Hey Baby, We Need to Talk
Even if they haven’t said them out loud yet, your baby has already learned new words. Whenever you talk to your baby, you’re helping them understand what different words mean and how to use them to communicate. In fact, you’re making your baby smarter just by talking to them! Knowing how to use words will help your child learn to read, write and speak, setting them up for a lifetime of success.
Research shows the best predictor of a baby’s future school success is not their ethnicity, their parents’ income or education level, but rather the quality and number of words spoken to them during their first three years. As a parent, you hold the key to unlocking your baby’s future success — all you have to do is talk!
Get Talkin’
- As soon as they’re born, talk to your baby as often as you can. It’s really just that simple!
- Talk about what you’re doing, what you’re eating and what you’re seeing. Every word you say is important; they’re listening!
- Talking to your child can fit easily into your daily routine. Talk about the things you see when you’re in the car, on the bus or at the grocery store. Talk to your baby during mealtimes, bath time or recite a nursery rhyme while changing their diaper.
Read, Sing, Play
- It’s never too early to read to your baby. Ask questions as you read them a story and talk about the pictures you see. “Is this a cat? This cat looks like our cat.”
- Help your child learn how to solve problems by talking to them while they’re playing. “Did the blocks fall down?” “Is that piece too big?”
- Sing simple songs, like nursery rhymes and the ABCs to help your child learn different sounds and rhythms.
- Play child-friendly music – at a quiet volume – loud music can hurt a baby’s hearing.
Keep Listening
- When your baby starts to babble and say their first words, it’s time for you to listen!
- Make eye contact with your baby, give them time to finish talking and always respond to what they say – this will encourage them to continue.
- Help your baby develop their listening skills. Encourage them to listen to the different sounds you hear outdoors (birds, cars) and indoors (running water, doorbell).
Re-Re-Repeat
- Learning to talk can be tough! Help your baby learn how to correctly use new words by slowly repeating them back to them the right way. For example, if they say, “Boggy eat it” you would say, “Yes, the dog ate it, didn’t he?”
- Help your baby use more words by adding to what they’ve said. For example, if they say, “Ball” you might say, “Yes, a red ball.”
- Don’t stop talking! Your baby may need to hear a new word many times before they learn or say it.
If your baby doesn’t seem to respond to your voice or loud, sudden sounds, talk to their healthcare provider to make sure they don’t have trouble hearing. 
