Tips to Encourage Language Development: 6-9 Months

Have conversations with your baby! Respond to her babbling. Give her time to talk and then respond to what she said. Talk to her just like you would talk to a good friend. Show her something you're working on, ask her questions, and recount a memory. Hearing the inflections and intonations of conversation will help her learn to respond to you in kind.

Sing a variety of songs, from childhood lullabies and kids' songs, to pop and rock music. When you consistently sing one song ever time your baby needs comforting, she'll soon recognize it and calm down when she hears it. This can help in the car when you can't pick her up to comfort her; sing your song to help her relax and calm down.

Read to your baby as often as you can. Choose books with bright colors and simple illustrations. She'll love looking at the pictures and will start interacting with the story. She may point to pictures or do hand motions that go with the story.

Make up rhymes as you name the parts of your baby's body that you touch, such as her nose, toes, and belly button.

Name everything in your baby's environment. People (Mama, Daddy, Grandpa), animals (cat, duck, pig), objects (sup, bowl, flowers), and body parts (fingers, mouth, ears).

Tell make-believe stories. Simple or elaborate, they'll delight your child as long as they are told in your voice.

Raising Your Child: The Complete Illustrated Guide is an information-packed guide that leads parents through the ever-changing maze of new behaviors, developments, and challenges present in a child's first six years. It is filled with essential information, expert advice, practical solutions, and key choices to ensure a child's healthy development for their first six years—and set them up for success in later developmental stages. In addition to understanding their child's stage of development, readers are given parenting techniques and activities they can use with their child to maximize physical, emotional, intellectual, and behavioral development at every age and stage.

Get more ideas from Raising Your Child: The Complete Illustrated Guide to help with your baby's development.