How do babies learn to talk ?????

Ashley - posted on 03/24/2009

I agree with the other moms on here... reading, talking all the time. ect. I also used to play a game with my son to encourage his growth. I would hide a toy or something under my legs and say "Where is the ___?" and eventually he wanted to be the hider and he would say the word to me to get me to find it. at 18 m he has well over 75 words and a few phrases. I also let my son help me read. If I get to a part in the story where he knows the word I wont say it and if there is a picture or he has teh story memerized he can say the word for me.

Monica - posted on 03/22/2009

Babies mimic what they see and hear. Talk to them and read to them and make sure you talk a little slower so they hear all the sylables. Children end up not being able to pronounce words properly because they arnt hearing all the sylables.

Amy - posted on 03/22/2009

Read, read, read. My son also loves songs. And you want to talk to them all the time. Narrate your day - mommy is making your bottle, watch me pour the water, add the formula, shake it up, etc... And remember they all go at thier own pace, don't stress! My son wasn't evening saying mama and dada at 14 months and my friends children were so I started to get nervous... like an explosion at 15 months he was saying mommy and daddy (he just skipped the other stage) and even two word phrases.

Jen - posted on 03/22/2009

Like the other moms have said, name everything, read, use words as often as you can and you'll be surprised when they say that first word. My daughter is 15 months old and already can say between 30 and 50 words. She gets read to everyday and we always teach her new words and point to everything we see. We've even started teaching numbers using the remote control. Kids will absorb eveything they hear so teach them as much as you can and as much as they'll handle.

Cheryl- Chris - posted on 03/22/2009

Are you a stay at home mom? This will feel so stupid, but I have to admit that it works. As you go about your housework, have a running comentary about what you are doing, why you are doing it, etc!!!! Baby sign is also an option if you want your child to be able to communicate with you! One note of caution, as you use sign, make sure you are still speaking "English" to "her". Babies love to interact with Mommy and Daddy this way!!!!

Just keep talking!!!! My husband and I are readers, so our older son did not start talking "when his peers did", but he has since caught up, and is doing fine!

Diane - posted on 03/21/2009

Jaime Lynne is totally right. The more you talk to your child the more he is taking in. Even if your child is not repeating the words, they are absorbing what they are hearing and they will start to repeat those words. One day it will seem like someone flipped a switch, and your child will start talking more and more. Just keep working on small words at first and constantly repeating them. Every child goes at their own pace.

Twylla - posted on 03/21/2009

You need not to talk to them in baby talk.....They like it and learn better when you talk normal to them.......

Jaime-Lynne - posted on 03/21/2009

you talk to them, you read to them, you sing to them, they learn from you. even though they can't talk back to you right away it helps them with their communication skills.