So, you want to raise a bilingual baby – amazing! But maybe you’re wondering…
How do I even start?
Do I need to do something... special?
But… my baby isn’t even talking yet!
Yep. I hear you!
That’s why in this post, I’ll share 9 practical, actionable tips to help you kickstart your child’s bilingual journey from day one—without needing fancy apps, flashcards, or expensive classes.
All you need is your baby, yourself, and a whole lot of love and patience.
I’ve been raising my own kids to be trilingual (English, Chinese & Russian) since 2016, and my goal is to help you do the same.
Let’s dive in.
P.S. If you prefer video format and want to see me demonstrate some of these tips visually, check out my YouTube video!
Can You Really Teach a Baby Two Languages from Birth?
Yes, absolutely! You can start speaking to your child in your target language(s) from birth. The earlier, the better—babies are wired to learn languages naturally.
Why is early exposure so important?
• The “Critical Period Hypothesis” suggests that the brain is most adaptable for acquiring multiple languages effortlessly in the first few years of life.
• Studies show that newborns can already distinguish between different languages, and the amount of exposure they get in their first years impacts fluency and pronunciation later on.
So if you’ve been wondering, “Can I really talk to my newborn in two languages?” the answer is yes.
9 Pro Tips for Raising a Bilingual Baby
So, here are 9 actionable tips to help you start talking to your baby from day 1, without the need for any special tools or equipment!
1. Narrate Your Day – Talk All the Time
Babies learn language by hearing it constantly, so talk as much as possible. Even if they don’t understand a word yet, their brain is absorbing sounds, tones, and rhythms.
Try this:
• Feeding: “Your milk is warm and yummy.”
• Getting dressed: “Let’s put on your socks—one, two! Now your jacket, zip zip zip.”
• Going out: “Look at the big red bus! Beep beep.”
It might feel strange talking to someone who can’t talk back, but your baby is listening. Over time, they’ll start connecting words with the world around them.
2. Sing to Your Baby
Singing helps babies absorb language through rhythm and melody. The combination of repetition and tone variation makes words easier to remember.
• Start with simple nursery rhymes in your target language.
• Choose songs you enjoy because you’ll be singing them a lot!
• If you need inspiration, YouTube has plenty of baby-friendly songs in different languages.
3. Read Every Day
Reading isn’t just for when your baby starts talking—it’s one of the best things you can do from birth.
Now, I once read about a mum who started showing her newborn vocabulary flashcards on day one to give them a “head start.”
Yeah… that’s NOT the kind of reading I’m talking about.
Find some lovely picture books or storybooks and read TO your child. Later, once they can sit up, you can read WITH them.
• Start with high-contrast books (black-and-white images are great for newborns).
• Move on to board books with big pictures and short sentences.
• Make it interactive—point to pictures and name objects: e.g. “Look! A dog! Woof woof!”; “Where’s the teddy bear? Ohhh, here it is!”
If your baby chews the book, throws it, or stares blankly – that’s normal. The goal is simply to make books part of daily life.
Check out these videos where I share tips on reading with babies and toddlers!
4. Use ‘Parentese’ (Exaggerated Baby Talk)
You might’ve heard that “baby talk” is bad – but research says otherwise.
Specifically, we’re talking about “Parentese” – when you slow down your speech, exaggerate pitch, and stretch out syllables.
Like this: “Ooooh, loooook at the biiiiig dog! Hellooo doggy!”
It might feel a bit ridiculous, but babies LOVE it.
Studies show that Parentese helps babies process speech sounds faster and stay engaged longer.
So, even better – combine this tip with narrating your day. Talk to your baby using Parentese, and they’ll soak up even more linguistic input.
5. Repeat Common Words Frequently
Repetition is how babies learn.
If you say “apple” once, they might not remember. But if you say it 10 times in different ways, they will!
Try this:
• “This is an apple.”
• “Ooh, look at this red apple!”
• “Do you want to hold the apple?”
• “Mmm, apples are crunchy!”
It’s not just nouns – repeat common phrases too. For example:
• “All done!” after feeding.
• “Let’s go!” before leaving the house.
• “Night night!” at bedtime.
