When Do Babies Start Babbling?
A baby's first sound is usually a cry—something you'll hear often and at all hours of the night in those early days. "Mama" or "dada" make a sweet change of pace. But not to burst your bubble, the first time you hear your infant make a "mama" or "dada" sound, they're not actually saying the words "mama" or "dada," though it's an important step in that direction called babbling.
"Parents may not realize it, but babbling is a crucial milestone in a child's language development," says Vanessa Fagundo, M.S., CCC-SLP, a bilingual Spanish speech-language pathologist, early intervention specialist, and creator of Tiny Talkers Academy. "Babbling is a sign that a child is beginning to learn the sounds and rhythm of speech."
When do babies start babbling, and what should parents do if they're concerned? Here, experts give the low-down on babbling.
What Does Babbling Mean?
Babbling is the repetition of syllables or sounds that babies make, typically in the first few months of their life. It's a precursor to the development of language. Indeed, babbling is considered a "prelinguistic skill," says Fagundo, adding that it "helps babies develop the oral motor control necessary for speech production.”
Babies aren't just making noises for the sake of it when they're babbling. They're giving those little mouths a workout. "Babbling helps infants learn to control their vocal muscles and experiment with different sounds," says Fagundo.
Babbling is also an exciting milestone. "Even though babbling is not real words, babies will often use babbling as a way to communicate, and that's really exciting for parents to see," says Brooke Dwyer, M.S. CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist and co-creator of Speech Sisters.
When Do Babies Babble?
Most babies will start babbling between 4 and 6 months. It comes after single-vowel sounds referred to as cooing. Here’s a simple breakdown of the babbling timeline:
