Use of Language
0-12 Months
Expressive language means your child’s use of language, e.g. learning to say new words and putting them together. This can also include non-verbal communication, such as use of gestures. As children develop, they grow their vocabulary and use longer, more complex sentences.
By 12 months old, babies will usually:
- make talking noises and babble strings of sounds, e.g. “da da da”
- point and look at you to get your attention
- use gestures
- probably say their first words, although they might not be clear to everyone
You can help by:
- copying your baby’s babbling sounds
- taking it in turns to talk and ‘have a conversation’ with them
- singing familiar nursery rhymes with actions with them
- talking to them and commenting on what is happening
- playing with sounds and words, e.g. making animal noises in play
- Bath time – here are some words you can use to talk to your baby in the bath: “squeeze, sponge, boat, duck, splash!”
- Bubbles – words to use while playing with bubbles with your baby “bubble, big, pop!”
- Share stories and rhymes with your baby, e.g. ‘row, row, row your boat’ and do the actions
