Why Your Toddler Seems To Talk Overnight

If you have a talking toddler you'll likely recall when it seemed all of a sudden, your toddler was no longer babbling unintelligible sounds, and was suddenly speaking words, partial, and then full sentences, in what seemed to you to be overnight.

It seems the reason behind this sudden new communication method between baby and caregiver, is simply because after a child has become comfortable enough saying short, easy words, they then feel ready to try more of the harder, multiple syllable ones.

In addition, most believe that when a child first says a word, it is on that day that the child learned it. But, scientists say, they work on it in their heads for quite some time. This is called parallel learning. For example, you may have been trying to get your baby to say mama for months, when finally, that beautiful little voice graces your ears, and he says the word! Experts suggest, he knew it all along.

Children generally learn to speak words spuratically at about 14 months. By 18 months, your toddler might be able to say 50 words, more, or less.

One theory suggests that another reason words seem to come out, "all of a sudden," may be because children first need to learn that objects have names.

In addition, children also learn by process of elimination. If you ask for something for example, and your child knows the names of 2/3 items they see, they will automatically assume that the word Mom is saying that they don't know must be the other item that they won't know the name of.

And so, the more words your child knows, the easier the process of elimination for new ones becomes. Speeding up the process of learning.

One of the best ways to help your child expand their vocabulary to the 60,000 some words we know as adults, is to read and talk to them as much as you can. Tell your child what everything around them is. Expose your child to difficult words too, because though you may think they, can't, they could very well surprise you.