C’mon, first words! 16 tricks to develop your baby’s language and speech
When my youngest was around 17 months old I remember wondering when he’d start really talking. He could say “dadda,” but not much else. He seemed to understand most of what I said to him though, and was very good at communicating, only he didn’t use words. Then almost overnight, it was like a verbal explosion. Nowadays, I can’t shut him up!
The point is, all little ones develop in their own time and while first words tend to happen somewhere around the 12-18 month mark, some tots take a little longer reach this milestone.
Whenever your baby decides they’re ready to get talking, it’s important to remember that they’re picking up language skills from you and the other adults in their life, well before they open their mouths and surprise you by saying “ca” as they point to the toy car.
Here’s 16 ways you can encourage her speech and language development:
2. Narrate your day
Studies have shown that chatty parents raise brainy kids. Talk to your baby simply, clearly and often. One of the easiest ways to do this is to narrate your day to her. For example when at the shops you could say, “Oh, we need carrots. Look, the carrots are over there. I’m going to walk over there and get some.” Sure, she may not understand your every word, but she’ll enjoy ‘chatting’ back to you through her baby sounds and movements.
Need some more speech and language development advice? Our Parent School experts can help. Click to find out more or book a one-on-one screening call with a speech pathologist.