Your baby’s first words

first words

At the age of ten to twelve months, communication works better and better. Your child can communicate with you just by shaking or nodding his head. It responds to “yes” and “no”. If your child has not yet done so, it will say “Daddy” or “Mama” for the first time in these months at the latest. It learns more and more first words. Your child is now taking a crucial step in language development. It now associates certain word forms with certain things. From now on, only you will be called Mama and not just any woman. Animals can now imitate it too. When you point to a cat, it makes a sound similar to “meow”. You are of course enthusiastic about this sequence of speaking, and this enthusiasm jumps over to your child.

First words: Concentration on one thing

For a better understanding of your child it is important to know that in the first year of life all experiences for a baby are holistic. When it comes to language, however, it is about the individual aspects, i.e. about what your child just noticed. As a result, other impressions are suppressed. When you say to your child, “See the woof-woof?”, they’ll look around for the dog and just focus on that. All other sensory perceptions are thus put on hold. You can now look at picture books with your child and describe what you see. Your child may recognize some things from everyday life and then enthusiastically point to the picture. Your child understands short and simple sentences best. Language games make sense. ThroughSinging, rhyming or clapping games your child learns how to use the language in a playful way.

Tip: Name things often and regularly. The relationship between abstract words and everyday objects is the easiest for your child to understand.

body language

Parallel to the linguistic development, your child is now also communicating more and more through body language. It nods in agreement and grimaces when it doesn’t like something. In addition, it is now able to express needs. By pointing or even crawling, it makes it clear what it wants.

Your baby has already learned that

In our other articles about baby’s communication, you can read what your baby has already learned in the past few months:

• 1st month : Contacting a newborn
• 1st to 3rd month : Your baby cries, squeaks, chuckles
• 4th to 6th month : First laughter and squeaks
• 7th to 9th month: Your baby recognizes moods

In our specials “ Learning to speak ” for the first year of life and “ Language development ” for infancy, you will learn more about the development of your child’s communication and language.

This is how your baby develops in other areas

In the following articles you can find out how your baby is developing in other areas at the age of ten to twelve months:

• Movement: On the way to the first steps
• Nutrition: Eating with the grown-ups
• Sleep: Find a sleep rhythm
• Senses: Your child discovers the world
• Growth: Your baby’s height and weight
• Growth spurt: Your baby’s 8 growth spurts