Page 54 - Mother & Baby - UK (March 2020)

LE ARN I N G

TO TALK
Special

12-18 months

‘Your baby will probably say her first word fun out of her language exploration.’ So, if
around her first birthday,’ says Annie, ‘and her your baby says ‘choo’ for her toy train, give
vocabulary will grow over the next six months her a big smile, nod and say ‘choo-choo
and the years to come. Don’t expect perfect train!’ and tap the train. That shows
pronunciation – just try to understand her that you understand and want
what she’s saying and, when you ‘Henry’s always to interact with her. Plus, by
know, say the word back to her loved nursery rhymes. modelling the right way to say
correctly. You’re modelling how to When he was tiny he would just the word, you’ll help that word
do it: but don’t try to force her to bob along, then he started clapping to embed! Here’s what else
say it properly or you’ll take the and making gestures. Now he’s 17 you can do to help…
months, I do half a line and let him fill in
the rest. So, I sing, “Mother Duck said…”
and Henry says, “Quack, quack, quack,
quack!” The rhymes have really helped
develop his vocabulary and his
understanding of language’
Holly Brighty, 35, from Crack out
Benwick, is mum to Henry, the socks!
17 months Bythisage,youryoungsterunderstands
Go
howherdailyroutineworks.So,she’ll be
one-on-one
delightedifyoustartgoofingaroundwith it!
Parental leaveoftenfinisheswhen Whenyou’regettingherdressed,puthersocks
babiesarearoundninemonthsold.‘Once onherhandsinsteadofherfeet.Thenlaughand
you’rebackat work,yourtimewithyourbaby is say,‘Silly Mummy!Notsocksonhands.
morelimited,’saysAnnie,‘butherlanguage skills Socks on feet!’Keeptalking,learning
reallybenefitfromhavingtimealonewithyou to andhavingfun.
“talk”.Ifyoupossiblycan,trytosetasidefive to
15 minutes every day of one-on-onetime
withyour baby, when you canchat
and cuddle.’

Sing
a sound song
‘Althoughyour babyisstartingtousewords
now,it’sstillhelpfulforhertohearthedistinct
soundsthatmakeup ourlanguage,’saysAnnie. ‘Beingable
tomakesomeofthose sounds distinctly takes several years
–shemaynotbeableto say some consonants like ‘rrrrr’ or ‘vuh’
untilshe’satschool.But hearing those sounds and seeinghow
yourmouthmoves to form them helps her to learn.’
Trysingingatune–any tune – using just one sound, such as
‘la’or‘me’or‘ti’. Whenwesingwemakebigger
Be a
movementswithourmouthsthanwhenwe
commentator speak,so it’seasierforbabiesto Where’s
Thebestwaytogrowyouryoungster’s pick upontheshapes. the cat?
vocabularyistolet herhearlotsofwords.Andthebest Bynow,your babywillbeapointingguru.
wayforhertohearlotsofwordsisforyoutotalktoher.So, So,growher wordknowledgebyexploring
makelikeGabbyLoganandgetcommentating!‘Thiscanfeel thepicturesin herbooks.‘Forexample,ifyou’re
funnywhenyoustartbutitquicklybecomeseasier,’saysAnnie. readingTheSnailandtheWhale,youcanask
‘Justnarrateyourdayandhighlightthekeywords.Forinstance: youryoungster topointtothesnail;thewhale;
“Let’shaveabigcuddle andopenthecurtains.Look,it’sablue therock;the boat;thebeach;thechildren;
sky!There’sabird!And can you see the cat watchingthe the teacher;thebird…’saysAnnie.
bird?Shallwechange your nappy? Is the changing
matcold? I’m taking off your nappy. I’m
wiping your bottom…”’

52 | March 2020 | mothe ra ndbaby.co.uk