A baby who struggles to imitate facial expressions will likely face challenges in which activity?

Imitating facial expressions is closely linked to the development of social and communicative skills. When a baby has difficulty in this area, it may indicate challenges in understanding and expressing emotions, which are critical components of effective communication. The ability to speak involves not just producing sounds but also conveying feelings and intentions, recognizing social cues, and interacting with others appropriately. Therefore, a child who struggles with imitating facial expressions is likely to have difficulty in speaking, as they may not be able to match their verbal communication with the necessary emotional expressions or may struggle to understand the emotional content of others' speech.

The other activities listed—walking, playing with toys, and climbing—while they are important developmental milestones, do not rely as heavily on the ability to imitate facial expressions. These activities are more associated with physical motor skills and may not directly involve the social interaction and emotional understanding that speaking requires. Thus, the challenges related to imitating facial expressions most directly impact a baby’s ability to communicate verbally.