Talk About Your Walk
A walk through the park is full of things to notice. Follow your baby’s gaze, sounds, and expressions, put each new experience into words, and leave room for a response.
- 6 months
- Quick prep
- Park
- About 15 minutes
Developmental benefits
- Language：Noticing your baby’s signal, responding with words, and pausing for their next look or sound helps build an early back-and-forth exchange.
- Cognitive：Following your baby’s interest and letting them look, listen, or reach gives them an active role in exploring something new.
Preparation
What You’ll Need
- 1
Stroller
Step 1
Notice Your Baby’s Signal
During a walk in the park, watch for a sound, expression, or gaze that shows what interests your baby. Move closer so you can look together, then name and describe what has caught their attention.
What to notice
- Makes an “ah” sound while looking toward the fountain
Communicating and Speaking - Looks at the fountain while you describe it
Attending and Understanding
Tips
- Try asking and answering a simple question yourself: “What’s that? A fountain!” Repeating the word while you both look helps connect the sound with the object.
- Describe what your baby is noticing, pause for a look or sound, and let that response guide what you say next.
Step 2
Follow Your Baby’s Interest
If your baby wants to explore more, bring them close enough to see, hear, or touch the object. Talk about what they are experiencing in the moment: “The water feels cool.” Your words give a name to what their senses are discovering.
What to notice
- Reaches toward the fountain water to explore it
Initiative and Curiosity - Babbles after you speak, as if taking a turn Communicating and Speaking
Tips
- Seeing, touching, and listening can deepen your baby’s curiosity and invite more active exploration.
- When your baby shows interest with a look or sound, answer in words and see whether they offer another signal.
- To nurture #LC-CnS, offer something interesting to “talk” about, then pause after you speak so your baby has a turn.
Step 3
Make Response a Habit
When your baby’s interest moves on, continue the walk. If a distant sound makes them look toward you, treat the look as a question and go see together. Repeatedly noticing and responding helps your baby come to expect this back-and-forth interaction.
What to notice
- Looks toward you after hearing a distant sound Communicating and Speaking
- Watches what other children are doing
Relationships with Other Children
Tips
- If your baby turns toward a kite, name it right away and wait to see whether they keep looking or try to move closer.
- After you speak, pause for your baby to “answer.” When their babbling stops, respond and continue the exchange.
- A familiar opening and closing cue can make the exchange easy to recognize—for example, begin with a gentle touch and finish in the same soft tone.
Better Parenting Content Team · Updated September 11, 2026