Abby Barnes, M.S., CCC-SLP
It’s a big milestone that all parents wait for: their child’s first word. What will it be? When will they say it?
If your toddler hasn’t started talking yet, you might be wondering when you’ll hear those first words. Read on to find out when your baby should say their first word, the most common first words for toddlers, and how you can help your child learn to talk.
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Screener for childrenWhat is the normal age for a toddler to start talking?
Babies usually say their first word at around the 12-month mark. For some kids it may be a little earlier, and for others it’s a little later.
Before turning 1, perhaps your baby was saying “mamama” or “dadada,” but it wasn’t clear if they were referring to a parent or simply babbling away. It’s typical for 6- to 9-month-olds to babble in this way. But by around age 1, it’s likely that words like “Mama” or “Dada” are being used specifically for you!
As toddlers begin saying more words, they tend to start by labeling items. So maybe they label you, other family members, or friends by saying their name. Or they name the “dog” they see on the sofa, or the “car” out the window.
By age 18 months, toddlers are typically starting to use words more purposefully and for a function. For example, they’ll start to ask for things using words. They may ask “Milk?” or “Ball?” This shows they’re learning that words can be used for a purpose. This is an exciting milestone!
By 18 to 24 months, your child should have at least 5 to 10 words that they use regularly and spontaneously. Be on the lookout for these milestones as your child continues to grow.
What’s considered a first word for babies?
To count as a word, the child has to use it consistently, independently, and meaningfully with intention. But many types of communication can count as a first word. They include:
Full, real words, such as “Mama” or “bubble”
Word approximations, where the child says part of a word, like “wa” for water
Animal sounds, like “moo” or “meow”
Environmental sounds, like “beep” or “choo choo”
Exclamatory words, like “whee!” or “uh-oh!”
Sign language counts as words, too! An example might be making the sign for “more” or “all done.” We talk more about using gestures and baby signs below.
The most common first words for babies
A baby’s first words are usually the names of people they know, or items and toys they interact with regularly. Because the earliest speech sounds that kids can pronounce are often /m/, /b/, /p/, and /d/, they may say words with these sounds first.
Here’s a list of common first words that we hear from babies. Remember, for some of these, your child might not be able to say the whole word. So they might say “ba” for ball or “nana” for banana.
Mama
Dada/Papa
Car
Go
More
Please
Help
Eat
Water
Milk
Bottle
Banana
Bubble
Ball
Hi/Bye
Uh-oh
Wow/Whoa
No
Stop
Dog
Baby
When should I worry about my toddler not saying words?
If your child is 15 months old and hasn’t said their first word, this could be a sign of a speech delay. It’s important to talk with your pediatrician and a speech therapist to determine if a speech and language evaluation is needed.
Remember, every child develops at their own pace. However, it’s important to stay on top of any signs of a language or speech delay. If your child needs early intervention, the sooner they start speech therapy, the faster they’ll make progress!
3 ways to help your baby say their first words
Babies learn so much from the people they’re around and the environment they’re in. That’s why you, as their caregiver, are the perfect person to help them learn to talk! Let’s review some speech therapy techniques you can use at home to help your baby say their first words.
1 Talk to your child constantly
One of the best things you can do for your child is simply talk to them. Kids won’t learn language if they don’t hear it. So start chatting away!
You can talk to your toddler about what you’re doing, such as making their breakfast. Say things like, “I’m slicing your banana. Now I pour the milk.” Have your child watch what you’re doing as you talk to help them learn the associated words.
2 Read with your baby every day
We all know how important reading is for little ones. It helps them learn new words, speech sounds, and even how grammar works.
Next time you read a book, focus on naming pictures. Talk about the verbs you see in the pictures. Maybe a child is sleeping or a dog is running. Say these vocabulary words out loud, and repeat them a few times. If you sound like a broken record, you’re doing it right! It may sound a little like this: “See the dog? The dog is running. The dog runs. He’s a big dog. The big dog is running.”
Notice how the words “dog” and “run” were repeated a few times? This gives your child lots of chances to learn the word, and maybe even start saying it!
3 Prompt your child to imitate you
Imitating what they hear is a key way that toddlers learn to talk. But you don’t have to limit imitation to words. Having your child imitate your hand motions from children’s songs (like “The Wheels on the Bus”), or gestures like clapping, or even play activities like stacking blocks, can help them start to understand the back-and-forth nature of communication. Then, when you begin to practice imitating sounds or words, they’ll be ready to move on to these skills.
