How to Teach a Child to Talk
Babies Love Attention
Babies love attention and they learn early that making noises gets
them lots of it. They begin by making strange little noises and then
soon they add consonant and vowel sounds. All children develop language
skills at different rates. Some begin to babble earlier than others, but
parents can encourage their babies to talk by naturally caring for
their physical needs, listening to them, talking to them, reading to
them, singing with them, and engaging in play activities.
Baby Babble
When your baby babbles, he is talking to you so respond to him. As
your baby adds consonant and vowel sounds, he will enjoy making noises.
Enjoy the “conversation.” Listen to him and then when he pauses, take
your turn to talk to him. After a while, your baby will notice that when
he babbles and pauses, you talk back. He wants your attention so he
will learn to babble and pause, waiting for you to take your turn.
Before you know it, you and your baby are practicing the social art of
conversation, even if neither of you know what he is saying.
Baby Health
Nourish your baby’s health. Make sure your baby eats healthy foods
and gets enough sleep. A tired, hungry baby can only concentrate on
eating and sleeping. Stay current with your baby’s
pediatric check-ups. Healthier babies have healthier brains and
healthier brains absorb more information about language. The more your
baby learns about sounds and language, the more likely she is to use her
knowledge to talk to you.
Read to Your Baby
Read to your baby. Studies show that reading to babies increases
their IQ. Choose an age appropriate book. If you are introducing books
to a young baby, pick out a picture book. Tell your baby a story that
goes along with the pictures. Point to objects on the page and say the
words. Eventually, your baby will attempt to repeat the words. As your
baby grows, add books with words. Your baby will realize that words have
meanings and represent objects. As you teach your baby to say words,
you will be teaching him to read as well.
Play With Your Child
Play with your child. Engaging in playful activities with your child
provides a naturally language-rich environment and presents
opportunities for parents and children to communicate. Talk to your
child while shaking and rattling toys, rolling cars on the floor,
rocking a baby doll, pretending to bake a cake in your child’s play kitchen, just to name a few examples. Sing songs with your child. Engage
in music and movement while emphasizing words to body parts such as the
“Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” song.
Additional Advice
Don’t worry. Babies develop at different rates. Some babies talk
early while others wait a little longer to vocally express themselves.
While teaching your child to talk, take care not to expect too much
too soon so your baby doesn’t become frustrated. Reading, natural
conversations, and everyday nurturing will help your baby develop at his
own pace. If you become concerned that your baby is truly delayed in
his language development, talk to your baby’s doctor about ways to help
him progress.
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