Why Babies Put Everything in Their Mouths (And Why That's Amazing!)

If you're a parent, you've seen it countless times: your baby grabs a toy and immediately puts it in their mouth. You might worry about germs or wonder why they do this with everything. But here's the surprising truth: when your baby mouths toys, they're actually learning to talk!

Your Baby's Mouth is Their Superpower

Think of your baby's mouth as their most sensitive tool for exploring the world. Just like you might touch something to understand its texture, babies use their mouths because that's where they have the most nerve endings and sensitivity.

When babies mouth objects, they're learning:

• How things feel (smooth, bumpy, soft, hard)

• What shapes things have

• Even taste and temperature

But the most amazing part? This mouthing behavior is directly teaching them how to make the sounds they need for talking.

How Mouthing Helps Babies Learn to Speak

More Sounds, More Variety

Researchers actually recorded babies playing with toys and discovered something fascinating: babies make MORE sounds and MORE different types of sounds when they have a toy in their mouth compared to when they don't.

It's like the toy gives them ideas for new sounds to try! With a toy in their mouth, babies are more likely to make sounds like "kuh," "duh," and "buh"—the exact building blocks of words like "cup," "daddy," and "ball."

Perfect Timing

Babies mouth toys the most between 6 and 9 months old. This is no coincidence! This is exactly when they're developing the ability to make consonant sounds—those sounds made by closing or narrowing parts of the mouth, like "b," "d," "k," "p," and "t."

Real Examples You Might Notice

Here's what's happening when your baby mouths that wooden ring :

1. They close their lips around it → This teaches them how to make "m," "b," and "p" sounds

2. They move their tongue against it → This helps them learn "d," "t," "l," and "n" sounds

3. They position it in the back of their mouth → This helps with "k" and "g" sounds

Each time they vocalize while doing this, they're getting instant feedback: "Oh! When I close my lips like this and make a sound, I get a 'buh' sound!"

The Learning Process

Think of it like this: Your baby is a scientist running experiments. When they mouth a toy while babbling, they're learning:

• "What does my mouth feel like when I make this sound?" (This is called proprioceptive feedback—basically, feeling their own mouth position)

• "What sound comes out when my mouth is in this shape?" (This is auditory feedback—hearing themselves)

By putting these two types of information together, babies figure out how to intentionally make specific sounds. That's why mouthing actually increases the variety of sounds babies make—they're discovering new possibilities!

What This Means for You as a Parent

Don't discourage mouthing! (As long as the objects are safe, clean, and appropriately sized)

Instead:

• Provide safe teething toys and objects with different textures

• Talk to your baby while they're mouthing toys: "You're chewing on the soft ball! Ball! B-b-ball!"

• Celebrate the sounds they make during mouthing time

• Keep toys clean, but don't stress about occasional mouthing—it's brain-building work!

The Bottom Line

When your 8-month-old is happily gumming that toy giraffe and babbling away, they're not just playing. They're:

• Training their mouth muscles

• Learning how their mouth shapes create different sounds

• Building the foundation for their first words

• Actively preparing to talk to you!

So the next time you see your baby mouthing a toy, remember: that "gross" behavior is actually genius at work. Your baby is literally learning the sounds of language, one mouthed toy at a time.

The mess is worth it—they're learning to say "Mama" and "Dada!"