Looks intently at a person talking, but stops responding if speaker turns away.
Observe whether the child: looks intently at a person talking, but stops responding if speaker turns away.
What it looks like
Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.
Emerging
Just starting
The baby sometimes looks at a talking face briefly when it is directly in front of them, but attention drops quickly. If the speaker moves or turns away, the baby does not attempt to re-engage.
What you might see
When you talk close to the baby’s face, their gaze drifts past you or stays on a nearby object with no clear facial change.
The baby does not look toward the speaker even when the speaker uses a warm voice and pauses for a response.
The baby looks at your mouth/eyes for 1–2 seconds while you speak, then looks away to the side.
If you turn your head away mid-sentence, the baby immediately stops smiling/vocalising and stares elsewhere.
Expected
On track
The baby looks intently at a familiar person talking when face-to-face and may respond (smile, quieten, vocalise) while the face remains visible. When the speaker turns away, the baby usually stops responding and does not track the change.
What you might see
Face-to-face, the baby watches you talk and smiles or makes a small sound, but when you turn away they stop responding and do not follow with their eyes.
The baby attends during a short nursery rhyme when you are directly facing them, but disengages if you look down or away.
Exceeding
Going further
The baby attends closely to a talking face and shows clear responses while face-to-face, and will often track the speaker’s movement with their eyes/head. If the speaker turns away briefly, the baby may pause but re-engages when the face returns.
What you might see
The baby follows your face with their eyes when you shift slightly left/right while talking.
When you turn away briefly, the baby pauses and then re-engages when you turn back (smiles, vocalises, or looks directly at you).
If you turn away, the baby leans/turns their head to try to keep your face in view.
The baby makes a sound or waves arms to regain your attention when your face is not visible, then resumes smiling/quietening when you face them again.
Try this at home
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
Nappy change: talk to your baby face-to-face for 20–30 seconds, then briefly turn your head away and notice whether your baby stops responding or tries to re-engage.
Feeding: while bottle/breast feeding (or after a pause), speak softly and watch whether your baby looks intently at your face and how their response changes if you look away.
Mirror play: sit with your baby in front of a mirror and talk; slowly turn your head aside and see if your baby tracks the change in face position.
Song time: sing a short rhyme while facing your baby, then turn your body slightly away mid-verse; notice whether your baby maintains attention or disengages.
Carry/transition: while holding your baby, speak and then look over your shoulder; observe whether your baby turns to keep your face in view.
Connected behaviours
Behaviours that scaffold, follow, or co-emerge with this one.
The framework source and supporting developmental research.
Framework source
Development Matters in the EYFS (2012), Communication and Language: Listening and attention (birth–11 months).
DM2012 emphasises early attention to faces and voices in interaction as a foundation for later listening and understanding.
Five-level rubric (detailed)ShowHide
The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.
Not Yet
The baby rarely fixes on a talking face and shows little change in gaze or expression when spoken to. They do not maintain attention to the speaker even when the speaker is close and facing them.
When you talk close to the baby’s face, their gaze drifts past you or stays on a nearby object with no clear facial change.
The baby does not look toward the speaker even when the speaker uses a warm voice and pauses for a response.
Emerging
The baby sometimes looks at a talking face briefly when it is directly in front of them, but attention drops quickly. If the speaker moves or turns away, the baby does not attempt to re-engage.
The baby looks at your mouth/eyes for 1–2 seconds while you speak, then looks away to the side.
If you turn your head away mid-sentence, the baby immediately stops smiling/vocalising and stares elsewhere.
Developing
The baby looks intently at a familiar person talking when face-to-face and may respond (smile, quieten, vocalise) while the face remains visible. When the speaker turns away, the baby usually stops responding and does not track the change.
Face-to-face, the baby watches you talk and smiles or makes a small sound, but when you turn away they stop responding and do not follow with their eyes.
The baby attends during a short nursery rhyme when you are directly facing them, but disengages if you look down or away.
Secure
The baby attends closely to a talking face and shows clear responses while face-to-face, and will often track the speaker’s movement with their eyes/head. If the speaker turns away briefly, the baby may pause but re-engages when the face returns.
The baby follows your face with their eyes when you shift slightly left/right while talking.
When you turn away briefly, the baby pauses and then re-engages when you turn back (smiles, vocalises, or looks directly at you).
Reflexive
The baby actively works to keep the interaction going: they track the speaker, vocalise or move to regain attention, and can re-engage even after the speaker shifts position. They may initiate by watching the adult’s face and then prompting more talk with sounds or smiles.
If you turn away, the baby leans/turns their head to try to keep your face in view.
The baby makes a sound or waves arms to regain your attention when your face is not visible, then resumes smiling/quietening when you face them again.
