Babies usually start to talk between the ages of 12 months to 18 months. Your baby will begin to say sounds that are more recognisable, and they will also become a lot more sociable. Nursery rhymes are a great way to get your child to put words with actions, thus helping them remember words easier.
Babies speech development:
Toddlers develop skills at different rates, but by 18 months, they will usually:
Love games like pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo, also noisy toys are always popular.
They should begin to understand simple words like drink, eat, car, bike, and shoe. They should also be able to understand simple instructions like “kiss mummy” or “give me”.
They should be able to point to objects when asked, such as ‘car’ or ‘dog’.
They should use around 20 simple words, such as ‘daddy’, ‘cat’ and ‘mummy’. Sometimes these words can only be recognised by the babies parents. At this stage, a child’s language development is rapidly improving.
Gesture and pointing at objects to show that they want them.
Copy what adults say and also copy gestures that they may make.
Their imagination should start to show now with pretend play, for example, pretending tot talk on the phone.
Developing language skills and the ability to use speech develops from a very early age. However, some children to not acquire these skills. In this instant, parents should speak to GPs or a Speech and Language Therapist if:
Your child has not started to chatter or babble to communicate by 12 to 15 months.
Your child does not respond well to language, such as not following simple instructions like ‘give me or kick ball.’
Your chile is not saying their first words by 18 months.
How can I help my toddler talk and develop his/her speech development
You can encourage your child to talk by:
Singing nursery rhymes with actions like ‘incey-wincey-spider‘. Playing games like ‘pat-a-cake’ and ‘peek-a-boo’. These help your child’s memory and help them concentrate, gain a longer attention span and communicate.
Using noisy books and objects help your child develop their listening skills.
Instead of constantly asking your child questions, talk them through what is happening in their surroundings, such as ‘Mummy making the dinner’ and ‘Daddy cleaning up the mess’. This will allow your child to know routines and connect words to their surroundings.
When your child points to something, tell them the word of what it is and if they say the word say it back to them and praise them. This will boost their confidence.
If you want your child to remember a word, then you need to repeat it so they can remember it. Name all of the objects around your baby, everything they do you can tell them what is happening. The more times they hear a word and see an action, the quicker they will remember it.
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