We tend to spend a lot of time wondering what our babies are thinking before they start talking and can tell us exactly what they’re thinking. For example, have you ever wondered what your baby means when they point to something?

Let’s say your baby points to a banana on the counter. You wonder: What do they want? What are they trying to achieve? Are they trying to reach out and touch the banana? Do they want you to acknowledge, “Hey, look, there’s a banana on the counter”? Do they want you to tell them that the object is called a banana? Or are they asking you to pick up the banana and give it to them?

It could be any of those things. The simple gesture of pointing is actually a much more complex method of prelinguistic communication than you might realize. Just because your baby’s not talking — or not talking much — yet, it doesn’t mean there’s not a lot going on in their head!

Read on to learn where pointing falls on your baby’s timeline for development, as well as how to foster their communication skills.