When Do Babies Start Talking And How To Encourage Them?

As a baby is born into a family, the parents and loved ones are often curious and cannot stop asking — when do babies start talking? All parents wish to have a hearty conversation with their baby and cannot wait to hear their first words, such as “mama” and “dada.”

The process of language and speech development is an indicator of the baby’s overall development. Learning to talk takes some time, unlike the other growth and development milestones, and is a step-by-step process. Read to know more about when babies start talking, how to stimulate their speech, and when to worry about it.

How And When Will Your Baby Learn To Talk?

Babies talk well enough for most strangers to understand by the age of three years (1). It is an achievement that occurs gradually and begins when the baby is still a newborn. The baby achieves several smaller speech-related milestones, such as cooing, which ultimately leads to talking.

Since speech develops steadily, it is essential for parents to know the relevant speech-, communication-, and talking-related milestones at some notable ages of infancy and toddlerhood (2) (3).

1. By three months

• Smiles at you
• Makes cooing noises
• Looks at you when you speak to them
• Cries to indicate their needs
• Recognizes your voice
• Turns head to follow a sound or noise

2. By six months

• Babbles and gurgles while playing by themselves or with you
• Uses noises, such as grunting and squealing, to indicate their likes or dislikes
• Responds to sounds by making sounds
• Strings vowel sounds, such as “ah” and “eh”
• Says simple consonant sounds, such as “b” and “m”

3. By nine months

• Imitates sounds made by parents
• Attempts to say words they hear
• Strings simple consonant sounds, such as “Mama”
• Coos and gurgles in distinct tones, as if trying to form words
• Responds to name

4. By 12 months

• Understand simple requests
• Imitates sounds and words better
• Makes sounds with variable tones, similar to speech
• Says “Mama” and “Dada”
• Says simple words, such as “No”

5. By two years

• Attempts to put two words together to form a sentence
• Asks simple questions
• Repeats words more accurately
• Names familiar people, objects, and body parts
• Points at objects or images in a book when they are named
• Points at objects when they want it
• May say sentences with up to four words easily
• May know about 50 simple words

6. By three years

• Names nearly all familiar objects
• Understands and says pronouns, such as I, me, his, her, and mine
• Understands and says some prepositions, such as in, on, and under
• Knows the name of friends
• Knows first name, age, and gender
• Says plurals of simple words
• Converses in two to three simple sentences at a time
• Speaks well enough for most strangers to understand

How To Teach Your Baby To Talk?

Babies learn to talk on their own since their skills develop gradually. Nevertheless, parents can encourage their baby to talk in an age-appropriate manner in the following ways (4).

1. Talk to them

Since babies are receptive to your voice and language from an early age, it is recommended to talk to them as much as possible. Chat with them while bathing or changing their diapers. Talking to them with animated actions and expressions also helps you capture their attention. Remember to respond to the baby when they try to talk back.

2. Sing songs and rhymes

Babies enjoy songs and rhymes. It is advisable to sing to keep their attention and also encourage them to coo or babble with your singing. Singing rhymes also helps them learn new words and stimulates them to recollect the rhyme as they grow older.

3. Read to them from a very early age

Reading to your baby from an early age has many benefits. For instance, it helps in their cognitive development, helps you develop a special bond with them, improves their imagination and creativity, and sets the foundation for their speech and language skills (5).

Picture books work the best for babies and toddlers. Point to the illustrations in the book and name them. Older babies and toddlers can be asked to point at illustrations when you name them.

4. Repeat words

When you talk to your baby, the chances are that they will respond with coos, gurgles, and other sounds. Repeat the sounds and communicate with them. If your baby is trying to imitate a word that you said, repeat the word.

5. Allow your baby to respond

Give the baby adequate time to respond during a conversation. Younger babies could take time to comprehend your words and respond. Maintain eye contact while you wait for them to respond so that the baby stays interested in the conversation (6).

6. Speak in simple language

Speak short and simple sentences to encourage the baby to talk. For instance, you may say phrases such as “Food time, “Pick up toys,” “Kick the ball,” and “Drink your milk.” You may also use about 20 simple words such as “mama,” “dada,” “eat,” and “play.” Point out to the objects or persons when saying their names.

7. Use interactive toys and games

You may use interactive toys, such as toys with sound effects and recorded voices, to encourage a baby to talk. Playtime can also be made fun and imaginative by using relevant phrases during role-play. For instance, you may hold a cat- and dog-shaped toy and say, “The dog said woof, and the cat said meow.”

Several interactive books are also available in the market. These books come with a sound module, which can narrate short sentences or provide relevant sound effects. Interactive games that involve talking, such as peek-a-boo or treasure hunt, could also be a good choice (7).

8. Describe objects and activities

Take the opportunity to speak to your baby even when you are occupied with the household chores. Describe what you are doing while your baby is alert. For instance, if you are folding clothes while the baby is in the crib, describe your work to the baby. Babies pay attention to parents’ voices, and they are likely to understand that you are communicating with them even if they do not understand the words yet.

9. Use facial expressions and gestures

Be expressive when you talk to your baby. Expressions and gestures are forms of non-verbal communication that babies usually understand first. The use of expressions and gestures along with words could make it easier for a baby to understand the meaning and intent of your words. For instance, when saying something jovial, make a funny expression to make it easier for the baby to understand that the words or phrases are light-hearted (8).

What If Your Baby Is Not Talking?

A toddler could be a late talker if they are between 18 and 30 months old and understand language (words, requests, and instructions) but have a poor vocabulary or struggle with spoken language (9). A late talker usually does not display any developmental delay or regression and has good motor, cognitive, and social skills.

Give your toddler time since many children catch up with their peers eventually. Speak to a pediatrician or pediatric speech therapist if your toddler struggles to speak appropriately even after the age of 30 months. You may also consult a doctor if the child has other developmental problems, such as poor communication, social, and cognitive skills for their age.

References

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Reviewer

Dr. Dur Afshar AghaMS

   

Dr. Dur Afshar Agha is a consultant pediatrician with around 26 years of experience in various medical facilities both in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. She has headed the Department of Preventive Pediatrics at the prestigious, Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health in Pakistan and is a life member of the Pakistan Paediatric Association.

Read full bio of Dr. Dur Afshar Agha