when do toddlers start talking

When do toddlers start talking?” is a common question among parents eager to hear their child’s first words. Generally, toddlers begin speaking simple words between 12 and 18 months of age. To help encourage speech development, parents can engage in conversations with their toddler, read books together, and create an environment that promotes language skills. It’s a natural part of parenting to be curious about when your child will start speaking and how quickly they will make language gains. The answer to this question depends on a variety of factors, including a child’s personality and their environment.

When your baby speaks for the first time, it’s an exciting moment. But when is the right time for your baby to start speaking? Should you be concerned if your baby’s first word isn’t coming as quickly as other babies?

Here’s a look at some of the most important speech milestones for babies and toddlers, as well as tips on how to help your baby talk.

Children’s HealthSM speech and language pathologist

What is the average age when newborns begin Talking ?

Typically, babies speak their first words between 12 to 18 months of age. A baby’s first babbling noises will be heard shortly after birth.

From birth to the third month of age, babies start to vocalise. These sounds are happy and cooing, “Loeffler explains. “Around 6 months, you may start to hear your baby chattering more. You may hear them say things like ‘puh,’ ‘buh,’ and ‘mi.’”

Some of the first words your baby will say are:

From 0 to 3 months of age, babies engage in a ‘cooing’ phase. This includes laughing, giggling, and making other sounds. From 4 to 6 months old, babies begin to make longer sequences of sounds.

By 12 months of age, many babies begin to use single words, such as “ma-ma” “da-da” “ball” and “cat.

A Guide to Talking with Your Newborn

The best way to get a baby to open up is to spend time talking and connecting with them. “Face to face and one to one time with the baby is crucial for a newborn’s development.”

A baby may pick up language by watching and imitating your body and facial expressions. “Like a sponge taking in water, babies absorb all that is happening in their environment” (Loeffler).

Some tips for getting your baby to talk include:

Listening to your baby gurgle and coo and responding to them. “Are you feeling sleepy, baby?”

The same way the baby smiles at you is the same way you should reciprocate. Communication is a series of back and forth exchanges between two people.

Document everything you do with your baby. “I’m changing my baby’s diaper.” “I’m holding a spoon in my hand.” “I’m kicking a ball.”

Your baby will benefit from this type of parallel speech as they learn new words.”

Read some literature.

Point out the photos on each page. Have a conversation about the colors and textures.
Listen to rhymes and songs from childhood. Singing or rocking your baby gently to music will get their attention.
Play! Babies love to play with balls, toys, and kitchen implements. They imitate your every action and word.
Encourage your baby to elaborate on existing phrases. For example, when your child calls out “dog” and points to a dog, you know it’s time to go for a walk. You can say, “Yeah, that’s a huge dog. It’s outside, where the dog can run, and it’s barking.”
When your child says “aircraft”, you can say: “Wow, it’s high in the sky. The plane is flying there.”