Talking to young children is more important than you’d think. Talking to infants and toddlers will help promote linguistic nutrition and mental exercise that will help build the child’s brain and intelligence. Talking to young children is something beneficial for their brain development and is something families can do despite their socioeconomic status.  

 

Hearing language is the basis of oral language skills which are fundamental to intelligence. Although babies aren’t able to talk back, it’s important that they’re hearing language around them. Oral language provides children with an important tool for thought and without fluent and structured oral language, it will be difficult for children to think as they get older.  

 

Dialogue, like narrating an infant or toddler’s play, can really help oral language development. It doesn’t have to be excessive or complicated language, rather it’s better to use simple language that corresponds to things in the child’s daily life, such as toys or changing their diaper. 

 

The first thousand days of life are a period of a vast amount of learning that families should take advantage of to empower them to help, support, and nourish their children’s brain development. Babies are born ready to learn but they’ll only achieve their full potential with support from their families. 

 

If you want to read more, click here!  

Angelina Stofka 

UConn KIDS, Research Assistant 

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