Do you wonder when your child is going to speak their first words?
According to WebMD, that will happen somewhere in the first three years of life.
But in between that time, there are many milestones that will lead to when kids start talking.
What To Know About Milestones When Kids Start Talking
Your baby is already talking to you in ways you might not realize though.
Those cries and facial expressions are their way of communicating with us, known as baby talk.
If you listen carefully, you’ll soon know what your baby is trying to say before they ever utter their first word.
But when do kids start talking in the range of those first three years?
Everything starts to progress from three months onward.
By six months, your baby will babble and may even say “ma-ma” or “da-da.”
And by nine months, you’ll likely hear their new favorite word come out: “No!”
Between 12 and 18 months, babies can say simple words and know what they mean.
They can also understand simple commands.
Moving onward, your child will soon string together a few words to tell you what they want.
Open-ended toys such as construction sets or dolls may help them to speak more during play time.
How To Teach Your Baby To Talk
You can make sure your baby hits all these talking milestones by encouraging them long before they can speak.
If you know how to play with your baby, you may hear them talk earlier on during those first three years.
In Addition To Playing, You Can Do More To Get Your Child Talking!
– Interact
Babies are like sponges that soak up everything around them. Smiles and eye contact go a long way to helping for when kids start talking as these nonverbal cues get them to communicate with sound.
– Listen And Repeat
Babies will copy what they hear from us. Encourage that cooing and babbling and repeat it back to them!
– Talk To Your Baby
Even when your baby is brand new, there is much to be gained by talking to them.
Narrate what’s happening each day and they will pick up on the language.
When they eventually begin to point at what they want and make noise, use it as a chance to teach.
“Oh do you want more potatoes? They taste great, don’t they?”
– Read To Them
It’s never too early to start! According to the Cleveland Clinic, daily reading to your baby has a ton of benefits including language development, emotional development, bonding, and the building of routine.
Here is our list of books to read to babies.
– Don’t Give Up
When kids start talking, it won’t always be clear.
But soon you will understand what they are saying.
And before you know it, they will be talking your ear off and you’ll be left to wonder how it all went by so quickly!