Infant-Directed Speech vs. Adult-Directed Speech

What is Best for my Baby?

Maddie Russell, Paola Apolinario, Kimberly Gomez, Zhi Zheng

About this site

This website will shed some light on what Infant-Directed Speech (IDS) is, and its importance for a child's language development and growth.

Father and his baby son opening their mouth saying " ahhh".
Mother reading a picture book with her baby.
Image of baby and father both laying on their stomachs and looking at one another. Top paragraph: Make sure to give your child plenty of time to respond. It's okay if it's non-verbal! Your baby might make a sound, laugh, or even wiggle their arm. Be sure to acknowledge them and reply! You are continuing the conversation with your baby, which builds their language skills. Middle paragraph: "You do? Okay! Let's play with your big, red truck!" (in wavy text to show fluctuation in tone). Bottom paragraph: Why Parentese? When caregivers use parentese, babies pay attention! This helps them to learn. Use parentese any time of the day to interact and engage with your baby.