One of the most important things that your child must learn is how to talk. On average, a child will say his or her first word at 12 months old and may start speaking anywhere from 8 to 18 months. By the time your child reaches 3 years, he or she will have a large vocabulary and at 6 years will know about 10,000 words and be a capable conversationalist.

Your child's language skills show how well his or her brain and thought processes are developing. Children also develop emotionally and build social skills through conversation. In fact, early language skills help children to adjust more easily to difficult circumstances. Toddlers with advanced language development are more likely to do well socially, academically, and behaviorally in later childhood (Rhule, 2006).

There are many ways you can help your child learn to talk. This can be done by finding natural opportunities in everyday situations to encourage communication. For example, from the moment your child is born, talk to your baby. You can call the child's name, and sing to him or her. Talk to your baby during daily routines such as when you cuddle, feed, or change diapers. Repeat the noises your baby makes and encourage him or her to imitate the sounds you make. Remember to point out objects to the baby and call them by name. If you want your children to talk with you when they are older, remember to talk with them when they are young. Warm communication that encourages your child’s cognitive, social and emotional skills lasts a lifetime.

Listening, learning and living together, it’s the science of life. “Family Album” is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences and of WUFT-FM. If you’d like to learn more, please visit our website at familyalbumradio.org.

References

Kate Fogarty, Evelyn Rooks-Weir, and Millie Ferrer, “Talking With Your Child” University of Florida IFAS Extension, Retrieved on August 15, 2006.

Berk, L.E. (2006). Child Development (2nd Edition). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Nicholas, J.G. (2006). Effects of early auditory experience on the spoken language of deaf children at 3 years of age. Ear & Hearing, 27, 286-298.

Rhule, D., McMahon, R., Spieker, S., & Munson, J. (2006). Positive adjustment and associated protective factors of children with adolescent mothers. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 15, 224-244.

Footnotes

1. This was edited from document FCS2006, one of a series of the Family Youth and Community Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date November 1, 1988. Revised June 12, 2006. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Revised 2006 by Kate Fogarty, Ph.D., assistant professor youth development, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences. Written by Evelyn Rooks-Weir, former associate professor, Human Development, revised by Millie Ferrer, Ph.D., associate professor, Human Development, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.

Topic: Talking With Your Baby
Written by Kate Fogarty, Evelyn Rooks-Weir, and Millie Ferrer
Reviewed by Donna Davis