Babbling is sometimes referred to as baby talk and brings to mind combinations like “goo goo” and “gaga.” Babbling is an early speech-language milestone that prepares kids to say their first words. They are hearing new sounds, exploring their voice, and are beginning to develop longer strings of sounds as well as different sound combinations. Let’s walk through the different types of babbling and easy strategies to help you support your little one through these stages of development.
Marginal babbling (~4-6 months)- putting consonant and vowel sounds together to make a syllable like "ma" or "buh."
Reduplicated babbling (~6-10 months)- repeating the same syllable over and over again like “googoo” or “kaka.”
Variegated babbling (~6-10 months)- combining different consonant and vowel sounds in a variety of ways like "te-na-bo-dee!"
Conversational babbling (~10 months)- babbling sounds start to have adult-like intonation and pausing. “Di na” with intonation of “this one?” or “ah soo mi” with intonation of “I love you.”
Ways to encourage babbling:
Be face-to-face with your child
Model a sound combination (ba-ba-ba) and try to exaggerate the sounds
Imitate your child
Lots of repetition (repeating your sounds and repeating your child's sounds)
Change up the sounds
Make it fun and engaging
Keep track of your child's sounds
Other fun tips: use mirrors or reflective surfaces so your child can see and hear you, use toys and other engaging items to model sounds, and make silly noises like blowing raspberries, animal sounds, vehicle noises, and exclamatory words! Enjoy encouraging your child’s babbling!
Comments