Gestures are some of your baby's first ways of talking to you. Many babies start copying clapping and waving between about 9 and 12 months. Australia's Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says 9-month-olds may try to clap their hands and imitate actions such as clapping or waving, and its learning to talk guide lists waving goodbye among 9 to 12 month skills.
The CDC's "Learn the Signs. Act Early." checklists, revised in 2022, put each milestone at the age by which 75% or more of children show it. On those lists, waving bye-bye is at 12 months, clapping when excited and pointing to ask for something are at 15 months, and pointing to show you something interesting is at 18 months. The CDC's key points page says the revision was meant to cut down on "wait and see", so a missing gesture at these ages is worth raising.
When do babies wave, clap and point?
| By about | Gestures most children use (CDC) |
|---|---|
| 9 months | Lift arms up to be picked up; smile or laugh at peek-a-boo |
| 12 months | Wave bye-bye; play games like pat-a-cake |
| 15 months | Clap when excited; point to ask for something or for help; show you an object they like |
| 18 months | Point to show you something interesting |
| 2 years | Use gestures beyond waving and pointing, like blowing a kiss or nodding yes; point to body parts and to things in a book when asked |
Because the CDC uses the age most children have reached, many babies do these things earlier. Other sources describe when gestures often start:
- Around 9 months: Pregnancy, Birth and Baby's 9-month page says babies may point or poke at objects to show interest, try to clap, and copy clapping or waving.
- 10 to 12 months: Its 10-month page says that over the next month or two babies may use gestures such as pointing, reaching or waving goodbye, and copy clapping.
- Around 12 months: Its 12-month page lists waving bye-bye, imitating hand clapping, reaching or pointing to ask for something, and pointing while making sounds. Kids Health lists waving goodbye and pointing at a toy, and the AAP's 12-month milestones include shaking the head for "no" and imitating gestures.
Australia's Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne says in its communication guide that by one year babies use their face and gestures, such as pointing, to communicate, and may show "yes" and "no" by nodding or shaking their head. It also stresses that children develop differently.
How do gestures develop, from copying to communicating?
Most babies move through these steps, at their own pace:
- Responding. Smiling at peek-a-boo and lifting arms to be picked up are on the CDC's 9-month list, which puts lifting the arms under language and communication.
- Copying. Your baby claps or waves after you do. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby describes copying clapping and waving from about 9 months.
- Using gestures to interact. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says 12-month-olds may use gestures to interact with others, such as waving bye-bye, and waving bye-bye is on the CDC's 12-month list.
- Gesturing to ask. Reaching or pointing at the biscuit they want. Pointing to ask for something or for help is on the CDC's 15-month list.
- Gesturing to share. Holding up a toy to show you (15 months) and pointing at a dog just so you'll look too (18 months). This kind of pointing shares something with you rather than asking for it.
- Gestures plus words. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says 12-month-olds may point while making sounds. By 2 years the CDC lists gestures like blowing kisses and nodding, alongside two-word phrases.
Why is clapping a big milestone?
Clapping looks simple, but NHS Best Start in Life calls it "a pretty big milestone" because it takes muscle control, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Clapping usually starts as copying during songs and games. Later it becomes a way to share feelings: clapping when excited is on the CDC's 15-month checklist. For how hand control develops over the same months, see our pincer grasp guide.
Why does pointing matter so much?
Pointing is one of the main ways babies communicate before they have many words. The AAP's 8–12 month language guide says that towards the end of the first year babies use pointing and gesturing to show what they want, and imitate the gestures they see adults make. It describes this as a temporary measure while they learn to put their messages into words.
Babies also learn to follow your point. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says that from about 9 months, babies may look at something when you point at it. The CDC's 12-month tips suggest pointing out interesting things, such as trucks or animals, so your baby learns to follow pointing, and naming what your baby points at.
There are two kinds of pointing to watch for:
| Kind of point | What it means | CDC age |
|---|---|---|
| Pointing to ask | "I want that" or "help me" | 15 months |
| Pointing to show | "Look at that!" to share something interesting | 18 months |
How do gestures help babies learn to talk?
Gestures and words grow together. The NHS Best Start in Life guide to talking at 6 to 12 months suggests adding gestures when you talk, such as waving as you say "hello" or "goodbye". It says gestures help your baby understand better, and babies may copy them before they use the words. The RCH's tips to encourage language suggest using a gesture or sign as you say a word to help your child notice it.
