Dr. Sally Says… Your baby goes through an amazing long and wonderful process of learning to talk, and you can play a valuable role in it.

Activity 19 

Words

Age Range: 9-12 Months

Area Being Developed: Language (Speaking & Listening)

If you listen carefully, you are likely to hear your baby say many sounds that seem like words or short phrases. Sometimes these sounds will be tied together in such a way that you might think that your baby is trying to tell you something important… and he or she probably is!

Whenever you hear your baby babble sounds, stop and listen carefully. If you hear anything that sounds like words, a phrase or a general concept, say the real words back to your baby and of course, respond the best you can!

Here is an example.  You hear the sound “wa-wa.”  Then you say something like “Water, oh water, you want water.”

RELATED MILESTONES OF DEVELOPMENT

* Responds to situations with sounds

* Says sounds and occasional words