When Your Baby Will Start Babbling

Long before your baby learns to say his first words, he’ll communicate with you by sighing, cooing and crying. As he gets a little older, he’ll graduate to the next stage of baby-speak — the oh-so-adorable baby babbling.

What does baby babble mean?

Babbling is a combination of consonant and vowel sounds — single syllable sounds like “pa” or “ba,” as well as more complex, strung-together sounds like "a-ga," "a-da" or a long “ba-ba-ba-ba-ba.” 

Over time, baby babble evolves into word-sounds and eventually, basic words. But be patient — it takes a few months for your baby's brain to associate word-like sounds such as "ma-ma" with their true meanings. (Though you wouldn’t be the first — or last — parent to believe your babbling 3-month-old knows just what he’s talking about!) 

When do babies start babbling?

Most babies begin to babble by month 4, though your little one will continue to develop his repertoire of sounds for many months to follow. 

Although your baby's vocalization timeline may vary, here's a look at roughly what to expect when it comes to your little one's first sounds:

• By 2 months: Cooing and gurgling
• By 4 months: Begins to babble
• By 6 months: Strings vowels together (such as "ah" and "oh") and starts saying consonant sounds 
• By 9 months: Makes many different sounds (such as "da-da-da")
• By 12 months: Has a few basic first words and makes sounds with changes in tone
• By 18 months: Says several words

How to help your baby babble

The best way to boost your baby’s language skills is by talking to him — a lot. This will help build both his receptive language skills (the ability to understand what he hears) and his expressive language skills (the ability to say words). 

Babies develop communication skills faster when their caregivers react to their babbles with supportive language cues. For example, your little one will connect the sound "ba-ba-ba" to his green ball if you respond to him as if what he really said was, "I love my green ball so much, I'm going to put it in my mouth immediately!" (And, when you think about it, that might very well be what he meant anyway.) 

So when baby says "ba-ba-ba," you can encourage his language development by responding, "Ball! Yes, that's Henry's ball. Henry's green ball. And does the ball roll?"

Here are some more ways to encourage your baby's babbles:

• Be a copycat. Repeat your baby's “da-da-da” right back to him. And if you hear him imitating a sound that you make, say it again — and again. Repetition may seem silly to you, but it's exciting for your baby: It encourages his vocalization practice while also teaching him that sounds aren't just fun to make, they're also ways to communicate. 
• Make eye contact. When your baby babbles, look him in the eyes, smile and respond. Just like that, you’re showing him how to have a “conversation.”
• Narrate what you’re doing. Give your baby a play-by-play of your day. "I'm putting on Owen’s coat — zip! — to keep Owen nice and warm. Now let's put on a cozy hat and — one, two — mittens!" He may not understand what you're saying now, but he will soon!
• Ask lots of questions. They can be about anything. "Should we walk to the park or the library?" "Do you think Grandpa would like this cake with roses on it or this one with the balloons?" Then follow up with an answer: "Yes, I think Grandma would like these pretty flowers.” Even though you're talking to yourself, you're also modeling the natural give-and-take of conversation.
• Read to your baby. Books are a super source of new words for children of all ages.
• Sing songs. Whether you’re pitch perfect or off-key, baby won’t mind. Singing the same songs over and over again — especially silly songs or those paired with gestures — just might encourage your little one to eventually chime in on a chorus or two.
• Give everything a name. Point out different objects and talk about them by name — like “ball,” “apple” and “toes.” Or, give your baby a toy and talk about it. "Dog! This is a purple dog. Woof woof!"
• Point out sounds. "Listen, a kitty is purring!" or "I hear a car going zoom, zoom down the road."

What not to worry about when it comes to baby babble

There's really no “wrong” way to talk to your baby — so don't worry that you're reinforcing "nonsense talk" instead of "real words" by letting your baby babble on or babbling back to him. 

Baby babbles are building blocks for language and language comprehension, and even the silliest sounds and noises help your child practice the mouth movements he'll need for his first real words.

As for when your baby will start talking? With enough practice and encouragement from you, his babbles will soon combine to form word-sounds and basic words. Most babies have one to two words by 12 months, though some children take a little longer to start talking.

Remember that children develop on their own timelines, and in all likelihood, your little one will be saying "no!" and "mine!" before you know it. But if your baby isn’t babbling by the 8-month mark or does not have one to two words by 12 to 15 months, it’s worth mentioning to your pediatrician.