Can your little one sit up yet? About half way through their first year, babies generally begin to sit upright on their own. It’s trickier than it sounds. Their muscles have to be strong enough to hold their head up and they need the coordination to stay balanced. And so, sometimes… they don’t quite manage it! Their muscles are still developing, and they’re stilll earning to balance. But, they’ll get it… eventually!
Sitting up is actually a really important skill for their language learning. It frees up a baby’s ribcage, giving them the breath control they need to make words. It also makes their tongue sit further forward, which is much better for speech. And from their new stable upright position, it’s much easier for your baby to focus on what interests them. It’s also much easier for them to grab things, so beware! And when they do grab something, if you talk about it, you’ll help them learn new words; as studies show that babies are more interested in objects their parents have told them the names for.
So, can it be that teaching your baby language is as simple as letting them sit and play with their toys? In a word, yes! Just remember to talk to them about what they’re playing with and use their toys’ names !It’s a great way to encourage your baby to explore the world!