What Are the Benefits of Talking With Small Children?

You might feel a little silly talking to your small child. After all, he can't possibly understand what you're saying and it's not as though he can carry on a conversation with you. Don't feel foolish -- chatter away. All that talking during the infant and toddler years promotes your little one's development and creates a healthy bond.

  1. Building Attachment

    • According to Scholastic.com, talking to your newborn helps him to build a trusting relationship with you. Narrate to your baby what you are doing. When he cries from his crib say, "Mama is going to pick you up." When he begins rooting and squirming with hunger say, "Mama is going to feed you." Your baby will begin to be soothed by your voice, and learn from your tone and inflection that you are comforting him and carrying out your promises.

    Smarts

    • The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on HealthyChildren.org points out that the real baby Mozart never had CDs or fancy toys to stimulate his brain and encourage his development. The AAP states that your daily interactions with your child are what encourage his development and make for a smarter baby. Speaking with your child promotes his cognitive development. He listens and learns from your voice -- picking up new words as you sing, talk, rhyme and play with him.

    Language Development

    • As your baby enters toddlerhood, his language will move from repetitive words to short sentences, and your interactions with him will be an important part of expanding his vocabulary and language abilities. If your toddler throws his teddy bear on the floor and shouts, "Teddy floor!" you can build on his sentence by saying, "Yes, you threw your teddy bear on the floor." Asking questions about events -- "What color was your birthday cake?" "Where did we go after the park?" -- promotes his storytelling abilities and improves his memorization skills.

    Emotional Development

    • Talking to your little one helps give voice to his feelings and encourages him to use his words to express himself. When he enters tantrum-throwing mode, you can gently talk with him -- "You are frustrated that we can't go to the park because it is raining." Giving his emotions a name introduces words to him that he can use the next time he is feeling upset about something -- rather than banging his fists on the ground helplessly.

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