One of the most exciting moments for a parent is when their baby starts to speak. This milestone usually happens around 12 months old, but babies have different developmental timelines and could start talking as early as six months or not until they are two years old.
What is the first word your baby says? It’s usually “Mama” or “Dada,” right? They say these words even before they can talk. Babies start talking at different ages, so it’s understandable that you might be wondering when babies start talking. This article will teach you all about Baby Talk Milestones and when do babies start talking!
In This Article
Baby Talking Milestones and Developmental
The first stage of language development is babbling and making different sounds such as “ba-ba” or “da-da.” Babies also start responding to their own name by the end. The second Baby Talk Milestone babies will learn how to say their ABCs! They’ll do this by mouthing the letters or pointing to the letter they want. This milestone usually happens around 12 months old, but babies have different developmental timelines and can do this as early as nine months or not until they are two years old.
The final Baby Talk Milestone babies will learn how to say single words and two-word phrases (e.g., “I want,” “ball”). They might even start using sentences! This milestone usually happens around 12 months old, but babies have different developmental timelines and can do this as early as nine months or not until they are two years old.
At 3 Months:
At 3 months, babies can hear your voice and watch your face. They also prefer a woman’s voice to a man’s. At 3 months, they start making sounds like “cooing” which is a gentle singing sound that they do to communicate with people around them.
After three months, your child might be able to:
- Smile when you come up to people.
- Make sounds like a bird.
- Some babies respond to when their parents speak to them.
- Your baby may be able to recognize your voice sometime.
- Before babies start talking, they cry to communicate their needs.
At 6 Months:
At six months, babies begin to babble and make different sounds such as “ba-ba” or “da-da.” Babies also start responding to their own name by the end of the sixth month. This is evident in that a baby will say “raahhh” when called on. Additionally, they begin recognizing their native spoken language.
Some parents think that their baby is saying “daddy” when they are making sounds. But the sounds that your baby makes at this age usually mean nothing and do not have any meaning.
By six months old, a child might:
- Babies will start making sounds and gurgling when you’re playing with them.
- Babble and make sounds like a dog, bird, or cat.
- Use your baby’s voice to express their emotions.
- Point your eyes in the direction of sounds
- Listen to what you say. If a different tone comes out, then change it!
- Notice that some toys make sounds and they are loud.
At 9 Months:
After nine months, babies have a whole new perspective and are able to understand simple phrases like “no” and “bye-bye.” They may also be developing a wider range of consonant sounds and more distinct tones in their voice.
At 12 Months:
Babies’ first words are usually “mama” and “dadda” by the end of 12 months, and they know what they’re saying. They typically respond to or at least understand short commands like ‘let go of that’.
At 18 Months:
Babies at 18 months age have a vocabulary of several words and can point to people, objects, or body parts names for them. They repeat words or sounds they hear the parent say such as the last word in a sentence. This is because babies often leave off beginnings or endings of words. For example, they may say “daw” for “dog” or “noo-noo’s” for “noodles.”
At 24 Months:
By 18 to 24 months old, babies can string together a few words in short phrases of two to four words, such as “Mommy bye-bye” or “me milk.” They also start to learn abstract ideas like “mine”, which means more than an object.
At 36 Months:
At 36 months babies can string together sentences of six or more words and understand what they mean. They may also start using the word “no.” When babies are 18-24 months old, it’s hard for them to use a lot of language because they have trouble focusing on one thing at a time.
How long will it take for your baby to say their first words?
On average babies can say their first word around 12-18 months old, but some babies might not get there until they are 24-30 months old.
Parents are never too old to start learning how to speak “baby.” Babies have a very small vocabulary and begin talking with the first grimace they make after birth. Parents can learn what their baby has to say by paying attention and interpreting the various cries that plague them both during infancy, childhood and adulthood.
As language development milestones differ greatly among babies, it can be difficult to know when your baby is ready to talk.
What age do babies try to talk?
Babies can start to talk after nine months. They are able to understand a few words, make different sounds and express themselves using their voice in order to show how they feel. By 12-18 months, most babies say a few simple words like “Mama” or “Papa.”
