Baby's Developmental Milestones - Language and Communications
One of the most exciting parts about having a new baby is watching how quickly they develop. Encouraging their growth, being surprised by every new action, and the immense pride we feel whenever they do something brand new are all part of the fun of parenthood. If you have a new baby and you’re curious when they will start hitting certain communication milestones, or maybe you’re starting to wonder about your child’s development, we’ve put together a little guide to help you. Keep reading to learn more about baby’s developmental milestones for language and communication, tips to help, and two awesome products that encourage oral development.Communication Milestone General Guide
Remember: Every baby is so different! Some babies meet milestones earlier or later than others, and this is even true within the same family. One of your children may start speaking way earlier than the other; one really took off with sign language, but the others didn’t, or one may start laughing and smiling sooner than the others. Keep in mind that the guide below is just a general guideline, and if you have any concerns, talk to your child’s pediatrician.
Guideline source: ASHA.org (Communication Milestones)
Birth to 3 Months
| Alerts to sound |
| Quiets or smiles when you talk |
| Makes sounds back and forth with you |
| Makes sounds that differ depending on whether they are happy or upset |
| Coos, makes sounds like ooooo, aahh, and mmmmm |
| Recognizes loved ones and some common objects |
| Turns or looks toward voices or people talking |
4 to 6 Months
| Giggles and laughs. |
| Responds to facial expressions. |
| Looks at objects of interest and follows objects with their eyes |
| Reacts to toys that make sounds, like those with bells or music |
| Vocalizes during play or with objects in mouth |
| Vocalizes different vowel sounds—sometimes combined with a consonant—like uuuuuummm, aaaaaaagoo, or daaaaaaaaaa |
| Blows “raspberries” |
7 to 9 Months
| Looks at you when you call their name |
| Stops for a moment when you say, “No” |
| Babbles long strings of sounds, like mamamama, upup, or babababa |
| Looks for loved ones when upset |
| Raises arms to be picked up |
| Recognizes the names of some people and objects |
| Pushes away unwanted objects. |
10 to 12 Months
| Reaches for objects |
| Points, waves, and shows or gives objects |
| Imitates and initiates gestures for engaging in social interactions and playing games, like blowing kisses or playing peek-a-boo |
| Tries to copy sounds that you make |
| Enjoys dancing |
| Responds to simple words and phrases like “Go bye-bye” and “Look at Mommy.” |
| Says one or two words—like mama, dada, hi, and bye |
How Can I Help My Baby Reach Their Milestones?
Whether you want to make sure your baby has the best start for development possible, you’re worried about their timing of milestones, or you’re just looking for a beneficial way to have fun with your baby, there are many things you can do to help your baby reach their communication milestones. These include plenty of talking, responding, and development through play. Again, if you have concerns about the timing of your child’s developmental milestones, talk to your child’s pediatrician.Talk
Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers learn so many things through example. The best way to teach a child something is to show it to them. That is one of the many reasons why talking to your child is so important.
Ways you can encourage your child to talk include:
- Narrating whatever you’re doing, even if it is as simple as loading the dishwasher
- Talking about each item that gets placed in the grocery cart
- Reading to your child
- Using complete sentences when playing with your child
Respond
One of the ways your child will learn how to respond to you is through mimicking.
Make sure you always respond to your child, including:
- Whenever your chid makes eye contact with you
- Whenever your child approaches you
- If your child shows you something
- If your child completes a task
Develop Through Play
Babies and children learn so much through play. It is such a great way for them to learn certain skills because they do not feel the pressure of having to learn something or complete a task; they are simply having fun! Two of our favorite products for oral development to help encourage speech and communication include oral development teethers and our SPIKE Bubble Blower Set.
Oral Development Teethers
If your baby is going to be using a teether for play and sore gum relief, you might as well give them one that is beneficial for their development, too!
Innobaby’s teethers aren’t just great for teething pain; they’re considered “training teethers,” which means they’re great for a bunch of different reasons, including:
- They stimulate the muscles of the lips, tongue, and cheeks to improve oral motor skills
- which aids in nursing, eating solid foods, drinking from cups, and speech development
- The light and easy-to-grip handle also improves hand-eye coordination
- Giving two to baby will allow for bilateral movement and stimulation of both sides of the brain, as well
Sensory Bubble Play Skin Happy Botanical Bubbles & Blower Set
Babies and children universally LOVE bubbles. They have anti-anxiety properties for little ones, and they also help encourage speech development, social development, and much more.
Our unique bubble blower helps with lip-rounding and tongue-cupping exercises, plus the botanical solution is non-toxic and gentle on baby’s skin.
Plus, if you have a toddler at home and they love bubbles but you hate the mess and constantly dipping a wand into a messy jug, you’ll love how simple, easy, and mess-free this bubble blower is! Simply pour bubble solution into the tray, dip, and twirl the blower, and start blowing bubbles!
For more fun, family-friendly products to help your baby’s development, head over to Innobaby.com!