Supporting Early Speech and Language Skills

Language begins long before first words

Your baby is listening from the moment they are born — long before they can say "mummy" or "daddy". In the first year, the brain is building the pathways that will eventually support talking, reading and understanding. Every time you chat, sing or share a book, you are helping that wiring along. This is not about flashcards or expensive classes. It is about ordinary moments, repeated often, with a familiar voice.

Babies learn language through back-and-forth interaction. They need to hear words, see your face and get a response when they make a sound. A baby who is spoken to regularly will babble more, and babbling is the rehearsal for real speech. Think of yourself as their first conversation partner, not their teacher.

Talk your way through the day

Narrating everyday tasks is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do. Your baby does not need a running commentary of the news — they need words attached to things they can see, touch and feel.

• Nappy changes: "Let's get that wet nappy off. Up go your legs. Cold wipe! There we go, all clean."
• Mealtimes: name the food, the spoon, the bib. "More carrot? Yummy carrot. Open wide."
• Getting dressed: "One arm in. Where's your other hand? There it is!"
• Out and about: point out dogs, buses, trees and rain. "Look, a big red bus. Bus goes beep."

Keep sentences short and give your baby time to respond. A pause of several seconds feels long to you but gives them a chance to coo, kick or look at you — all early forms of conversation. Turn the television and background music off while you chat; background noise makes it much harder for a baby to pick out your voice.

Sing, rhyme and repeat

Songs and nursery rhymes are brilliant for language because they slow speech down, stretch out sounds and use rhythm and repetition. Your baby hears the same words in the same order, which helps them begin to predict and remember them.

Classics such as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", "The Wheels on the Bus" and "Round and Round the Garden" work well, especially with actions. Sing during nappy changes, in the bath, on the bus or while you are waiting for the kettle to boil. You do not need a good singing voice — your baby prefers your voice to anyone else's.

Action rhymes such as "Pat-a-cake" and "This Little Piggy" also build attention and turn-taking. If your baby smiles or kicks when a favourite song starts, that is a sign they are recognising language patterns, which comes before understanding individual words.

Books from the very beginning

You can share books with a newborn. Choose sturdy board books or soft cloth books with clear, high-contrast pictures, and let your baby look, grab and chew. At this stage the point is not the story — it is the cuddle, the rhythm of your voice and the shared attention.

• Aim for a few minutes at a time, several times a day. Short and frequent beats long and tiring.
• Point and name: "Dog. Big dog. Woof woof."
• Follow your baby's gaze rather than forcing them to look at the page you want.
• Let them turn the pages, even if it means going backwards.

Your local library is free to join and most run baby rhyme time or story sessions, which are a lovely way to meet other parents and pick up new songs. Health visitors and children's centres can also point you towards local groups and free book schemes for under-fives.

Follow your baby's lead

Watch what your baby is interested in and join in with it. If they are staring at the washing machine, talk about the washing machine. If they hold up a spoon, name the spoon. This is sometimes called "serve and return": they serve up a sound, a look or a gesture, and you return it with a word.

Copy their sounds back to them. If they say "ba", you say "ba" and then add something: "Ba! Ball. Yes, a ball." Copying shows them that their attempts matter, which encourages them to keep trying.

Limit dummies to sleep times where you can, as a dummy in the mouth during the day can get in the way of babbling. If your baby uses one, try to take it out when you are chatting and playing together.

When to ask for extra support

Children develop at different rates, but speak to your health visitor or GP if you have concerns. It is worth seeking advice if your baby does not seem to respond to loud noises, does not turn towards your voice, makes very few sounds by around nine months, or is not using gestures such as pointing and waving by their first birthday. Hearing problems are one of the most common reasons for delayed speech, and a hearing check is quick and straightforward.

The one-year review with your health visitor and the two-year check are good opportunities to raise any worries. Trust your instincts — you know your baby best, and asking early is never a waste of anyone's time.