babytalk@ua.edu +1-205-348-2235

Language

Your baby improves language skills by listening, copying sounds, and learning words.

Literature

Reading literature aloud fosters a love of reading and builds communication and listening skills. 

Love

Connect the things your baby loves the most —  your voice and closeness to you.

What We Do

Baby TALK positively impacts child development by nurturing healthy and responsive relationships during the critical early years.

We believe parents can give their children a wonderful start in life with an environment of “Language, Literature and Love.” Baby TALK supports this environment through personal connections with new families, recurring newsletters and a wealth of support materials. 

Subscribe to
Baby TALK's
Newsletter

Get timely newsletters during the first three years of your child’s life. 

Content may include words of encouragement, suggested children’s literature, tips for communicating with your baby, age-appropriate activities, local events and resources, and more!

    Resources

    The Resource Library, located at The University of Alabama’s Judy Bonner Child Development Research Building, provides an extensive collection of parenting resources including:

    • Techniques for parenting and childrearing
    • Strategies for giving your child the best start
    • Information on developmental stages and milestones
    • Children's books that nurture language development and a love of reading
    See what Baby TALK is up to!

    Check out Baby TALK’s calendar of events. From intimate gatherings to community-wide extravaganzas, we’re committed to bringing developmentally appropriate activities for parents to enjoy with their children! 

    12Nov

    Baby TALK Times

    10:00 am - 10:45 pmParent Resource Library
    08Nov

    STEAM Friday

    8:30 am - 11:30 amParent Resource Library
    05Nov

    Baby TALK Times

    10:00 am - 10:45 amParent Resource Library
    11 developmental

    Newsletters

    Almost every parent feels overwhelmed at times from the enormous responsibility of raising a child. Baby TALK understands the challenge parents face. It is our hope that receiving our regular newsletters will help you in your task. 

    Prior to Your Child's Birth

    Parenting Prenatal Clinics

    At the Prenatal Clinic, Baby TALK strives to give parents a sense of empowerment as they embark on the task of parenting. Prior to your child’s birth, we provide an outlet for sharing concerns & gaining support. Baby TALK’s Prenatal Clinic empowers you to be ready for your baby. We share information about infant development, appropriate activities for babies, and even assist parents in making homemade age-appropriate toys for their babies.

    Some Ways We Serve

    Hospital Visits

    Baby TALK visits families on the obstetric unit to encourage nurturing relationships with their children. Parents choose a free book for their babies and are given a copy of Baby TALK’s parent manual Babies & Books: a Joyous Beginning

    Small Group Meetings

    Baby TALK Times deliver child development information and provide for parent child interaction. Parents brings their 0-3 year old children as well as any other siblings. Everyone sits on the floor, and plenty of available toys and books provide interest for toddlers. 

    Well-Child Visits

    Baby TALK teachers update parents about the stage of their child’s development, talk with them about the challenges and frustrations of that stage, and suggest positive interactions and play appropriate to that stage. Parents are given a handout appropriate to their child’s age. 

    Testimonial

    What Parents Say

    • Attending Baby Talk Times is a part of our weekly routine-every Tuesday morning. The program has been extremely beneficial for both my children and myself. It provides my children time with their peers each week in multiple open-ended play activities. This play time has developed their language skills by interacting with the other children, parents and the coordinator. It has also provided many opportunities for learning various social and emotional skills, like turn taking and sharing the various toys provided. 

      Katie S.
      Parent of toddler
    • We were immediately impressed with what Baby Talk provided our son and family: a place to fellowship and interact with a diverse group of infant/toddlers his age or slightly older; and environment where a parent could share concerns or questions with other parents; constructive play time, educational activities and age-appropriate development tools; access to an instructor (a parent herself) who was knowledgeable about “all things baby and toddler,” and able to provide advice and a roadmap for the many trials that arise when raising an infant. 

      Harrison M.
      Parent of toddler
    • It can seem awkward talking to a tiny baby, but Baby TALK taught me how important and rewarding those early interactions can be. I started reading to my baby from day one, and before I knew it, she was responding in amazing ways. Books became a bedtime ritual and set the stage for a lifelong love of reading for my daughter.

      Anne D.
      Parent of college student