At what age do babies start to "coo"?

Babies typically start to coo between the ages of 2 to 4 months. During this stage of development, infants begin to engage in vocal play, producing soft vowel sounds and expressing contentment and pleasure. This cooing is an essential part of their early language development, as it helps them explore their vocal capabilities and begin to form the foundations for later speech.

At this age, cooing is often characterized by sounds like "oo" and "ah," which can be an early precursor to babbling. By interacting with caregivers who respond to these sounds, babies also learn about the back-and-forth nature of communication. This period is critical for auditory and speech development, making it an important milestone in the journey to effective communication skills.