Talking and cooing with your baby is one of the best parts of being a new parent. Talking and playing are fun for you and your baby. However, it is more than fun. It also helps your baby to learn.

In playing with your baby, it is important that you gently interact with him in a back and forth manner. Smile at your baby and wait for him to focus on your face and smile back. When he smiles, you should smile even wider yourself and nod your head. Let him know you are happy that he smiled back at your smile.

Do this with cooing and babbling too. If your child babbles or coos at you, smile and gently coo back. If he answers you with another coo or babble, answer him back. Do this repeatedly. This is how babies learn to get along with other people and how they learn to have confidence that you are interested in them. When you talk and your baby coos back to you, important things happen. Your baby learns how to talk by hearing your words and trying to make the same sounds.

Your baby learns fast. As you talk softly to your baby and he "talks" back, you begin to know his sounds. When you mimic his sounds, you encourage your baby to try to make more sounds.

Talk with your baby as much as you can. He will learn to know his parents' voices. This makes the bond between you and your baby stronger.

From the day, he is born, your baby is learning. When you talk with your baby, you are helping his brain develop.

• Reading to your baby helps him learn. Reading to him starting in infancy will help him do better in chool, as he grows older.
• Read aloud to your baby for a few minutes at a time. He will be able to pay attention for only a few minutes at first. Babies like to have things repeated over and over.
• Read, say or sing nursery rhymes to your baby. This will help him learn, too.