For you
- 💛If you need a break away from your child, ask another trusted adult to take over supervision first. If no one can take over, stay nearby and keep watching your child while you pause and breathe.
- 📚Treat your daily routines like a narrated documentary. Describe exactly what you are doing, such as 'I am putting the blue shirt on your arm,' to surround your child with rich, descriptive language.
- ✨When your 13-month-old tries to communicate, lean in and listen, even if it is just a gesture or a sound. Giving them your full attention encourages them to keep practicing their back-and-forth social skills.
- 🤝If you have a partner or other caregivers, try to stay consistent with the words you use for familiar objects. Using the same labels helps your toddler start building their own vocabulary map.
For your baby
- 🧸At 13 months, your toddler may be experimenting with new sounds and rhythms. You might notice them imitating the 'tune' of your voice even before they fully form words.
- 🧩Try a game of 'Where is it?' by hiding a large, chunky block under a blanket while they watch. This simple play helps them connect objects to the words you use to name them.
- 💬A great way to grow words is to repeat and expand on what your child says; if they point and say 'ba,' you might say, 'Yes, that is a big ball!' This helps bridge the gap between their sounds and real-world items.
- 🔍Development varies, so if you ever feel concerned about your child’s communication or if they seem to stop using sounds they once made, please reach out to your health visitor or doctor for a chat.
💡 Fun Fact
At 13 months, toddlers often understand far more words than they can say out loud, acting like little sponges soaking up the names of everything they encounter throughout the day.
🏆 Milestones
At 13 months, your toddler may be beginning to use gestures like pointing or waving, experimenting with different vocal sounds to get your attention, and showing an increasing interest in the names of items around them.