Infant Language Development Activities

Speech is not the only way that infants communicate. An infant's language is made up of different senses and sounds. The first three years are the most critical for nourishing your child with proper speech and communication skills. Learn about the different stages and find the appropriate activities for fun playtime and developmental progress with your infant. There are several things you can do everyday to help develop his or her language and communication skills.

  1. Talk to Your Baby

    • Infants communicate with the world through cries that begin the moment they are born. Within a week or two, your infant begins to develop different cries according to his or her needs. The infant will soon understand the difference between his or her parents' voices and tones. Have fun speaking in different tones to stimulate the baby. Infants love to hear their parents' voices.

      Talk them through all your daily activities, like cooking meals and doing laundry. Use descriptive nouns, as they are easier for an infant to understand. Tell him or her about different body parts and names. Show the infant his or her face on a mirror and point to the facial features, naming them. Repeat common words used in your daily life. Play peek-a-boo and teach the concept of "where" and "what." For example, get a blanket and hide your face, and ask "Where is baby?" Pull down the blanket and say, "There you are!"

    Read Books

    • Get infant-appropriate books to read that are colorful and have textures, but don't be shy to read your infant your favorite childhood book as well. Reading to your child will introduce new shapes and words. Get your infant a book with baby faces expressing different emotions. This helps the infant understand his or her feelings. Continue to introduce your baby to age-appropriate books as your child grows. Always associate words with pictures and point to everything you read. This practice, called "labeling," is very important for early language learning, according to Scholastic.com.

    Use Infant Sign Language

    • Print out or buy a book with infant sign language and start talking with your hands and body. According to Parents Magazine's website, teaching a few baby signs to your infant helps you both communicate with each other long before the infant is able to talk, and it also helps develop your baby's language skills. It can ease frustration for the child because they can communicate more effectively with you. And they will come to associate words with objects.

    Play Music and Sing Songs

    • Sing different kinds of songs to your infant based on the baby's mood. If it is time for your infant to go to sleep, sing soft lullabies to help sooth him or her. If it is an active time of the day, sing him or her a more stimulating and active song that incorporates physical movement to help teach rhythm and body movements. Music is fun way for your child to learn words, sounds and rhythm.

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