Over the second year, words gradually take on more of the work. By 18 months the CDC lists following one-step directions without any gestures, and Kids Health suggests checking with your doctor if, by 18 months, a child prefers gestures to sounds and words. Our guides to first words and toddler talking milestones cover what comes next.
How can I encourage waving, clapping and pointing?
These ideas come from the CDC's 9-, 12- and 15-month tips, the NHS and the RCH:
- Wave every hello and goodbye. Say the word as you wave, every time (NHS). The CDC's 9-month tips suggest teaching your baby to wave "bye-bye" or shake their head "no".
- Sing action songs. The NHS guide to helping your baby talk suggests rhymes with actions, such as "Pat-a-cake", "Row, row, row your boat" and "Wind the bobbin up", and says doing the actions helps children remember the words. The RCH suggests clapping along to the rhythm.
- Play peek-a-boo and turn-taking games. The RCH suggests peek-a-boo, rolling a ball back and forth, waving hello, hand-clapping games and blowing bubbles.
- Point and name. When your baby looks at something, point to it and talk about it, as the CDC's 6-month tips suggest.
- Answer their points. The CDC's 15-month tips suggest saying the name of what your child points to, then waiting a few seconds to give them a chance to try the word.
- Play "Where's your nose?" From about 18 months the NHS suggests asking your child to point to their ear, nose or foot.
- Try a few simple signs. The CDC's 9- and 15-month tips suggest simple baby signs, such as pointing and waving. Keep saying the word as you sign.
Your excited face and voice are part of the game. Celebrate every attempt, even a wave that looks more like opening and closing a fist.
What if my baby was born early?
If your baby was born more than 3 weeks early, the CDC's online checklist says to use their corrected age, and to use the younger checklist if their age falls between two. The AAP's corrected age guide says to subtract the weeks your baby was born early from their age, and to use corrected age for the first 2 years. Kids Health notes that babies born prematurely may reach 12-month milestones later.
When should I talk to a GP or health visitor about gestures?
Get medical help today if your child
- suddenly seems unable to hear in one or both ears, their hearing gets worse over days or weeks, or hearing loss comes with earache or discharge from the ear. The NHS hearing tests page advises an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111 for these.
Talk to your GP or health visitor soon (don't wait for the next check) if your child
- stops using gestures, babble, words or other skills they had before. Every CDC checklist says to act early if a child "has lost skills he or she once had", and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says to see your doctor at any age if your baby stops doing something they had learned.
Talk to your GP or health visitor if
| By about (corrected age) | Worth raising if your child |
|---|---|
| 12 months | Isn't using gestures such as waving or pointing (Kids Health), or doesn't wave bye-bye or play games like pat-a-cake (CDC) |
| 15 months | Doesn't point to ask for something, show you things they like or clap when excited (CDC) |
| 18 months | Doesn't point, wave or use other gestures (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby), doesn't point to show you something interesting (CDC), or prefers gestures to sounds and words (Kids Health) |
| 2 years | Doesn't use gestures beyond waving and pointing, such as blowing a kiss or nodding (CDC) |
The AAP also lists not learning to use gestures, such as waving or shaking the head, and not pointing to objects or pictures among signs to raise with your doctor at 8 to 12 months. Raise any worry about hearing too.
What happens next?
The CDC says to share your concerns with your child's doctor and ask about developmental screening. Its screening page says the AAP recommends developmental screening at 9, 18 and 30 months and autism-specific screening at 18 and 24 months, and screening at any other time there's a concern. Kids Health says an audiologist should test a child's hearing whenever there's a speech concern. In the UK, the NHS says you can also refer your child to speech and language therapy yourself.
Missing gestures can have many explanations, so it's a reason to ask, not a diagnosis. The CDC's autism signs page lists using few or no gestures by 12 months (such as not waving goodbye) and not pointing to show something interesting by 18 months among things to discuss with your doctor. It also notes that some children without autism have some of these signs. Kids Health lists hearing problems among the causes of delays in understanding, imitating and using speech. Only an assessment can tell, and getting one early means any support can start early.
What's worth writing down?
Note when you first see your baby lift their arms to be picked up, copy a clap, wave on their own and point, and whether they point to ask or to show you things. Keep it alongside a list of their sounds and words. A short video of your baby waving or pointing during play can help your GP or health visitor see what you see.