From Babbling to Books

Did you know that your child’s literacy development begins in infancy? While hard to comprehend, a baby’s brain is already creating connections that serve as the foundation for reading and writing. Although your 6-month-old isn’t yet writing letters or sounding out words, they are already beginning to grasp that words have power. Long before children learn to read or write, they first discover that spoken words carry meaning. You might notice your baby turning their head when you call their name or beginning to babble. Those sweet sounds will one day become your child’s first words. These early milestones are the roots from which a lifelong love of language and literacy will grow!

So how can caregivers foster and encourage these foundational language skills? The good news is that simple language-building strategies fit into your daily routines and rhythms. Additionally, they are free or low-cost. You don’t need to be rich in resources to provide a language-rich environment for your child!

Simple Language Building Strategies

0-12 months

Talk to your baby

This may seem simple, but as busy parents, it’s easy to forget! Narrate your actions during daily routines:

“Time to go to sleep!” or “Time for milk!”

Don’t be afraid to ​make silly sounds and vocalizations to gain your baby’s attention!

Sing and use music

Babies love music! Music and rhythmic language make learning words memorable and engaging. Sing simple nursery rhymes or make up your own songs about your daily routines. Sing these songs repeatedly to reinforce vocabulary.

​Read simple/age-appropriate books

It is never too early to start. Choose books that have bright, simple illustrations or books with a sensory component (i.e., touch and feel books). Point to pictures and label simple vocabulary. Don’t worry about reading every single word.

Respond to your baby’s sounds and gestures

This teaches your baby the back-and-forth nature of communication. When your child coos or babbles, respond to them as if they are speaking to you. Imitate your child’s sounds, then add additional words and short phrases. If your child points, respond with language.“You see the cat!”

1-2 years

Encourage simple requests

You can facilitate this by modeling simple words or gestures your child can use to ask for desired objects or foods. This is a great skill to practice during meals and snack time.

Expand on what your child says

If your child says one word, respond by adding an additional word to the phrase.

Child-“car”  

Caregiver-“Yes,blue car!”

Give your child simple one-step directions

“Go get your shoes!” Use gestures such as pointing to support your child’s understanding. Giving simple directions will strengthen your child’s overall understanding of vocabulary and simple sentences. 

Keep reading together

Choose books based on your child’s growing interests! Encourage your child to turn the pages of the book and point to pictures they like. Continue labeling vocabulary, and don’t worry about reading every single word.

Highlight and repeat vocabulary throughout daily routines

Research indicates that it takes a child hearing a word multiple times before using it correctly and consistently. Model words repeatedly throughout your child’s daily routine in a natural way. (i.e., food vocabulary at meal time, playground-related vocabulary at the park, road-related vocabulary in the car)

Take-Away

Language is woven into the fabric of everyday life. Take advantage of simple, everyday moments to nurture your child’s communication and language!

If you ever have concerns about your child’s speech and language development,reach out to your pediatrician and connect with your local early intervention program. Stay tuned for a future post about fostering language development during the preschool years!