(Adapted from an article by Dr. Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P., Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics)

Babies start learning language right from minute they are born. Although you won't see the results immediately, the language nurturing, from parents and early childhood providers, during the first years of life builds a foundation for later verbal development. Because early language is so connected with emotional development, things that help develop language also strengthen the socio-emotional development of young children. Here are some time- and research-tested tips:

Talk to babies a lot. It seems simple, but it's true: The more words a baby hears, the more words she learns. Talk to your baby when you are giving her a bottle, changing her and giving her a bath. Even newborn babies enjoy being talked to. They won't talk back right away, of course, but when they do start talking, all of those hours of listening will pay off.

You don't need to talk all the time, of course. Follow the baby's lead. If she turns away, starts falling asleep or gets irritable, she needs a little quiet time. Once she seems ready, start talking again.

Narrate your daily activities. During the day, tell her what you are doing: "Now we're wiping up the table. What a mess. Here goes-all clean!" Better yet, narrate the baby's own activities: "Here's that rattle now! Pull it! I'm pulling back! Now you've got it!"

Have "conversations." Children learn language best when they can see the effects their words have on others. Even as young as four months, babies love it when trusting adults listen and respond to them. The child coos; you coo back. The child listens, then giggles; you giggle back. You can see the delight in young children’s eyes as you take turns communicating back and forth.

Talk in the language you know best. If you speak more than one language, talk to the child in whatever language you feel most comfortable. Young children need to hear language spoken correctly, so that they can most easily figure out the rules of grammar. Once they've gotten the idea in one language (for example, Spanish, if that's what you speak best), they can easily pick up a second language (such as English).

Read out loud. It doesn't matter what you read, as long as you make your voice lively. Poetry is wonderful, because the rhythms and rhymes make the language vivid for babies. Choose board books that are durable and designed not to rip and that have bright, simple pictures.

Sing songs. Babies and toddlers love songs, because the rhythms, rhymes and melody all make the language come alive. If you know some nursery rhymes, and you like them, great. If you know pop tunes, they're good, too. If you don't know any songs, make up nonsense rhymes. Your baby will love these all the same.

Play time. See what the young children in your care are interested in and join in the fun. If they have found a pot to bang on, you can say "bang" when they bang or find something to bang on yourself while sitting next to the child. How can you tell if you're doing it right? If his face is serious and concentrated, he's engaged and learning. If he's smiling or giggling, he's also learning. If he's fussy, irritable or laughing too excitedly, it may be time to move on to a quieter activity or take a break.

For more information on developmental milestones, visit the National Institutes of Health.

For research on importance of language development in the first three years of life, visit http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/spring2003/catastrophe.html.