When Do Babies Start Talking & How to Teach them to Speak

Different babies start talking at different ages. Some babies start babbling as early as 6 months old, while others may not start saying single words until they are a year or older. However, all babies go through similar stages of language development.

Babies usually start making cooing sounds around 2 months old. These coos eventually turn into babbling. Babbling is when babies start to make sounds that resemble words. For example, a baby might say “bababa” or “dadada.”

In this article we will discuss about baby taking timeline and even the ways in which you can teach a baby to speak:

When will you hear that first word?

Most babies say their first word between 10 to 14 months old. But don’t worry if your baby is a late talker. Some babies start speaking closer to 18 or 19 months old.

The important thing is that your baby is showing progress in other areas of development, such as making eye contact, babbling, and gestures etc.

Baby Talking Timeline

Birth to 6 months

During this period, you will hear your baby make different types of sounds. These include cooing, gurgling, and grunting. Your baby’s cry will also start to change during this time.

6 to 12 months

During this period, you will hear your baby babbling more often. Babbling is when babies start to make sounds that resemble words. For example, a baby might say “bababa” or “dadada.”

You will also start to see your baby making more eye contact and responding to you when you talk to them.

12 to 18 months

During this period, you will hear your baby saying their first words. Most babies will say their first words between 10 to 14 months old. But don’t worry if your baby is a late talker. Some babies start speaking closer to 18 or 19 months old.

19 to 24 months

During this period, you will hear your baby using more words and phrases. Your baby will also start to put two words together, such as “mommy milk” or “daddy up.”

You will also see your baby’s gestures becoming more purposeful. For example, your baby might wave goodbye or point to something they want.

25 to 30 months

During this period, you will hear your baby using more complex sentences. Your baby will also start to ask more questions.

You will also see your baby’s imagination starting to grow. For example, your baby might pretend to feed a doll or make believe they are driving a car.

31 to 36 months

During this period, you will hear your baby’s vocabulary continue to grow. Your baby will also start to use more complex sentences.

You will also see your baby’s imagination and understanding of the world continue to grow. For example, your baby might pretend to be a doctor or understand that they need to be careful around hot stoves.

3 years

During this period, you will see your child’s language skills continue to develop. Your child will start to use more complex sentence structures and have a larger vocabulary.

You will also see your child’s imagination and understanding of the world continue to grow. For example, your child might pretend to be a doctor or understand that they need to

Also See: 7 Tips for Choosing Toys for Toddlers

4 to 5 Years

Your kid should be able to have extensive talks with people at this age . He should be asking a lot of questions about things and also be able to talk about his feelings. You will see him using more complex sentences and talking in longer paragraphs. His vocabulary would have increased manifold by now and he would be using new words daily. You can help your kid practice his language skills by reading stories together, singing songs and playing.

How to Teach babies to talk

Now that you know when babies start talking, let’s look at how you can help your baby learn to talk.

There are many things you can do to encourage your baby to talk. Below are some tips:

Talk to your baby often. Describe what you are doing as you are doing it. For example, say “I’m putting on your shoes. We are going outside to play.”
Read to your baby often. Point to the pictures as you read and name the objects in the book.
Give your baby plenty of opportunities to practice babbling. For example, make silly sounds back when your baby babbles.
Encourage your baby to gesture. If your baby points to something they want, name the object and let them know it is okay to ask for things using gestures.
Play turn-taking games with your baby. For example, take turns making animal sounds or clapping hands.

When do you need to worry ?

Most babies will start talking between 12 and 18 months old. If your baby is not saying any words by 18 months old, or if you are concerned about your baby’s language development, talk to your child’s doctor.

Your doctor will be able to tell if there is a problem and refer you to early intervention services if needed.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed when do babies start talking and how to teach them to talk. We hope you found this information helpful.