How to Communicate With Your 8- to 12-Month-Old

Babies understand many words by their first birthday and may say a few words too. Talking and reading together help your baby develop communication skills.

• Play games like "pat-a-cake," "peek-a-boo," and "this little piggy."

• Face your baby when you speak to let him or her to see your facial expressions and lip movements.

• Point to objects and ask what they are. Give your baby a chance to respond and then answer with the correct word. For example, point to a ball and ask, "What's that?" Pause, let your baby respond, then say, "Ball! Yes, it is a ball!"

• Tell your baby the names of things throughout the day. For example, when you give your baby a teddy bear, say, "This is your teddy bear."

• Copy your baby's coos and babbles. Then say some simple words that contain the same sound your baby made. For example "ba-ba" could become "bottle."

• Have "conversations" and give your baby a chance to "reply." Respond happily to whatever your baby "says." This encourages your baby to make sounds. It also teaches that people take turns when talking.

• Sing to your baby. Make hand gestures and play different music to keep your baby's attention.

• Read to your baby from picture books every day. When your baby points to a picture, say the name of the object. Give your baby a chance to "read" and "answer" your questions.

• Babies are very good at copying, so be careful what you say around your little one. Try not to use words that you don't want your baby to learn and repeat.

• You can also communicate through touch. Hold, kiss, massage, and carry your baby to help him or her feel loved and safe.

• Babies this age learn best by talking and playing with others and touching things in their world. So it's best to avoid screen time such as videos, video games, TV, and phone apps. Video chatting (such as FaceTime or Skype) is OK.

• When your baby cries:

  • Check that your baby is safe and not hungry, tired, sick, or in need of a diaper change.

  • Comfort your baby with singing, talking, holding, or gentle rocking.

  • If it's time for your baby to sleep, put your baby in the crib, calmly tell your baby it's time for sleep, and leave the room quietly. You may need to go to your baby again if the crying continues. Talk to your health care provider if your baby is having trouble sleeping.

• Your baby doesn't respond to other sounds by making his or her own sounds.

• You're concerned about your baby's language skills.

• You're worried that your baby isn't seeing or hearing normally.

• You're worried about your baby's crying.

• You feel very frustrated, sad, or out of control.

How do babies this age communicate? Babies this age are learning to talk as a way to communicate. They babble by making the same sound over and over ("babababa"). They may combine more than one sound when they babble ("ga-ba-da"). Since they can't talk much yet, babies this age also communicate a lot through gestures (body movements). They might point to or hold up a toy to show a parent they're having fun. They might shake their head "no" or wave bye-bye.

When do babies start to say actual words? By the end of the first year, your baby might say "mama," "dada," or another word for the first time. When parents show excitement at hearing words, it encourages babies to say more. But remember, babies develop at different rates so your baby may say a word earlier or later than 1 year.