Are you looking for simple ways to help your baby develop language? It’s never too early to start nurturing your baby’s language and communication skills. Cimmunication is such an integral part of life and comes with so many amazing milestones for your baby. It can also be stressful sometimes. As parents, we often worry about if our baby is talking as much as they “should” for their age. The important thing to remember is every baby develops differently and at their own pace. There are things you can do however to help your baby develop language and communication skills. [*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for items purchased through these links at no additional cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.]
Here are five easy ways to help your baby develop language. Turn everyday moments into language-learning opportunities:
1. Narrate Everything!
From diaper changes to mealtimes, talk your baby through your daily routine. Describe what you’re doing in simple sentences, using clear and enthusiastic language. Pretending you’re a newscaster reporting on your day can help with this. Constant exposure to words and their meanings helps build a strong foundation for understanding and speaking.
Try Saying This:
“Now I’m changing your diaper to keep you nice and dry.”
“Now you have a clean diaper. We’re all done!”
“It’s time to get dressed. First we put one arm in and then two arms in!”
2. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat!
Repeating your baby’s sounds is an easy and great way to help your baby develop language skills! Have a conversation with your baby; yes even with your newborn! When your baby babbles or coos, mimick their sounds and add in your own words.
For example, if they say “ba ba,” when holding or looking at their bottle, respond with “Ba Ba, Yes, that’s your bottle!” This conversational interaction helps babies connect sounds with objects and ideas.
Try Saying this:
If your baby says “da da,” say, “Yes, that’s Daddy!”
Remember to also ask your baby questions and pause for a response (even with your newborn).
This playful way of talking uses short, simple phrases that can elicit response and sound from your baby. Having conversations with your baby in parallel talk helps them understand the connection between their sounds and actual words.
Try Saying this:
“Hmm, which book should we read? This book or this book?” as you show your baby two different books. When they look at one say, “That’s a great choice! Let’s read this book!”
3. Read Books Every Day!
Snuggle up with your baby and explore the world of books! Reading exposes ypur little one to new vocabulary, teaches them about rhythm and rhyme, and sparks their imagination. Choose colorful, interactive books with simple stories and point to the pictures as you read.
Touch and feel books are great options for babies! Let your baby touch and explore the pages for as long as they like. They will start to make sounds and show preferences. Want more book recommendations for language development? Read my Top 12 Board Books for Baby Language Development!
Reading to your baby often has been proven to stimulate brain development and lead to academic success. It’s also a wonderful bonding experience with your baby and often very soothing for them to hear your voice.
While reading to your little one, don’t be afraid to go off script. Try adding in observations about the pictures. Need a break? Try the Leap Frog 100 Words Books. My baby absolutely loved these books! The book is very responsive and babies can easily touch the pictures and hear the word read aloud. They’re still being exposed to language so it’s a great activity baby can do when you just need a little break.
Looking for books to read with your baby? Click here to see my baby book recommendations!
They saying this:
“ Wow, look at this yellow duck! A duckie says Quack, Quack.”
“What does this page feel like? This one feels furry and soft!”
4. Use Baby Sign Language!
Baby sign language is a fantastic way for your little one to communicate before they can speak. Teaching your baby sign will help reduce their frustration and fosters a visual representation to words. Make sure to always say the word as you sign it so your baby can continue to hear language and see your mouth move. Baby sign language also helps your baby feel more confident and helps you as the parent feel like you can meet your babies breds better, once they learn to sign back.
Start with basic signs like “milk,” “more,” all done, and “sleep.”
Try saying this:
“It’s time to have some milk (while doing the sign for milk). Let’s have milk (do the sign for milk again).
5. Sing Songs to Your Baby!
Babies love music and hearing your voice! Singing to your baby is an easy way to help your baby develop lannguage skills. The cadence and rhythmic melodies of songs helps babies recognize beginning, middle, and ending sounds to words as well as exposes them to more vocabulary.
Baby songs usually often rhyme which babies love too! Babies learn from rhythmic patterns and can benefit from the different tones used in singing. Music has been closely linked to brain development, so sing to your baby as much as you possibly can!
Try saying this:
“Do you want to sing a song with mommy? Lets sing a song about a spider!” Proceed to sing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”. Use finger movements while you sing. If baby shows interest, repeat the song.
Remember This:
Every baby is different and learns and develops differently. The key to helping your baby develop language is to find what works for them and to make language learning fun and engaging! By incorporating these simple steps into your daily routine, you’ll be well on your way to helping your baby develop language and strong communication skills!
If you’re looking for an easy, mess free baby activity, read this!
