As It Turns Out, All That Baby Talk Could Help Your Little Ones Learn To Speak

Do you find yourself using “baby talk” with your little ones? According to experts, the practice actually helps them learn language.

Some people believe that baby talk stunts a child’s development, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. As Catherine E. Laing, a postdoctoral associate at Duke University, recently shared with CNN, babbling, using a singsong voice, and repeating words frequently is crucial to the development of a baby’s understanding of language.

While adults might find a “singsong” voice annoying, babies prefer this type of speech. Drawn-out words will hold their attention longer, as well as help them identify small chunks of language.

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By the third month of pregnancy, babies can already recognize speech intonation and rhythm. The difficult task, however, is separating words from a single stream of speech.