If you’ve ever caught yourself speaking in a sing-song voice, elongating vowels, and exaggerating your facial expressions when talking to a baby, congratulations! You’ve been talking to a baby. Far from being silly or unnecessary, research shows that baby talk (also called “parentese”) plays an important role in early brain development.

Boosts Language Development

The exaggerated sounds of baby talk help babies notice and distinguish between different speech sounds. This makes it easier for them to recognize words and patterns in speech.

Improves Attention and Memory

Babies naturally pay more attention to rhythmic and musical speech. When you speak to them in baby talk, their brains become more activated, helping them absorb and remember language more quickly.

Fosters Social and Emotional Bonds

Baby talk isn’t just about words, it’s about connection. Eye contact, smiles, and a warm tone create feelings of security and closeness, essential for healthy emotional growth.

Stimulates brain regions for learning

Brain scan studies have shown that infant language activates brain areas related to speech comprehension and social interaction, even in very young infants.