Copy this first action: sit face to face, wait for a sound, repeat it back, then pause for her next turn. For example, answer ba with yes, ba, ball! That turn-taking loop works during talking, singing and reading; playful beats perfect.
Turning Any Moment Into a Language Moment
Pick a routine moment, such as a nappy change, a walk or a meal, so the same words come up every day.
Follow your baby's focus: whatever she looks at or reaches for becomes your topic, as in yes, that's the spoon, spoon.
Take a turn by copying her sound or naming what she sees, then hold a short pause so she can answer.
Build the loop across the day during talking, singing and picture-book reading, keeping each exchange brief and playful.
A learner note: respond-and-repeat is one of several advised activities for this age band. Gestures, simple sound play like saying mi or ba, and sharing picture books sit alongside it in the same birth-to-2 guidance.
A Finished Example: Reading Time With a 14-Month-Old
The finished deliverable is a short reading exchange with a 14-month-old, using the respond-and-repeat loop. Here it is as connected talk.
Sit close, open a picture book, and point to a dog.
Wait. She says da. Copy it and expand: yes, da, dog!
Pause again. She taps the page. Name it: you found the dog, dog!
Turn the page and repeat the same loop with a new picture, keeping it playful.
The finished conversation reads as connected talk: Dog! Woof woof! She taps the page and says da. Yes, da, dog! You wait, she taps again, and you answer, you found the dog, dog! Then a new page and the same loop. That back-and-forth turn-taking, not finishing the story, is the deliverable. If your family uses two languages, reading in the language you are most comfortable with is fine; current advice reassures parents that multilingual input does not confuse children or hold back later learning. And remember, children meet milestones at their own pace, even within one family, so small turns today count as progress.
Is It Working?
Run this quick check after a day or two of trying the activities. These are signs the turn-taking loop is landing, not scores to aim for.
Did your baby take more turns than before? Look for any sound, babble or gesture offered after your pause, even if it is not a real word yet.
Did you keep it playful and short? If reading ended with several back-and-forth exchanges rather than the whole book, that counts as a successful session.
Keep the milestones in view. Babbling is typical in the birth-to-2 band, and first words often appear within it; between 2 and 3, children typically combine two words, such as more milk.
Children develop at their own pace and may reach milestones earlier or later than others, even within the same family, so daily small turns matter more than comparisons.
If your child does not meet many of the milestones for their age range, ask a certified audiologist or speech-language pathologist for an assessment. That is guidance to seek a check-up, not a diagnosis.