Research shows that talking to your baby during pregnancy can help with their language development.

• Your baby's brain starts developing in the womb
• Your unborn baby begins to hear sounds at around 16-20 weeks
• Your unborn baby loves to hear the sound of your voice
• Your baby cannot understand the words you are saying, but they can hear and respond to sounds early on
• Talking to your bump in a gentle, soothing tone throughout or during your pregnancy helps your baby’s brain development and helps you form a bond

Here are some simple ideas for you to try:

Talk in a gentle, soothing tone

Talk to your baby about what you are doing, how you are feeling and how much you love them. Your gentle tone of voice is more important than the actual words.

Sing songs, nursery rhymes or made-up rhythms

Your baby may be able to detect patterns and rhythms. Speaking to your baby in a rhythmic pattern or singing songs can help their developing brain.

Read out loud

Read aloud to your baby to help your baby get to know your voice.

Encourage your partner, friends and family to get involved

Your baby can get to know the voices of wider family and friends too.   Brothers and sisters will also enjoy talking to the bump, and sharing songs and stories. Let friends and wider family members all communicate with the newborn as well, to widen the baby's contact with speech and language.

BBC Tiny Happy People have developed an information page with a short video about talking to your bump:
Benefits of talking to your bump

Communication starts in the very early days of your child’s life. From looking at others, to communicating their needs through vocalisations such as crying and babbling to later using words and having conversations.

BBC Tiny Happy People have developed some information about supporting communication skills for babies with some top tips and ideas to encourage babbling: How to get baby to babble more

The pre-school years are an important stage in a child’s language development. It ensures the foundations are in place for later learning, literacy and forming relationships. Children will learn to communicate, understand and use language at different rates and stages. There are many different areas and skills that need to develop for a child’s language to grow. 

The NHS Start for Life have developed some tips for supporting communication for different pre-school ages:

Learning to talk — 1-2 years

Learning to talk — 2-3 years

Learning to talk — 3-5 years

Did you know?

Dummies can be used to help soothe your child during the early months.

Using a dummy too much may affect the following:

Teeth

• The position of teeth
• Can cause tooth decay

Breathing

• Mouth breathing
• Can cause dribbling

Speech, language and communcation

• Less opportunities to talk
• Less range of tongue movements
• Dummies can stop children from babbling and practising to talk

Communication skills are very important for learning, thinking and playing with other children, and later on for reading and writing. The earlier children start learning and practising their communication skills, the better.

How can you help?

• Try to wean your baby off the dummy by 12 months.
• Only use the dummy at set times like night time so your child has lots of opportunities to practise their talking.
• Never dip the dummy into anything sweet. This can cause tooth decay.
• If your toddler is using a dummy, encourage them to take it out before you talk to each other.
• Choose the right time. Stop using the dummy when you are not under pressure. Do not be tempted to give the dummy back.

Some ideas

• Wean your child off the dummy gradually.
• Only use the dummy at bedtimes or when your child is sick.
• Tell them that big boys or big girls put their dummies somewhere, such as under the pillow, on a tree or in the bin.
• Ask them to give the dummy to a teacher or family friend.
• Reward and praise them for not using the dummy.

BBC Tiny Happy People have developed an information page with a short video about dummy use:

How and when to stop dummy use

Talking and dummies handout

BBC Tiny Happy People have developed an information page with tips and advice on how to make the most of screen time with your children:

How is the rise in screen time affecting children?

Sharing books with your child is a fun and enjoyable way to help develop their language. Looking at books together can help them to:

• Improve their listening and attention skills
• Learn new words
• Join words together
• Understand the words and concepts in the story
• Develop an interest in books

When sharing a book with your child, you don't just have to read the story. You can explore the book together, turning pages and lifting flaps, talk about the pictures or make up your own story. As long as you and your child enjoy the interaction, you will be helping them develop their language.

BBC Tiny Happy People have developed an information page about sharing books with your child:

Sharing books with a toddler

Singing songs and rhymes with your child can help them develop an awareness of rhythm, rhyme and sequencing. These skills support a child's talking, reading and learning.

To help your child's talking and listening skills you could try:

• Rhymes with actions and build up anticipation and excitement, such as 'Round and round the garden'.
• Using gestures, actions and mimes that go along with the song.
• Pausing in familiar songs to give your child a chance to fill in the next word or action.

BBC Tiny Happy People have developed an information page with a short video about singing to your child:

Singing action songs with toddlers

Some young children are confident talkers at home but can be very quiet and completely silent in school or nursery.  Please download our advice leaflet for more information:

Quiet children.pdf [pdf] 225KB