A pocket guide to what to say and do in any moment.
Your baby gets an early taste of pretend play. Waking up when they touch you lets them join in.
Your toddler learns to spot when two things match. Waiting while they find the pair lets them do the looking.
Your toddler learns to leave fun more easily with a warning. Picking the last turn gives them a say.
Open the prompt for the moment you’re in and read one thing to try and the words to say, like “Bounce, bounce, bounce!” at story time.
Pick a moment like bedtime or bath time, or a skill you want to support, like talking or playing with others.
Pointing becomes a powerful tool, and frustration may rise when your baby knows what they want but cannot yet say it. Shyness around unfamiliar people is also common.
Respond to gestures as if they are words. When your baby points or shows you something, name it and talk about it briefly. This turns gestures into early conversations.
Gestures, sounds, and understanding begin working together. Your baby may reach, wave, show, give, or point while looking between you and an interesting object. They increasingly understand familiar words and simple social routines.
Your baby shows you things, copies your actions, and seeks you out for help or comfort. These gestures are early signs of sharing attention and wanting to be social.
Pointing becomes a powerful tool, and frustration may rise when your baby knows what they want but cannot yet say it. Shyness around unfamiliar people is also common.
Respond to gestures as if they are words. When your baby points or shows you something, name it and talk about it briefly. This turns gestures into early conversations.
Each stage guide explains what’s typical at this age and what helps. Sudden clinginess, for example, is often a sign of growing attachment.
Pointing becomes a powerful tool, and frustration may rise when your baby knows what they want but cannot yet say it. Shyness around unfamiliar people is also common.
Respond to gestures as if they are words. When your baby points or shows you something, name it and talk about it briefly. This turns gestures into early conversations.
Observe typical speech, communication and interaction behaviors. View sources
Check off communication, social and thinking skills as you see them, based on CDC and ASHA guidance.
Nara is educational and doesn’t assess or diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to your child’s doctor.
Your voice, songs and rhythms can become familiar before birth
Comfort, faces, coos and the first back-and-forth
Laughter, sound turns and exploring with hands and mouth
Babble, hide-and-find games, turn-taking and new shyness
Pointing, first words, copy-me games and learning “no”
New words, simple choices, helping and copying everyday jobs
Two-word phrases, taking turns, pretend play and naming feelings
Short sentences, “why?”, number words, pretend play and “me do it”
Stories, rhymes, games with rules and talking about feelings
Advice online often disagrees. Every idea in Nara follows guidance from the organizations below.
Guidance we build fromIndependent sources. Listing them doesn’t imply affiliation with or endorsement of Nara.
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