Language development in our little ones is a funny thing. What starts as almost meaningless (to us, at least) babbles, coos and squeals as babies rapidly become words, then sentences as they move through toddlerhood. But how exactly does children’s speech develop? Of course, the details will vary from child to child, but there is a general path most little ones follow as they learn. Today, we’ll have a very brief overview of what things might look like as your baby begins speaking more and more!
The important thing to remember is that speech and language development (which are two separate but very heavily related things) aren’t something that just happens once. Instead, it’s an ongoing process, the bulk of which takes place in their first three years of life. Luckily, it’s very easy to encourage this development by engaging with your baby right from day one – talking to them, singing, reading, and just generally communicating allows them to build their skills day by day.
0-5 months
This is where things might not look like anything is happening, but it very much is. Pathways are being made in their brains, and while for the first few weeks in particular there’s not much that’s recognisable as language, they are still beginning to understand you. And even though they can’t speak at this stage, they can communicate this understanding in different ways. They’ll watch your face, listen to your voice, and respond by crying, laughing or cooing – though crying will be the main method they use at first, as even cooing and laughing are learned skills. You may also notice them making small sounds as they feed – this can also be part of learning how to control their vocal cords and consciously regulate their breathing enough to be able to make controlled speech.
They may also begin to experiment with different sounds – some of you who already have children may be familiar with the squeals they make as they discover their voice or their tendency to do things like blowing raspberries. These are all key parts of their learning process, as the ability to form clear sounds revolves around our ability to control all parts of our mouths and throats.
6-11 months
The next six months are when understanding becomes more noticeable, even if they aren’t saying anything. Your baby may understand simple words and phrases, such as “hello”, “goodbye” (or your family’s equivalent) and their own name, and respond appropriately with smiles and waves. It’s also now that they will begin repeating sounds – the “babbling” that is often associated with baby speak. They particularly use ‘ah, ‘baba’, ‘mama’, ‘dada’, or ‘gaga’ sounds, as these are the easiest to learn, though this, of course, varies between babies. They will also start to match things like the intonation they hear the most so that it almost sounds like words – and then suddenly, they are words, backed up by it being clear they understand what they’ve just said!
For each of these age stages, you can help them along by speaking or otherwise communicating with them as often as possible. Playing with sounds can also be fun! Babies learn through imitation, so playing games where you bounce sounds back and forth. Exaggerated facial expressions can often help bubs learn the shape their mouth should make for each sound, so have fun!
12-17 months
This is the time period you’re most likely to get those all-important first words – and especially with intent and understanding, rather than mimicking sounds they’ve heard. Using words in context is important here – and they will learn a lot by observing you and listening, so don’t feel shy about narrating what you’re doing! When you’re filling up your Fresh Food Feeder, you can explain which foods you’re using while also naming the parts such as lid, handle and pouch. If you’re tidying the house, try describing each task, or when you’re out and about, point out the birds, cars, or anything else you see. You’ll be amazed at how quickly they learn the words and how they are used. And, incidentally, you can do this from any age; there’s no need at all to wait until they’re older.
18-23 months
It’s not uncommon for children this age (and younger) to understand up to five times as many words as they know how to say – which is likely why the terrible twos kick in at this time, as they understand far more than they’re able to communicate, leading to frustration. What’s important is to continue encouraging them. Speak, read out loud, sing – anything that helps develop their listening and comprehension skills is amazing. Repeat words back to them as they try them out, and let them repeat words you’ve used. Every bit of language you use is of benefit to them.
For those in bilingual or multilingual households, don’t feel you need to restrict yourself to just one language. Babies have a fantastic capacity for language in their first few years. Many years ago, it was believed that exposure to multiple languages as a baby could lead to confusion – this is very much not the case today. In fact, a range of studies have shown being raised around two or more languages has huge value. So chat away, let them soak it all in, and be amazed at just what your little one is capable of!