Babies are born with an innate ability to be sociable and communicate their needs. They gurgle, grunt, babble, smile and blow bubbles in an attempt to 'talk' to their parents or carers. They use non-verbal gestures such as clapping, pointing or waving to communicate what is on their mind. And they imitate those around them, often mirroring facial expressions or repeating the amusing sounds that people make.
Practitioners can support babies' in-built language abilities by talking and listening to them and tuning in to their needs. The resources in the baby room should be chosen carefully to motivate the baby to talk.
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