Patient EducationAug | 9 | 2019
Helping Your Baby with Language Development (Ages 8-12 Months)
How can I help my baby develop language?
Here are tips on how to help your baby develop language:
Talk and silly sounds
- Talk to your baby during everyday activities. Talk about new places or situations as if they can understand you.
- Keep your words simple and clear.
- Teach your baby the names of familiar items, people and places.
- Show interest in all the sounds you hear. Tell your baby about these sounds as if they can understand you. This can include ice clinking in a glass, rain falling outside or the doorbell ringing.
Play games and sing songs
- Read colorful books or nursery rhymes to your baby every day. Point to the pictures as you say the names of the words.
- Sing children’s songs. Your local library may host sing-a-longs and loan free music.
- Play simple games, like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.
Stay engaged
- Look into your baby’s eyes when they make different sounds.
- Respond to your baby’s coos, gurgles and babbling as if they were real words.
- Show delight with your baby’s efforts to talk, make sounds or point to objects.
- Limit screen time (the time your baby spends using a device with a screen)