Lena Torres
One of the most exciting milestones in a baby's development is when they start making sounds. This typically starts with cooing, which is the baby's first attempt at expressive language. Cooing usually starts between six to eight weeks of age, and consists of vowel-like sounds such as ooh and aah. As they progress, babies will start to experiment with making sounds with their lips and tongue, such as 'bubbly' and 'raspberry' sounds. By four months, babies will usually start laughing, and by six months, they should be able to turn and look at you when you are speaking to them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cooing | Around 2 months old, but can occur earlier or later |
| Laughing | Around 4 months |
| Babbling | Around 4 to 6 months |
| Recognizing words like "no" | Between 6 and 11 months |
| Recognizing their name | By 6 to 10 months |
| Imitating sounds | Between 6 and 11 months |
| First word | Between 10 and 15 months |
| Using gestures | Around 10 months |
| Using simple words like "mama" and "dada" | Around 12 to 14 months |
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What You'll Learn
Cooing and gurgling
Cooing refers to single-vowel sounds, such as “ooh" and "aah," and sometimes the noise a baby makes sounds like the word "coo," which is where the action gets its name. Cooing is an early and important step in a baby's language development, as it is their first attempt at expressive language. Babies use cooing sounds to express happiness and contentment, among other emotions.
Babies typically start making cooing sounds around two months old, but it can occur earlier or later. By about one month, a baby might be able to identify their caregiver by their voice, even if they are not in the same room. When spoken to, they may begin to smile and gurgle, which teaches them the concept of a two-way "conversation."
As babies continue to develop their language skills, they will progress from random experimental sighs and coos to sounds that are actually directed at toys, pets, objects, and people. By six months of age, a baby should be able to turn and look at the person speaking to them. They may also respond to their name and be able to tell the difference between happy and angry tones of voice.
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Babbling and jargon
Babbling is one of the first ways babies start to communicate and is an important milestone in their language development. It usually starts between four to six months of age, and even deaf babies will babble, producing a similar range of sounds. At first, babies make lots of different sounds, including some that are not part of the language they are hearing. By nine or ten months, they start to narrow down their repertoire to the set of sounds they regularly hear in their environment, and the other sounds are dropped. This highlights the importance of exposing babies to a range of sounds and languages early on.
Babies also start to respond to certain phrases in context around this time. For example, they might wave bye-bye when you say "bye-bye." They will also start to turn towards familiar voices and respond to their name. They will also try to imitate words and sounds, such as coughing, and making raspberry and clicking sounds. They will also pay more attention to speech and respond to simple verbal requests.
Babies enjoy having conversations with others and will react to questions by looking around. They will also start to use simple gestures, such as waving bye-bye and shaking their head for "no." They will also try to say a few words, like ""mama" and "dada," around 12 to 14 months. They will also start to refer to themselves by name and show behaviours that demonstrate the linking of words to actions, such as "give it to Mummy."
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Crying and laughing
Crying is one of the first ways a baby communicates their feelings and needs. While newborns don't typically cry tears, this changes within a few weeks as the lacrimal gland, responsible for tear production, matures. Usually, parents observe tears when their baby cries between 1 and 3 months of age, although this can vary.
Babies tend to cry more starting around 2 weeks of age, and this period is often called the "period of purple crying." This phase typically ends by the time the baby is 3 or 4 months old as they develop other means of communication.
Babies start to coo, their first sound production besides crying, between 6 and 8 weeks of age. This involves producing pleasant vowel-like sounds such as "oo."
By 4 months of age, babies usually start to laugh in response to things in their environment. They enjoy nonsense humor, such as exaggerated faces, wide-open mouths, big eyes, and silly sounds. This is when they begin to express happiness and delight through giggles and laughter.
At 6 months, babies should be able to turn and look at their caregiver when spoken to and may respond to their name. They also start to differentiate between happy and angry tones of voice.
By 9 months, infants typically laugh in response to social games, such as peekaboo, and they understand the concept of "funny." They also start to imitate sounds, such as coughing, and make gestures like waving bye-bye.
Around 12 months, babies start using their first words with clear meaning and comprehend more words than we might realize. They also begin to link words to actions, such as "give it to Mummy."
It's important to remember that every baby is unique, and these milestones may occur sooner or later for some infants. If you have any concerns about your baby's development, it's always best to consult a pediatrician or a healthcare professional.
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Imitating sounds
Around six to eight weeks of age, babies start to coo, which is their first attempt at expressive language. Cooing refers to single-vowel sounds, such as "ooh" and "aah." As babies develop, they will use their tongue and lips to create more precise sounds, such as 'bubbly' sounds where the tongue makes contact with the lips, and raspberry sounds, where the lips are placed together and vibrate.
By six months, babies should be turning their head or eyes towards the source of a sound. They will also start to recognise and respond to their name. Between six and eleven months old, babies should be imitating sounds, babbling, and using gestures. They will also start to recognise the use of certain phrases in context. For example, when you say 'bye-bye', they might wave.
Babies will also try to imitate words and sounds, such as coughing, making raspberries, and clicking sounds. They will pay increasing attention to speech and respond to simple verbal requests. They will also use simple gestures, such as waving bye-bye and shaking their head for 'no'.
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Responding to names
Babies develop speech and language skills at different rates, so it is important to remember that there is no need to panic if your baby is not responding to their name within the time frame mentioned in this text. However, typically, babies will start to respond to their names between 4 and 9 months. By 9 months, most babies will respond to their names.
How to help your baby recognise their name
Babies start to recognise their names when they hear them frequently. You can help your baby learn their name by using it often when you talk to them. For example, you could say something like, "Charlotte, would you like your bottle?". You can also try changing your tone of voice when saying your baby's name. Try using a singsong voice or an excited whisper to see if that gets their attention.
Babies also learn through play. You can try playing games such as "What's your name?" or singing songs that involve repeating your baby's name.
Milestones
Babies develop at different rates, so it is important to remember that your baby may reach these milestones earlier or later than the babies of the same age. However, there are some milestones that you can look out for. From 2 to 4 months, your baby should be able to localise sound and respond to loud sounds. By 6 to 9 months, your baby will start to remember the pattern of sounds that make up their name and make the connection with themselves. By 9 to 12 months, your baby should be consistently responding to their name when called.
If your baby is not meeting these milestones, you can always speak to a healthcare professional for advice.
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Frequently asked questions
Within the first few days of being born, babies start to make sounds like crying, grunting, squeaking, sighing, sneezing, and hiccupping.
Babies typically start cooing around 2 months old, but it can be earlier or later. Cooing is when a baby makes vowel sounds like "ooh" and "aah".
Babbling usually begins between 4 to 6 months old. However, by 6 to 9 months, babies will start to babble in jargon or "nonsense speech".
By 12 months, babies start to use their first words with clear meaning. However, a baby's first word usually comes anywhere between 10 to 15 months.
