How to teach your baby talk (6 - 12 Months )

Posted by kkkkk

Six to nine month old are explorers. They like to try things to find out what happens (cause and effect). They are beginning to move with some skill, sitting up, crawling and even beginning to stand. Babies of this age are interested in new things and people but, at the same time, often are afraid of strangers. They enjoy watching and responding to the things going on around them and like to repeat sounds and actions.

Let’s EAT:

 

• Bring your baby to the table while your family is eating. Give your baby finger foods like banana slices or cheerios that allow your baby to practice picking up small items.
• Introduce new foods, slowly. When the doctor tells you to start soft, solid foods like rice cereal, give one food several times to allow your baby to get used to the taste. If your baby appears not to like it, try again a few days later.
• Help your baby discover why or how things happen. When your baby drops a spoon or bottle, pick it up, describing what happened. “You dropped the spoon and it made a loud noise.” Babies learn by doing the same thing over and over again.

Let’s GET CLEAN:

• Peek-a-boo! After changing your baby’s diaper, put a soft blanket or clothing item over a part of his/her face saying “Where’s baby?” Then, pull it off gently, saying “Peek-a-boo!” Repeat with your baby’s arm or leg, describing the covered body part as you play.
• Give your baby a rattle or small toy to splash while being bathed.
• While undressing your baby, gently run your fingers from stomach up to the chin, saying, “Creepy, creepy mousy, from the barn (tummy) to the housy (chin). ” Tickle your baby’s chin when your fingers arrive there.
• Hold your baby up to the mirror while dressing. Describe your baby’s face. Let your baby touch the mirror to discover that what is being seen is not “the real thing.”

Let’s GO:

• Safety proof your house; crawl around with your baby to make sure there are no small items under the couch or dresser that your baby could put in his/her mouths.
• Put a toy just out of reach and encourage your baby to crawl or move to get it. Shake it or move it to catch your baby’s attention.
• Talk about the wonderful colors and smells of the grocery store as you walk through with your baby. Use your shopping trip to talk about foods that are good to eat.
• Hold your baby on your lap and bounce, saying, “Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great... pause and while holding your baby securely, bounce him/her between your legs as if to drop, saying with enthusiasm, “had a great fall.”

Let’s SHARE WORDS and STORIES!

• Describe objects and activities as they happen. “I’m putting on your socks,” “look at that big ball,” “that feels really soft.”
• Play word games by repeating the sounds your baby makes… “Dada, Dada.” Then, wait to see if your baby says them again. Change the sound a bit… “Mama, Mama” and wait to see if your baby tries a different sound.
• Make up songs by describing your baby’s actions, clothing, etc. This teaches new words. “Pretty, pretty Polly is wearing a green shirt.”
• Share the book Baby Faces (see book list) with your baby. Talk about each pictured face.

Let’s SAY HELLO - GOODBYE:

• Hold your baby’s hand up to wave good-bye when a familiar person leaves, saying “Good-bye.” Make sure your baby sees favorite people leave so he/she won’t worry about people disappearing.
• Help your baby know how to respond to visitors or new people by showing (or modeling) the ways you say hello or greet someone. Your baby will learn how to react in similar ways. Don’t be surprised if your baby is fearful of new situations or adults; help your baby feel comfortable in strange situations, allowing time to warm up slowly.
• Sing the “Where is Thumbkin?” (see song list). This action song will help your baby learn that objects do not disappear when they go away

Let’s REST:

• Your baby may wake in the middle of the night and cry. This could be a sign of separation anxiety. Gently pat your baby’s back and reassure him/her that you are nearby.
• Start your baby’s day with a bonding experience. When your baby wakes up, sing “Good Morning Song” (see song list).
• Read Baby Can’t Sleep (see book list) before bedtime. Pretend that five cotton balls are sheep. Count the “sheep” as you jump them over your baby’s head

9 - 12 Months 

Babies at this age watch others and then repeat the actions they see. They like to explore objects and actions and do things over and over again to understand how things work. Older babies also are beginning to remember things they’ve seen before and may copy something they’ve seen. They are starting to say basic words and understand many things they hear.

