The next time you see a parent chatting with their drooling baby, don’t think of them as crazy, Instead, think of them simply as smart parents! According to new research from the University of York, the number of words a child hears doesn’t just improve their vocabulary and linguistic development, it can also contribute to the development of nonverbal abilities like reasoning, numerical understanding, and shape awareness.
Apparently, growing up in a language-rich environment helps shape the way a child understands, views, and uses language. This was proven by the positive association researchers found between cognitive abilities and the quality of adult speech children heard (based on both the number of words and lexical diversity). So, if you want to help your child become an articulate genius with a vast vocabulary, make sure to talk them frequently and positively.