Long before your baby says their first word, they're already communicating. They're watching your face, listening to your voice, and responding to the world around them. Language development starts with connection, and one of the best places to build it up is during storytime.
We spoke with Emily Ferjencik, speech-language pathologist and author of Neigh, Quack, Moo...What More Can You Do?, our newest book launch, as well as language development book that is designed to support babies and toddlers through early sound play. She gave us some tips for making reading truly interactive for little ones.
1. Allowing Your Child to Lead
Always allow room to follow your baby's cues instead of always driving the agenda. If they want to skip pages, stare at one illustration, or flip backward, let them.
"If pages are skipped, that's okay," says Emily. "The text is not as important as the interaction."
Allowing your child to lead not only gives them the opportunity to explore, but it gives you the opportunity to respond to it.
2. Responding to Every Communication Attempt
Babies communicate before speaking through pointing, gesturing, eye contact, and babbling. Your job is to respond to all of it.
Emily's advice is straightforward: "If your child points to a picture, name it. If your child attempts to say a word, repeat the full word back. Follow your child's eye gaze to know what is of interest."
This teaches babies that their attempts are heard and worth repeating, which is exactly what keeps them trying.
3. Prioritizing Interaction Over the Text
Here's something that surprises many parents: the words on the page matter less than the conversation happening around them.
This principle is built directly into Neigh, Quack, Moo, which Emily designed so that each page stands on its own. There is no need to read cover to cover. Your child can open it anywhere and find something to respond to. As Emily puts it: "These are what make a book interactive and what keep storytime a natural opportunity for learning to communicate."
Reading doesn't have to be perfect. A few genuinely engaged minutes is worth more than a longer session where you're just reading aloud.
4. Using Animal Sounds and Repetition
Ever notice babies say "moo" before they say "cow"? There's a reason for that.
Emily explains: "Animal sounds and sounds of emotion are often a part of a child's first vocabulary. They are frequently heard, typically simple in their consonant and vowel components, and there is usually minimal pressure to say them accurately. And they are fun. Kids like fun."
When there's no pressure to get it right, kids are more likely to try. It's exactly why Emily built Neigh, Quack, Moo around animal sounds, gestures, and facial expressions. The recurring prompt "What more can you do?" invites babies to respond through movement, imitation, and sound, turning every page into a back-and-forth moment rather than a passive listening experience.
What to Look for in Books That Support Early Language Development
When choosing books to encourage early communication, Emily recommends looking for features that invite participation:
- Repetition and predictable phrases so babies can anticipate and join in
- Simple, clear illustrations that are easy to point at and name
- Sounds, gestures, and expressions that prompt a response
- Flexible structure so the book works when opened to any page
Neigh, Quack, Moo was written with all of these in mind. You can grab a copy here.
Start Where Your Baby Is
Consistency matters more than duration. You don't need a long, perfect reading session, just a few minutes where you're truly present with your baby. Those minutes mean more than you think.
Let your baby lead the way, and follow along with them. Skip pages. Stay on the picture they can't stop looking at. Make the sounds big and silly. Say "uh-oh" with feeling. If your child babbles back, repeat it gently. If they point, name it with a smile. None of it has to look like "real" reading,it just has to feel like the two of you, close together, paying attention to each other.
Every one of those moments is a conversation. And every conversation is a step toward your child's voice!
About the Neigh Quack Moo Author:
Emily Ferjencik is a speech-language pathologist and the author of Neigh, Quack, Moo...What More Can You Do?, a language development book for babies and toddlers published by Ninewise Publishing.
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