Dadda, look, I get it!
Hey Daddy, I think I understand a lot of what you say, despite the fact that I don't talk much still. These take place whenever I am learning a new language:
Pointing or Looking When Asked
What It Shows: If you tell me to point to the front door, I will. That means I know what "front door" means.
Age Range: This happens most often between 16 and 19 months.
The fact that I can understand words better even though I can't say them yet shows that I'm growing as a learner.
Retrieving Objects
What It Shows: If you ask me to bring you something from another room and I do it, it means I understand what you’re asking.
Age Range: This starts around 15 to 18 months.
Development Insight: I might start by fetching items from the same room, but soon I’ll be able to get things from different rooms as I understand more complex instructions.
How to Use Gestures to Communicate
What It Shows: When I nod to say "yes," point to what I want, or wave goodbye, I show that I understand and can communicate my wants.
Age Range: Kids 12 to 19 months old often make these moves.
I learned that making these movements before I speak is an important part of expressing what I want and need.
Recognizing and Imitating Animal Sounds
What It Shows: If I point to an animal in a book and make the sound that animal makes, that means I can name the animal and know what sound it makes.
Age Range: This starts around 16 to 21 months, and imitating sounds happens around 22 months.
Development Insight: This helps me improve my hearing and speaking skills because animal noises are simple syllables that I am learning to say.
Encouraging My Language Development
Interactive Play
Activity: Play with me using books and toys that involve naming and explaining things, like the Montessori Animal Match from The Activity Kit from tinyvers . This is fun way to learn a language.
Sing Songs and Use Gestures
Activity: Sing songs with me and make simple sounds like "ba" for "Itsy Bitsy Spider" or follow along with motions. This helps me learn a lot.
Everyday Conversations
Activity: Tell me about what you're doing, seeing, and hearing during the day. This helps me learn a lot, even if I don't say anything back.
Understanding these signs can show you that I’m on the right track with my language development. If you ever worry about how I’m talking, you can always talk to my pediatrician. They can help and see if I need any extra support.