Long before a child says their first real word, they are already learning to communicate. They look at you when you point. They reach to be picked up. They babble back when you talk to them. These are pre-linguistic skills, the foundations under spoken language, and they matter as much as the words that follow. There is a lot you can do at home to grow them.
01 . Joint attention
Pre-linguistic skills start with joint attention
Engaging with people is the first of the four pre-linguistic skills. Joint attention is the technical name for it: the ability to gain, hold, and shift attention between a person and an object in the world. In the early months it shows up as eye contact, a head turn, or a hand reaching out to be picked up. Later it shows up as a child pointing at a plane and looking back at you to check you saw it too.
Joint attention can be initiated by your child (reaching towards you, pointing at something they want you to see) or it can be a response to you (you point at a plane, say “look”, and they turn to look). Both directions matter. Engagement and joint attention form the foundation of any interaction, including play and conversations.
The link between joint attention and later language is well established. Research has found that infant gesture and joint attention at 12 months both predict language at later assessments, and that the two skills appear to draw on a shared underlying social-communicative ability.
Joint attention is what turns a sound into a meaning. Shared focus on a person and an object, together.
02 . Play
Play: the second pre-linguistic skill
Play is the second building block in the pre-linguistic skills that support intentional communication. Early play skills include taking turns, sharing toys, using toys functionally (rolling a ball, drinking from a cup) and using them symbolically (feeding a stuffed bear, putting a doll to bed). Symbolic play in particular sets up the cognitive ground for spoken language. If a child can mentally substitute a banana for a phone, they are well on the way to substituting a sound for a meaning.
The developmental sequence is broadly: a child plays independently first, then starts noticing other people playing nearby, then plays beside others, then plays with others. Pick interest-based activities. A motivated child is a learning child.
A 2021 study compared symbolic play and functional play in 18 to 24 month olds and found that symbolic play drew significantly more back-and-forth turns and more questions from caregivers, the kinds of talk that are linked with stronger language development. The takeaway for parents: dolls, soft toys, tea sets, dress-ups, and pretend cooking are not just play, they are language practice.
03 . Motor imitation
Motor imitation and gesture: bridges to first words
Motor imitation is your child’s ability to copy gross motor movements (waving, clapping, marching) and fine motor movements (a pincer grip, a wave goodbye, a hand sign). At the pre-verbal stage, copying gestures and actions is much easier than copying words and sounds. That is why gesture is often the first way a child communicates intentionally.
Bringing in deliberate gestures, such as Key Word Sign, can give your child a way to ask for things, request a turn, or say “more” before they have the spoken words for it. Communicating this way can also reduce frustration on both sides, because being understood is a relief.
A useful strategy to encourage motor imitation is to copy your child first. If they bang two blocks together, you bang two blocks together. Then change one small thing, tap the blocks on the table instead, and see if they copy you back. Songs paired with actions (“Wheels on the Bus”, “Open Shut Them”) also build motor imitation in everyday routines.
Some children also benefit from Occupational Therapy support alongside Speech Pathology, particularly where sensory regulation or postural stability is making it hard to sit, focus, and play.
04 . Verbal imitation
Verbal imitation: the fourth pre-linguistic skill
Verbal imitation, the ability to copy sounds, is your child’s on-ramp to vocabulary and one of the core pre-linguistic skills. It starts small. A “ba ba ba” back at you after you say it, an animal noise during play, an attempt at a familiar word like “dada” or “more”. Over time, these copied sounds build into a working vocabulary, which is what lets a child ask for help, name what they want, and tell you what they have noticed.
Play is a key context for verbal imitation. Encourage your child to copy symbolic sounds during play: animal noises, vehicle sounds, “uh-oh” when something falls, “yum” when they pretend to eat. These are easier than full words and they are fun.
One of the most powerful strategies is to model a sound and then leave a pause (count to three in your head) to give your child a chance to imitate. Most parents underestimate how long the pause needs to be. A meta-analysis of parent-implemented language interventions across 18 studies found significant positive effects on both receptive and expressive language when parents were coached to use these everyday strategies.
05 . When to ask
When to ask a Speech Pathologist for help
Children develop on a wide range. Some are pointing and babbling at 9 months, some not until 14. Some say a first word at 11 months, some closer to 18. The spread is normal. What matters more than the exact age is whether your child keeps building new skills month on month.
A few signs it is worth asking for a Speech Pathology opinion:
- Your child is approaching 18 months and is not pointing or sharing attention with you.
- Your child uses very few gestures and shows little interest in copying sounds, actions, or facial expressions.
- Your child is not babbling back when you talk to them.
- You feel something is not quite right, even if you cannot put your finger on it. Parents tend to be the most reliable observers of their own child.
You do not need a referral to see a Speech Pathologist. You can ask for an opinion at any time. The Speech Pathology Australia communication milestones are a useful starting point for “is my child on track” questions.
If your child is past their first words and you are wondering about the 1-5 year picture, see our companion guide to speech and language milestones by age for what to look for at 12 months through to school-readiness.
Our Speech Pathology team at Optimum Health Solutions works with parents and children across our Sydney metro, regional NSW and Tasmania clinics, with early intervention as one of the core areas of practice. You can also explore paediatric care across Optimum for the wider allied health picture.
