6 tips for how to talk to someone who doesn’t (yet) talk back

It can feel awkward to talk to your baby who doesn’t yet talk back, but the research is clear—there’s a direct link between a child’s vocabulary and the number of words spoken to them. In the first few months, your baby is constantly listening to the intonation, rhythm, and patterns of your voice. Even though they can’t understand what you’re saying yet, their brain is laying the groundwork for acquiring language.

Some tips for talking to your baby:

1. Have a “conversation”

If they start to coo or make any kind of vocalization, talk back to them. Research consistently shows that back-and-forth conversation matters just as much as—if not more than—the number of words they hear.

2. Reading

Mother holding up the Wooden Book while playing with her baby — In photo: Wooden Book from The Looker Play Kit

Try the reading position in the photo above—your baby will take more interest in the book you’re reading if they can see your face, too.

The Looker Play Kit

The Looker Play Kit welcomes your newborn with tools to help them process the world around them and build brand new brain connections with high-contrast and black-and-white Playthings.

Learn more

3. Narrate the day

Narrate as much as possible for your baby as you move about the house or neighbourhood. Tell them about the produce while you are shopping, talk to them while you are changing a diaper. Talk to them face-to-face whenever you can.

4. House tours

When your baby is awake, facing forward in a wrap or with their head turned to the side in a carrier, walk around your house and talk about what you are seeing and experiencing. “House tours” will be a favourite activity throughout the first year.

5. Sing to your baby

Even if you don’t think you have a great voice, your baby will love it because it’s yours ❤️ Babies tune into singing even more than talking.

6. Talk in a slower, higher-pitched, sing-song voice

Use the voice that comes naturally to you when speaking to babies. Babies are pre-programmed to tune into higher tones, and learn more from the stretched out vowels in baby talk.