For bilingual babies, this tip is crucial. More than one language means less exposure to each individual language, so repetition helps words stick.
6. Describe Emotions and Actions
One thing you should talk about? EMOTIONS.
Babies have big feelings but no words to express them. That’s where you come in!
By verbalising emotions, you’re doing TWO amazing things:
1. Building emotional intelligence – teaching self-awareness and empathy.
2. Boosting language learning – connecting words with real experiences.
You can say things like:
• “Ooh, you’re smiling! You look so happy.”
• “Oh no, I see tears. You must be feeling sad.”
• “You’re crying. Maybe you’re hungry?”
Describe your emotions, too:
• “Mummy is happy because we’re going for a walk.”
• “Oh dear, I dropped my keys. That’s a bit annoying!”
Babies love expressive faces, so exaggerate your expressions—it helps them link words with feelings.
7. Ask Questions & Pause – Build Early Conversation Skills
Ever felt awkward having a one-sided conversation with your baby? Here’s a simple trick: ask them questions and pause for a response—even if they can’t talk yet!
It might go something like this:
• “Shall we read this book? Hmm, which page should we turn first?” [Pause.]
• “What colour is this ball?” [Pause.] “It’s red!”
• “Are you enjoying your apple?” [Pause.] “Mmm, it’s yummy, isn’t it?”
At first, they might just stare, blink, or burp.
That’s fine!
Over time, they’ll start babbling, making sounds, or responding with gestures—which is the beginning of conversation.
This technique does TWO powerful things:
1. It teaches turn-taking—a key skill for real conversations.
2. It keeps them engaged—instead of just passively hearing words, they’re participating.
Babies learn language through interaction, so the more you pause and wait for their “response”, the more confident they’ll be when they actually start talking.
And here’s the key: if they make any sound or gesture, respond enthusiastically! This reinforces that their “reply” matters and keeps them motivated to communicate.
8. Incorporate Language into Play – Learning Through Fun
If there’s one thing all babies love, it’s PLAY. So why not use it to boost their language skills?
Playtime is the perfect opportunity to introduce new words naturally. Instead of just watching your baby chew on toys (which, let’s be honest, they WILL do), talk through the play:
• “Look, the car goes vroom vroom!” 🚗
• “This teddy bear is sooo soft! Let’s give him a hug.” 🧸
• “Where’s the blue block? Oh, here it is!”
This kind of interactive play helps your baby connect words with real-world objects and actions.
Toys that encourage language use can also be helpful—think:
• Interactive books with lift-the-flap or sound buttons.
• Talking toys that reinforce vocabulary.
• Puzzles with words and pictures.
But guess what? The best “toy” is YOU.
Make up little games, act out stories, or create playful role-play with stuffed animals. Even super simple games like peekaboo or hide-and-seek with toys can turn into language-rich experiences:
• “Where’s baby? Ohhh, there she is!”
• “Baby is hiding… now she’s back!”
The more you interact, narrate, and engage, the more words your baby will absorb and retain—setting them up for success in multiple languages.
9. Limit Background Noise – Help Your Baby Focus on Speech
This is one tip I wish I had known 8 years ago…
We used to have the TV news or radio on in the background, thinking it didn’t matter. But actually? Too much background noise can make it harder for babies to focus on speech patterns.
Why?
• Babies’ brains are constantly working to pick up new sounds.
• If the TV is blaring, it drowns out the clear, natural speech they need to absorb.
• Too much noise can make it harder for them to distinguish important words.
That doesn’t mean you have to live in total silence – I get it, sometimes parents need a bit of background noise for their own sanity!
But try to create quieter moments during key times:
• When talking to your baby one-on-one.
• During storytime and reading sessions.
• When your baby is babbling or trying to “chat” with you.
Babies learn best through real, face-to-face interactions—so the more distraction-free conversations you can have, the better their language development will be.
Want even more guidance?
Check out my book Bilingual and Trilingual Parenting 101, where I go into more detail on strategies, challenges, and solutions for raising multilingual kids.
Or watch my FREE video course on my YouTube channel—no upselling, no catch, just real, practical advice for parents like you!
Which of these tips will you try? Share in the comments below!
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