How does language develop in babies? Keys and games to stimulate him from the first year

🧠 How does language develop in babies? Keys and games to stimulate him from the first year

Language development in the early years of life is one of the most fascinating processes of childhood growth. Long before they say their first words, babies are already actively working on their ability to communicate. 🗣️

Through babbles, gestures, sounds and looks, they begin to build the foundations of language. As educators, accompanying this process from an approach that is both playful and natural is key to promoting effective and safe communication in the future.

📌 When does language development begin in babies?

From the first months, babies listen attentively to the sounds of their environment, distinguish voices and begin to experiment with their own voice. Around the 6 months, babbling appears (with sounds like “ba-ba” or “ma-ma”), and towards 12 months, many boys and girls say their first words.

This sensitive period is ideal for actively stimulating language, taking advantage of their natural curiosity and motivation to interact with the world.

🧩 Games in English to stimulate language in infants and toddlers

During the early years, the Play is the main learning tool. Through their body, senses and movement, children develop their language skills naturally.

Here are some simple and effective activities to promote language development:

🍋 1. “What's this?” game with mysterious objects

Hide different objects in a box and let the child take them out without looking. You'll describe what you're feeling, try to guess what it is, and get familiar with your name. In Great Little People we have a material specially designed for this purpose: The Mystery Box. Keep reading!

💨 2. Blow games

Blowing bubbles, feathers or light handkerchiefs strengthens the muscles involved in speech and improves oral and facial coordination.

🎵 3. Songs, rhymes and onomatopoeia

Sing Songs in EnglishS with gestures, repeating rhymes and imitating sounds like “Moo”, “beep”, or “Roar” helps children identify phonemes and reproduce them more accurately.

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🎁 How do we work at Great Little People?

In Great Little People, we promote language development from the first months of life through pedagogical proposals based on play and multisensory exploration.

We integrate tools that stimulate communication in English from a playful and meaningful approach:

• Mystery Box: they discover objects with key phonemes in English. This type of game encourages anticipation, verbal description and vocabulary expansion.
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• Traces on sand, foam and other sensory materials: promote phonological awareness and motor control, relating sound to trace.
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• Songs, Puppets and Magnets: they generate real contexts where children practice sounds and transform them into words.
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• Imitation and storytelling activities: strengthen listening comprehension and vocabulary.
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Each proposal within the English method for children Great Little People, is designed by specialists in early childhood education, respecting the rhythm and the evolutionary stage of each child.

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💛 Language, bond and thought: an inseparable triad

Language isn't just a tool for speaking. It is also a way to think, connect and understand the world. Stimulating it from an early age has a direct impact on children's cognitive, emotional and social development.

📬 Are you a teacher or do you run an educational center?

If you are looking for new ways to stimulate language in your classroom through English, in Great Little People we will be happy to show you how we do it for a transformative impact in schools like yours.

Fill out the form and you will have information on how easy it is to obtain the entire Great Little People method for your school.