You know those early sounds your baby makes? They’re not as random as they might seem. New research released this week analyzed 130 infants’ vocalizations (recorded over the course of their first 12 months) and found that babies’ early squeals, growls, and vowel sound patterns tend to occur in clusters - and often in isolation from social interaction. The findings suggest that infants engage in deliberate vocal play, producing these clusters at will as a form of vocal practice. Further, this growing control over the sounds they make is a critical step toward the development of spoken language. Check out this adorable little guy (shared to IG by genesiscostner) as he gets in some repetitive vocal practice - clustering a set of 4 similar vocalizations across 12 seconds. Your baby isn’t just babbling. They’re practicing!