Early communication is the foundation for all later language, learning and social development. It begins long before children use words—through eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, sounds and shared attention. Babies and young children learn to communicate by interacting with the people around them, building important skills like turn-taking, listening and understanding. Supporting early communication helps children express their needs, connect with others and develop confidence, setting the stage for successful speech, language and social skills as they grow.
Cbeebies Parenting
CBeebies Parenting is a BBC resource for parents and carers of young children, offering expert-backed advice, videos and practical ideas to support your child’s development. Please follow the links for more helpful information on supporting your child's early communication.
- Face to face interactions - Tools for Talking: Face to face chat and play is a great way for babies to start to learn from birth.
- Cooing with your baby: Copying the early noises your baby makes lets them know you are listening.
- Sing-song voices - Brilliant Brains: It is good to speak to your baby using a sing song voice.
- Talking to your newborn: There are all sorts of ways to talk to your baby from Day One!.
More Help
Please see below for further advice on how to support and engage in early communication with your child.
