give you a toy if you ask for it. Even without words, they can ask you for something—by pointing, reaching for it, or looking at it and babbling. You can help a child say the words they know when you:
- Everyday items are great things to talk to babies about. Point out items like “cup,” “juice,” “doll.” Give a child time to name them.
- Ask a child questions about the pictures in books. Give the child time to name things in the picture.
- Smile or clap your hands when the child names the things that he sees. Say something about it. “You see the doggie. He’s sooo big! Look at his tail wag.”
- Talk about what the child wants most to talk about. Give him time to tell you all about it.
- Ask about things you do each day—“Which shirt will you pick today?” “Do you want milk or juice?”
- Build on what a child says. If he says “ball,” you can say, “That’s your big, red ball.”
- Introduce pretend play with a child’s favorite doll or toy animal. Include it in your conversations and your play. “Rover wants to play too. Can he roll the ball with us?”
Deeper Communication: From 15 to 18 Months
A child will use more complex gestures to communicate with you and will continue to build her vocabulary. They may take your hand, walk you to the bookshelf, point to a book and say “buk” to say, “I want to read a book with you.” You can help your child talk with you when you:
- Tell them, “Show me your nose.” Then point to your nose. They will soon point to her nose. Do this with toes, fingers, ears, eyes, knees and so on.
- Hide a toy while they are watching. Help them find it and share in their delight.
- When they point at or give you something, talk about the object with her. “You gave me the book. Thank you! Look at the picture of the baby rolling the ball.”
Budding Language: From 18 Months to 2 Years
At this age, toddlers will be able to follow directions and begin to put words together, such as “car go” or “want juice.” They will also begin to do pretend play which fosters language development. You can spur a child’s communication skills when you:
- Ask the child to help you. For example, ask him to put his cup on the table or to bring you his shoe.
- Teach a child simple songs and nursery rhymes. Read to the child. Ask him to point to and tell you what he sees.
- Encourage the child to talk to friends and family. He can tell them about a new toy.
- Engage the child in pretend play. You can talk on a play phone, feed the dolls, or have a party with the toy animals.
Deeper Communication: From 15 to 18 Months
A child will use more complex gestures to communicate with you and will continue to build her vocabulary. They may take your hand, walk you to the bookshelf, point to a book and say “buk” to say, “I want to read a book with you.” You can help your child talk with you when you:
- Tell them, “Show me your nose.” Then point to your nose. They will soon point to her nose. Do this with toes, fingers, ears, eyes, knees and so on.
- Hide a toy while they are watching. Help them find it and share in their delight.
- When they point at or give you something, talk about the object with her. “You gave me the book. Thank you! Look at the picture of the baby rolling the ball.”
Budding Language: From 18 Months to 2 Years
At this age, toddlers will be able to follow directions and begin to put words together, such as “car go” or “want juice.” They will also begin to do pretend play which fosters language development. You can spur a child’s communication skills when you:
- Ask the child to help you. For example, ask him to put his cup on the table or to bring you his shoe.
- Teach a child simple songs and nursery rhymes. Read to the child. Ask him to point to and tell you what he sees.
- Encourage the child to talk to friends and family. He can tell them about a new toy.
- Engage the child in pretend play. You can talk on a play phone, feed the dolls, or have a party with the toy animals.
Forming Sentences: From 2 to 3 Years
A child’s language skills will grow by leaps and bounds. They will string more words together to create simple sentences, such as “Mommy go bye-bye.” They will be able to answer simple questions, such as “Where is your bear?” By 36 months he will be able to answer more complicated questions such as, “What do you do when you are hungry?” They will do more and more pretend play, acting out imaginary scenes such as going to work, fixing the toy car, taking care of his “family” (of dolls, animals).
You can help the child put all his new words together and teach him things that are important to know when you:
- Teach the child to say his or first and last name.
- Ask about the number, size, and shape of the things a child shows you.
- Ask open-ended questions that don’t have a “yes” or “no” answer. This helps them develop their own ideas and learn to express them. If it’s worms, you could say: “What fat, wiggly worms! How many are there?…Where are they going? Wait, watch and listen to the answer. You can suggest an answer if needed: “I see five. Are they going to the park or the store?”
- Ask the child to tell you the story that goes with a favorite book. “What happened to those three pigs?” Reading spurs language development. Take him to storytime at your local library. Your toddler will enjoy sharing books with you as well as peers.
- Do lots of pretend play. Acting out stories and role-playing create rich opportunities for using, and learning, language.
- Don’t forget what worked earlier. For example, a child still needs quiet time. This is not just for naps. Turn off the TV and radio and let the child enjoy quiet play, singing, and talking with you.
(Note: This information was adapted, with permission, from Learning Link: Helping Your Baby Learn to Talk, by C.E. Morrisset Huebner and P. Lines, 1994, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement.)
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