Below is a summary for the tenth through twelfth months, as posted on my Instagram @bridgesavp

Ten Months

In and Out
No, not burgers 🍔 in and out of the box/bucket/basket/other container! At 10 months old, babies love pulling things out of a basket. They aren’t great at cleaning it up and putting it back in just yet, but they find great enjoyment in tossing out all the contents of any container you set in front of them. As they are taking out each item, continue using the strategy Auditory Bombardment by naming each item. Curate their basket with items that have a common sound such as /p, b, m/ so they can hear the early developing sounds again and again!

As mentioned in previous posts, babies love faces! Babies also like looking at their own face. A small mirror right on their level gives them an enriching visual to engage in babbling with. At ten months old, babies can do tummy time or sit while babbling to their reflection. After bathing, time in front of the bathroom mirror making funny faces exposes them to a range of emotions as well. This is a great way to practice Turn Taking with an emphasis on your Expectant Look. I got a plastic mirror meant for a school locker so that it had rounded corners and was unlikely to break if dropped. There are mirrors made just for babies for tummy time but this one seems to work just fine!

*caution image in mirror may look goofier than you actually appear!

Twelve Months

Around 12 months your baby might be starting to point at things they see or want. This behavior is a great partner for the strategy called Model Language. When your child points to something, acknowledge their vocalizations and name the action or object they are indicating. “Yes, that’s ice cream! Ice cream is cold!” The second phrase “Ice cream is cold!” is an Expansion, where more information is added. Your child won’t be saying these words and phrases on their own just yet, but their brain is taking in these models in preparation for independent production as they grow.

Also around this time, your child may begin to discover the function of familiar objects. They may tap on a drum, put a spoon or bowl to their mouth, or even kiss a doll ‘good night’. As your child starts to manipulate objects in their environment, Model Language associated with it. “Pull the rake. Raaaake, raaake, raaake. Pull the rake across the sand.” (elongating those vowels using traits of Motherese)

As children develop the ability to use objects functionally, the banging really begins, and the noise ( if it hasn’t already). Babies start to have great fulfillment from banging or tapping with something. A toy, spatula, their hands- anything they can grab and bang to make a sound, the louder the better oftentimes! Model Language through this activity: “Bang, bang, bang. That pot makes a loud sound. Tap, tap, tap. The rug makes a quiet sound. Make a loud sound. Now make a quiet sound.”

I love this book for talking about noises!

Many 12 months old babies have already or are working to develop the concept of object permanence. When an object is hidden from view, they understand that it still exists, it’s just somewhere they can’t see it. Games like peekaboo or hiding a toy under a cup are enjoyable as they develop this skill. Modeling Language will expose them to vocabulary for objects under Joint Attention as well as exclamatory phrases.

Reminder

I’ve shared how to get language into your child’s brain but sometimes it’s important to keep sound out! Hearing health is important starting from birth and safety measures aren’t just for adults. Headphones like these fit my kiddo when he was ten months old and they still fit him over two years later. A sound level app can also be helpful to know when you need to use protective equipment or move to a different location.

Each of these strategies and their definitions/resources/examples can be found by downloading the free ebook from the navigation at the top of the page. A single strategy handout can be found by visiting the blog post for each strategy and finding the link at the bottom. Enjoy!