What Babies Do in the Early Stages

Birth to 3 Months:

- Looks at you while getting fed
- Quiets when hearing familiar voices and sounds
- Makes cooing and gurgling sounds
- Gets startled by loud noises

3 to 6 Months:

- Turns eyes or head toward sound
- Responds to you by making sounds and/or moving arms and legs
- Smiles and laughs
- Begins to make speech-like sounds - buh, ma, boo

6 to 9 Months:

- Responds to hearing own name
- Understands "No"
- Looks at some common objects or family members when named
- Babbles sounds in a series - bababa, dadada, mamama
- Can say "Allah" at this stage clearly if taught

9 to 12 Months:

- Understands simple requests - "Give it to mommy", "Don't touch"
- Understands simple questions - "Where's the ball?"
- Uses gestures or sounds to let you know what he/she wants or needs
- Says first word

12 to 18 Months:

- Follows simple spoken directions such as "Get the ball"
- Points to people, body parts or toys when asked
- Uses connected sounds that sound like sentences in a different language (jibberish)
- Uses 10 or more words
- Uses common expressions - oh no, all gone

18 to 24 Months

- Uses 20 or more words
- Combines two or more words, such as more juice
- Uses many different speech sounds at beginning of words such as p, b, m, t, d, n
- Takes turns "talking" back and forth with you
- Listens to simple stories and rhymes

Source: From the booklet "Ages and Stages" by Ontario Early Years.