Laura Thorburn, M.S., CCC-SLP
Have you ever noticed your baby reaching for a toy or babbling while they roll around? These small actions aren’t just play. They show how motor skills and early language development grow together. Every movement helps your child learn to communicate, explore, and connect with the world.
Research shows that early motor milestones—like lifting the head, sitting up, crawling, and pointing—do more than build strength. They also lay the foundation for understanding words, expressing needs, and interacting with others.
If a baby struggles with motor skills, their speech and communication may also be delayed. That’s why speech therapists (SLPs), occupational therapists (OTs), and physical therapists (PTs) often work together to support both movement and language growth.
Motor skills and language development: Why movement matters
Every movement a baby makes is a step toward learning to talk. Here are some examples:
Reaching shows intent and tells you what a baby wants.
Eye contact builds connection with other people and helps babies learn how communication works.
Crawling and walking give babies a much bigger world to explore. When they move on their own, they see new objects, people, and places. Each new thing they look at, touch, or reach for gives you a chance to name it. More movement means more opportunities to hear words that match what they’re doing and seeing. This builds stronger connections in the brain between actions, objects, and language.
Every movement a baby makes is a step toward learning to talk.
A baby who learns to point may soon use words for what they want. A toddler who climbs may start naming things they see.
You can build both movement and language by getting on the floor with your baby, following their lead, and naming the objects they look at or move toward. Keep reading for even more at-home strategies to try.
Signs of an early motor delay
You can explore typical early motor milestones through the CDC’s developmental milestone guide. Here are some key developmental milestones to look for:
4 months
Holds a toy when you put it in their hand
Brings hands to mouth
Pushes up onto elbows/forearms when on tummy
6 months
Rolls from tummy to back
Pushes up with straight arms when on tummy
Leans on hands to support themselves when sitting
9 months
Gets to a sitting position by themselves
Sits without support
Moves things from one hand to the other
1 year
Pulls up to stand
Walks while holding on to furniture
Drinks from a cup without a lid, as you hold it
Picks things up between thumb and pointer finger, like small bits of food
18 months
Walks without holding on to anyone or anything
Scribbles
Drinks from a cup without a lid; may spill sometimes
Feeds themselves with fingers; tries to use a spoon
Climbs on and off a couch or chair without help
Some babies, such as those born prematurely, may reach these milestones a little later. But if your child is missing any of these milestones, talk with your pediatrician. When motor skills are delayed, speech and language also can be affected.
“For example, a baby may miss chances to imitate gestures or sounds if movement is hard for them,” says Abby Barnes, M.S., CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist with Expressable. “If they avoid reaching or struggle with sitting, rolling, or crawling, they may have fewer chances to practice back-and-forth interaction. These gaps can limit early communication skills.”
Helping your baby develop motor and language skills at home
Motor skill development
Give your baby plenty of floor time: Floor time is one of the best ways to help your baby build strength and coordination. Let your child lie on a soft blanket and explore freely. You can place toys nearby to encourage reaching, rolling, and pivoting. Even a few minutes of floor time helps your baby build the muscles needed for crawling, sitting, and later walking.
Encourage reaching and grabbing: Reaching is more than play—it teaches babies how to use their arms, hands, and core muscles. Try holding a toy a little higher or farther away so your baby stretches toward it. You can also offer objects of different shapes and textures to hold. These simple actions build fine and gross motor skills.
Support crawling and early movement: Crawling helps both sides of the brain work together, which is key for learning. You can motivate your baby to crawl by setting up short “movement paths” with pillows, tunnels, or low cushions to crawl over or around. If your baby isn’t yet crawling, help them rock on their hands and knees, or guide them forward with a gentle push at the hips. These activities build strength, balance, and coordination in fun, playful ways.
Early language development
Talk to your baby face-to-face: Did you know that speech and language development begins in the first few hours after birth? Speech therapists recommend talking to your child often–even if they’re too young to answer you. An easy way to do this is to narrate to your baby what’s happening. “Describe how you’re making breakfast, what you see outside, or the steps that happen during bathtime,” Barnes suggests. “Stimulating your baby's brain with lots of new words and sentences is one of the simplest and best things you can do for them.”
Respond to your baby’s sounds: During the first 6 months of life, your baby should experiment with their voice: cooing, squealing, laughing, and using different pitches and tones. This is a major part of language growth! You can encourage it by vocalizing back to them and copying the sounds they make. These back-and-forth interactions lay the foundation for conversations to come.
Read books together: Reading is one of the most important ways to grow your baby’s language skills. Your child will benefit not only from hearing new words but also from bonding time with you. Try making storytime part of the daily routine–maybe after lunch or at bedtime. Use fun, interesting voices and talk about what you see on the page.
Quick demo: How to read a book to your child like a speech therapist
Watch hereOccupational and physical therapy helps motor–and language–skills grow
Since movement and communication develop together, supporting one helps the other. Crawling, floor play, and oral motor skills used in feeding all build strength, coordination, and the foundation for early language.
If a child has a motor delay, early therapy with an OT or PT can make a big difference. OTs and PTs help babies build strength, coordination, and confidence through play and movement. When motor skills improve, babies have more chances to communicate. This support builds a strong base for speech and language learning.
At Expressable, our therapists work closely with families to support these early skills. We provide personalized guidance, play-based exercises, and coordinated care to help your child explore, communicate, and reach their full potential.
Frequently asked questions
What are early motor skills?
Examples of early motor skills include being able to hold a toy (age 4 months), roll from tummy to back (6 months), sit without support (9 months), pull up to stand (1 year), and walk without holding onto anything (18 months).
What is a motor delay?
A motor delay means a child has difficulty with a skill that other children their age can do. When motor skills are delayed, speech and language also can be affected.
How can I improve my baby’s motor skills?
Give your baby plenty of floor time, and place toys nearby to motivate them to reach, roll, and pivot. Encourage your baby to grab things! Try holding a toy a little higher or farther away so your baby stretches toward it. You can also try strategies to support crawling.
What is a red flag for language delay?
Here are some signs of a language delay in toddlers:
Age 12 months: Isn’t using gestures, such as pointing or waving goodbye
Age 15 months: Has not said their first word
Age 18 months: Has trouble imitating sounds; has a hard time understanding simple verbal requests
Age 2 years: Imitates words or phrases but doesn’t say them on their own; can’t follow simple directions
Key takeaways
Early motor skills—like lifting the head, sitting up, and crawling—do more than build strength. They also lay the foundation for understanding words, expressing needs, and interacting with others.
If a baby has a motor delay, their communication may also lag. That’s why speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists often work together to support both movement and language growth.
There are things you can do at home to help your baby develop motor skills, such as scheduled floor time, reaching, and helping them crawl.
If your child is missing any motor milestones, talk with your pediatrician. Occupational or physical therapy may be helpful.
How Expressable Can Help
Concerned your child isn't reaching age-expected milestones? Looking for communication support from a professional? Expressable is a national online speech therapy practice serving children and adults. We treat all major areas of communication and feeding, offer flexible hours including evenings and weekends, and accept most major health insurance plans. We’re proud to have earned more than 3,000 5-star reviews from our clients (4.9/5 average).
Our therapy model is centered on parent and caregiver involvement. Research proves that empowering caregivers to participate in their loved one’s therapy leads to better outcomes. That’s why we combine live, 1-on-1 speech therapy with personalized education and home practice activities for faster progress.
Communication is more than words. It’s how we share how we feel and show who we are. We’re here to help you or your child do just that.