Let’s EAT:

• Babies try new foods more willingly if they are allowed to feed themselves. Put small pieces of a new food on the tray and give your baby time to investigate it. Be prepared for the mess as your baby becomes better at getting foods into his/her mouth. Take a picture of your messy baby for the baby book!
• Bring out the plastic food storage containers for stacking. Show your baby how to put one on top of the other and then give your baby time to try it.
• Put on some lively music while cooking dinner. Encourage your baby to bounce or move to the music. Music is a great way to gain control over body movements

Let’s GET CLEAN:

• Play “Name the Body Part” while bathing or dressing. Ask “Show me your nose” or “Where are your hands?”
• Help your baby get excited about bath time! Put a favorite toy or rattle just out of your baby’s reach and encourage your baby to reach for it. Keep moving it closer and closer to wherever you bathe your baby.
• Dip a kitchen spatula or spoon with holes into bubble solution (dish detergent works great!) and blow bubbles for your baby to watch. Encourage your baby to try to catch them.
• Introduce art and painting to your baby by painting in the bathtub. Give your baby a clean paintbrush and encourage him/ her to paint the walls with the water.

Let’s GO:

• Keep your baby’s attention while driving in the car by chanting your baby’s name or other familiar words. Then add words that rhyme even if they are nonsense words. “car, car, far, far, har, har, har.” “Beep, cheep, heap, sleep.”
• Make a ramp by putting a toilet paper or paper towel roll under a large book or flat object. Then, roll a small ball or object down the ramp and watch what happens! Repeat over and over and clap when the ball reaches the bottom.
• Make a texture book by putting different objects on sheets of paper and fasten the sheets together. Make a page with cotton, another page with sandpaper, and another with felt or ridged cardboard. Help your baby feel each page and talk about the way the materials feel. Put this book in your diaper bag for touching and reading while you wait at the doctor’s office.

Let’s SHARE WORDS and STORIES:

• Take pictures of family members and paste each one on cardboard to make a family album. Read the book, talk about each family member. “There’s Grandma. She has a big smile in this picture.” Read this book every day before bed or before leaving for child care.
• Tape down a large piece of sticky paper or Velcro on the floor. Put objects on top of the sticky paper and then, with your baby, try to pull them off. Use words that describe what’s happening. “That sticks!” “The ball is hard to pull off.”
• Give your baby a piece of paper and a thick, non-toxic crayon or marker. Show your baby how to make marks on the paper and let him/her scribble away. Beginning writing starts with scribbles!

Let’s SAY HELLO - GOODBYE:

• Give your baby a chance to be part of the hello-good-bye routine by letting her/him push the doorbell or the elevator button when you enter child care or are visiting a friend or neighbor.
• Make a set of shakers for the car or stroller. Fill small plastic containers with safe materials like rice or dry lima beans. Put on the lids and seal the containers with glue or heavy tape. Keep them handy when you’re running errands.
• Hold up each of your pointer fingers and make motions as you say: Two Little Blue birds sitting on a hill. One named Jack (wiggle one finger), One named Jill (wiggle the other finger). Fly away Jack (Move finger behind back). Fly away Jill (Move other finger behind back). Come back Jack (bring finger back in front of you). Come back Jill (bring second finger back).

Let’s REST:

• Fresh air before nap time helps babies become drowsy. Take a walk around the block, talking about the scenery. “The leaves are starting to turn green. I hear a dog barking. Listen to that loud truck.”
• Sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star as a good night song. Move your baby’s hands and arms to the motions: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (wiggle fingers); How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high (hold hands above head); Like a diamond in the sky (make a diamond shape); Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (wiggle fingers); How I wonder what you are.
• Count your baby’s toes as you take off his/her socks while getting ready for rest time. Sing, “1-2-3-4-5, once I caught a toe alive. 6-7-8- 9-10. Then I let it go again.
• For the best of baby songs click here