Between birth and two years old, your baby will develop at an extraordinary rate, and each milestone will be a new source of wonder for you. Discover with us the major stages of their development. development and how to interact with him to help stimulate his awakening.
At birth, your baby cannot yet speak, but they are already communicating: through their gaze, posture, facial expressions, or cries, they express their feelings and interact with you. At this stage, their potential is limitless: naturally predisposed to acquiring articulate language, they have the ability to learn all languages and pronounce all sounds. Even more astonishing, they can also distinguish different languages based on their melody. Gradually, their abilities will diminish as they focus on learning their mother tongue.
From the first glance to the first sentence, your interactions with your baby are fundamental to guiding them on the path to language: you are the one who gives meaning to the sounds they make, and you are the one who encourages them to repeat them for the pleasure of seeing you react and respond to their requests. From their very first days, it is therefore essential to talk to your baby as much as possible and babble with them: by providing a supportive environment, you give them every chance to progress quickly and harmoniously.
Language acquisition occurs at very different rates for babies: some will already be saying several words by the age of one, while others will still be speaking in incomprehensible babble at two. So respect your child's development! Stimulate and encourage them, but don't put any pressure on them: the higher your expectations, the more likely your little one is to withdraw and become resistant.
Between 0 and 1 month: the birth of communication
• When your baby is born, crying is their first form of communication: they use it to tell you they are hungry, that they need to be fed, or that they need to be fed. He has changed , he needs your contact, he is suffering.
From 2 to 6 months: a cascade of babbling and chirping
• Around two months old, your baby starts playing with the capabilities of their larynx. Clucking, cooing, throat noises… They'll babble one after another, much to the amusement of those around them! This first babbling is common to all babies worldwide.
Around four months, vowels begin to appear, starting with "a" and "e". A month later, your baby will be able to pronounce their first consonants: this is the age of the famous "goo-goo" sound. At this stage, your baby has already adopted their native language: a Chinese or Egyptian baby won't produce exactly the same babble as your little French baby! To stimulate them, talk to them and repeat their own babbling: your enthusiasm will encourage them to persevere.
From 6 to 9 months: repeated syllables
• Around the age of 6 months , your baby takes great pleasure in repeating syllables ending in "a":
"Dadadada," "papapapa," "mamamama"... These sounds don't have a precise meaning in his mind: you'll gradually give them meaning by responding. What joy for him to see you arrive saying "Mommy's here" when he strings together "mamamama" sounds! He's discovering the symbolic dimension of language: a sound corresponds to an object.
From 9 to 12 months: these are the first words!
• Around ten months, your baby starts to pronounce chains of syllables without repetition. He will gradually create a little jargon, often so incomprehensible that he seems to be speaking a foreign language!
Gradually, your baby's language will become intelligible: the first words usually appear around age one. If it's not "daddy" or "mommy," don't be offended… Your baby first needs to point to what they want but can't reach: if they don't name you, it's probably because you're very available. Often, they use their first words very broadly: for example, by saying "lolo," your baby can mean bottle or breast, hunger, thirst, wanting cuddles…
• His understanding progresses faster than his ability to express himself: at one year old, he already understands very well a multitude of simple sentences such as "Come", "Give to mommy", "Are you hungry?", "Go get your teddy bear", etc.
Between 15 and 18 months: a thirst for learning
Delighted with his newfound ability to speak, your baby is eager to learn new words: he points to objects in his environment to ask their names. Respond to his requests and remember to point to the things you are talking about to help him expand his vocabulary.
• At 18 months, a child will have mastered between 10 and 20 words, which they will begin to combine: for example, "more milk" or "Daddy gone." If they mispronounce a word, don't correct them immediately; you risk stifling their enthusiasm and spontaneity. Instead, try a new sentence afterward, in which you pronounce the problematic word correctly.
Between 18 and 24 months: the vocabulary explosion
Between 18 months and two years old, your child's vocabulary grows exponentially: by 24 months, they can know up to 300 words. Your little one loves to talk, and you sometimes find it hard to get them to stop! They are now able to form simple sentences, initially with a verb in the infinitive ("Jules eat cake"). They also know how to use the pronouns "me," "I," and "you."
Around age 3: I speak like a grown-up
• The essential language skills are acquired, even if pronunciation is still imperfect: your child composes complex sentences, conjugates verbs, and uses the present, past, and future tenses correctly. They may surprise you with expressions that sound like they came straight from an adult, which they repeat exactly as they heard them! This is also the age of incessant "why?" questions: their curiosity about their environment and their desire to learn new words are insatiable. Do your best to answer them to stimulate their intellectual development.
• Often, starting school is also an opportunity for spectacular progress, thanks to the many stimuli received through teachers, support staff, and other children.
• If your child seems to be delayed in their language development, don't hesitate to consult a pediatrician. Many factors can hinder their progress: hearing or neurological disorders, vocal cord dysfunction, psycho-emotional blocks, etc. Only a professional can help you determine if your child is indeed delayed and, if so, the causes of this delay.
