From Babble to ‘Bye-Bye’: Baby Communication in The Early Years
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Time to read 7 min
From the moment your child is born, they will experience a multitude of magical first milestones. A special moment for all is a child’s first word. Once a child has begun to babble, it is typically not long before they start saying their first words. In this blog, we will discuss how and when a child’s language will typically develop from their birth to 24 months old.
The First Moments: Birth to 3 Months
Did you know that around 23 weeks of pregnancy your baby can hear your voice from inside the womb? Reading to your bump, or your child from birth will allow them to be exposed to new sounds for the first time and immediately kickstart their communication milestones. Plus, it is a great way for you to bond with your little one.
Including reading in your bedtime routine can be a calming constant that allows your little one to experience all the joys that reading can bring. At this stage, it can be useful to read them the same book repeatedly as part of your bedtime routine. Young children can find it beneficial to be surrounded by images and sounds they are familiar with.
It can take a while for parents to differentiate the different types of cries their babies will make. By around three months, your baby will begin to have different cries for different needs. For example, a feeding cue for your infant may sound quiet and slow to begin with, but then become loud and rhythmic as they communicate hunger to you.
Whilst at home with your little one try to talk to them as much as possible. Even completing daily activities, such as unloading the washing, can be a valuable time for your little one to understand their environment. Taking your little one with you and saying things such as ‘Shall we get the washing out’ can help calm your little one as they are already familiar with your voice at this stage. Make sure to use non-verbal communication such as facial expressions when talking to your child, as well as verbal communication.
Developing Understanding: 4 to 6 Months
At this age, many children will develop their auditory senses. This will allow them to identify sounds. By 6 months, most children will turn their attention to noise. For example, if you rattle a toy, they may try to find the rattle. In addition to this, many children this age will be startled by loud noises. These noises may make them jump.
Furthermore, your child will be even more familiar with your voice at this stage. They will begin to look into your eyes when you talk to them, and they might even make noise in response. However, it is not just your voice that your little one will become excited to hear. When others around them smile or laugh, they may also smile and laugh. Repeating these actions and speaking slowly and simply will help your child to copy you.
Growing Curiosity: 7 to 12 Months
By their first birthday, most children will notice when someone is talking in a room and turn their attention to them. They will also recognise when their name is being called and may begin to engage in conversation by babbling. Moreover, your little one will start to find ways to grab your attention through non-verbal communication. For example, they may point to something to show the item has piqued their interest. Make sure to talk to them about the item before their interest has switched to something else.
As children attempt to develop their vocabulary at this stage, they may start to repeat sounds such as 'go-go' and 'na-na.' This allows them to practice moving their lips and tongue to create sounds. As their speech begins to develop, your little one may say and recognise a handful of words. In the UK, the most common first words are 'mama' and 'dada.' However, it is not uncommon for children to have swear words as their first words. As children learn language from their environment, a potty mouth could lead to your child's first word being a swear word!
Singing songs is a great way for your child to learn new vocabulary and sounds. A child of this age may begin to get excited when sung to. In addition to this, you playing games is a fun way to learn new words. Your child may communicate through body language signals that would like to play the game again and again. When playing or singing make sure to be at your child's level so that they can watch your mouth move to create sounds.
Some families find it beneficial to introduce Baby Sign at this point. Baby Sign is a form of non-verbal communication that incorporates a set of simple hand gestures to allow babies and parents to communicate before a child can talk. Enhancing communication between baby and carer can lead to smoother interactions and fewer frustrations. Baby sign is not only great for verbal communication but can also be beneficial when aiding in other child development milestones later down the line, such as potty training.
First Words: 12 to 18 Months
With your baby's communication milestones ever-growing, by the time they reach 18 months, many children will be able to understand multiple words. They may not be able to say these words, but they will typically be able to understand and recognise certain objects including furniture and body parts. In addition to this, your little one may start to understand simple instructions such as 'Where's doll?'
Playtime can be a great time for parents and carers to encourage young children to talk or babble. As a child's verbal and non-verbal communication skills develop, by this age they will typically dance to music and enjoy looking at picture books with the adults around them. In addition to this, they may enjoy feeding their dolls or speaking to someone on the other side of a pretend phone. As they play, it may sound like they are babbling sentences. It is okay if you do not understand what they are saying!
As children develop their communication skills, they will start to copy the nonverbal communication of the adults in their environment. For example, they might clap their hands or wave goodbye. They may also say 'bye-bye' or 'hi' mimicking the adults around them.
Expanding your child's vocabulary can happen both inside and outside of the home. When completing a food shopping trip, talk to your child and tell them the items that you are buying. They may be able to recognise certain items from home. Although they may not be able to say the name of the object, encourage your little one by saying things such as 'I think I can see bananas, can you see them too?'
Two-Way Communication: 18 to 24 Months
It is believed that by the age of two, children will typically know between 200 and 500 words with them being able to say around 50! As a result of their rapid speech and language development in the months leading up to their second birthday, children may become more independent. For example, your child might be able to engage in activities for longer, such as playtime. They may also be able to sit and listen to a short story. They will typically begin to mimic the sounds of familiar animals such as a cow mooing.
Your child may start to understand more complex sentences, such as 'Where are your shoes?' Alongside this, they will continue to copy sounds and words used within their daily environment. This will lead to them formulating simple sentences such as 'bye Mama.' With their new expressions, they may also start to ask questions such as 'What's that?'
It is important to note that your child may become increasingly frustrated if the people around them struggle to understand the words they are trying to say. The sounds p, b, t, d, m, n and w can be confused by children at this stage. They will become vastly more independent during this time and may also become frustrated if they are being told what to do. It can be beneficial to reinforce their learning by repeating the sounds they are creating back to them. Getting down to their level so that they can see your mouth moving can also help with their language skills.
By this stage, you may be thinking about potty training. Baby Sign can help vastly with multiple stages of child development and communication. Potty training is no exemption! The Potette Potty Training Flashcards are a great educational tool incorporating British Sign Language to aid potty training. Promoting positive interactions between child and adult, the Potette Potty Training Flashcards are fun and colourful helping your child to potty train with pictures.
It is important to remember that children will develop at different speeds. Knowing what signs to look for at which stages can help diagnose developmental delays. If you are worried, speak to your health visitor, or nursery key worker, or contact your local speech and language therapy service for some advice.
There are numerous ways in which a child’s language can be developed inside and outside of the home. From bump to birth and continually throughout their life, your child’s vocabulary will expand as you provide them with the tools to unlock communication milestones. Providing them with early opportunities to develop their vocabulary will set them up for a life full of joyful conversations. Happy babbling!
Early Development (Birth to 3 Months): Babies begin hearing sounds in the womb and can recognise voices. Reading to them from birth supports early communication milestones.
Auditory Development (4 to 6 Months): Babies start identifying sounds and respond to their names. They show reactions to loud noises and mimic smiles and laughter.
Interactive Engagement (7 to 12 Months): Children turn towards conversations, recognise their names, and start babbling. Non-verbal communication like pointing and baby sign language can aid early interactions.
First Words (12 to 18 Months): By 18 months, children understand and recognise words and simple instructions. They begin imitating adult non-verbal cues, such as clapping and waving.
Vocabulary Expansion (18 to 24 Months): By age two, children typically know 200-500 words and start forming simple sentences. They may experience frustration if not understood and benefit from repeated sounds and clear communication cues.