You can read more about the different types of imitation and ways to practice in this article.
Before first words: Preverbal communication milestones to look for
Did you know that there are speech and language milestones that come before talking? This is a surprise for many people, because the “first word” milestone is such a huge one. But there are actually preverbal language skills to watch for in your baby. Milestones build on each other, so looking for these skills can help you tell if your child might start talking soon.
Gesturing and using signs
Many babies can begin using gestures and signs to communicate between 7 and 12 months old. As a bonus, teaching your baby to gesture can actually help them develop verbal skills!
For example, one landmark study in 2005 showed that children who first produced a gesture and word combination were more quickly able to combine words together to create short phrases. This is a key milestone for 2-year-olds.
Pointing is one of the simplest and most effective forms of gesturing. Babies can point to items they see or want to play with before they’re able to say the name of the item. Take some time to show your child how to point, and practice pointing with them.
You can also teach sign language to your baby to help them communicate their wants and needs. Functional words, like “eat,” and the names of things they may want, like “milk,” are a great place to start. Speech therapists recommend teaching your child how to sign for these words:
More
Eat
Drink
Please
Help
Milk
Hungry
Water
All done
Go
Joint attention
During the 9- to 12-month stage, you should see a new type of attention skill emerging in your baby. Joint attention is when two people are focused on the same object or task together. They may exchange eye gaze with each other, as well.
Here’s an example. Say you’re at the playground getting your child ready to swing. They look at you, then the swing, then back at you. They know you’re preparing to put them in the swing–or maybe they’re hoping you are! And they want you to know that they’re ready.
Joint attention is a major stepping stone to learning to talk. Without joint attention, meaningful communication can’t occur. When two people communicate with each other, both of them are focusing on something together. If one person can’t pay attention to what’s being said, the message doesn’t get through correctly.
Even simple, early forms of joint attention are a huge deal for your baby. These are some of the first steps toward communicating with another person.
Playing with toys appropriately
Around age 9 to 12 months, you should start to see your baby’s interest in toys move from just chewing on them to actually attempting to play with them. Your child may try to put puzzle pieces where they belong, stack blocks on top of each other, or push a toy car to make it go.
Play skills are an important sign of communication development. One of the greatest things babies learn through play is cause and effect. If they knock over a tower, it falls. If they push a toy train, it drives on a track.
Cause and effect has to be established for purposeful communication to occur. Even though your child is learning it through play, this skill is related to their ability to communicate. When we try to communicate with someone else, we understand that it will have an effect. We place an order at a restaurant, and we get the food we asked for. Or we run into a friend we haven’t seen in a while, and we hear about their life while we share an update on ours.
Cause and effect is part of these more complex tasks, as well as the simple playtime your child is enjoying.
How to know if your toddler needs speech therapy
If your child is 15 months old and they haven’t said their first word, or they seem behind on the skills discussed in this article, it’s a good idea to contact a speech therapist. The speech therapist can evaluate your child and determine whether they need early intervention.
You can also take our free online screener to see if your toddler might benefit from an evaluation. The questions are tailored to your child’s age, and you’ll receive detailed results within minutes.
Contact us here to get matched with a speech therapist who’s experienced working with toddlers. We’re here to support you and your child every step of the way!
FAQs about toddlers’ first words
1 What is the normal age for a baby to say their first words?
Children usually say their first word at around 12 months old. For some kids it may be a little earlier, and for others it’s a little later. By 18 to 24 months, your toddler should have at least 5 to 10 words that they use regularly.
2 When should I worry about my toddler not talking?
Every child develops at their own pace. But if your child is 15 months old and hasn’t said their first word, this could be a sign of a speech delay. Talk with your pediatrician and a speech therapist to determine if a speech and language evaluation is needed.
3 How can I help my baby learn to talk at home?
As a parent, there’s a lot you can do! Talk to your child constantly, read books together every day, and prompt your toddler to imitate your actions and sounds. Check out our YouTube library for easy demo videos that show you what to do.
4 How do I know if my toddler has a speech delay?
See this article for a chart listing common signs of a speech delay signs by age. You can also take our free online screener, with questions tailored to your child’s age, to see if a speech evaluation is recommended.
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.
