From Babble to Chat

1. 1

   Use these habits to help your baby’s babbling and gestures become increasingly purposeful communication.

2. 2

   Point to familiar objects and name them: “This is your bottle.”

3. 3

   After speaking or asking a question, pause so your baby can answer with a sound, gesture, look, or early word.

4. 4

   Expand a short expression. If your baby says, “Dog,” respond, “You want to play with the dog. Here you go.”

5. 5

   Follow what they are already looking at or pointing toward. If their gaze stays in the tree, say, “A bird is singing in the tree—chirp, chirp.”

What to notice

• Babbles as if talking with you Communicating and Speaking
• Looks toward you after noticing something interesting Relationships with Adults

Tips

• Use short, clear phrases and repeat important words. A small amount of language at a time is easier for your baby to follow.
• If your baby produces a sound that is close to a word, respond with the word naturally instead of correcting them. If they look at a dog toy and say “dah,” you can answer, “Yes, that’s a dog.”

Developmental benefits

• Language: Ongoing back-and-forth talk gives your baby repeated opportunities to hear language and turn babbling, sounds, or gestures into meaningful communication.