Speech Language Milestones

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One to Two Years

Points to a few body parts when asked
Follows simple commands and understands simple questions ("roll the ball," " kiss the baby," "where's your shoe?")
Points to pictures in a book when named
Says more words every month
Uses some one- or two- word questions ("Where kitty?" "Go bye-bye?" "What's that?")
Puts two words together ("more cookie," " no juice," "mommy book")
Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words
Listens to simple stories, songs and rhymes

What can you do to help?

Talk while doing things and going places, When taking a walk in the stroller, for example, point to familiar objects and say their names.
Use simple speech that is easy for your child to imitate
Make bath time "sound playtime" as well. You are eye-level with your child. Play with Peter Tugboat, who says "p-p-p-p." Let your child feel the air of the sounds as you make them. Blow bubbles and make the "b-b-b-b." Feel the motor in your throat on this sound. Engines on the toys can make a wonderful "rrr-rrrr-rrr" sound.
Expand words. For example, if your child says "car", you respond by saying, " You're right! That is a big red car."
Find time to read to your child every day. Try to find books with large pictures and one or two words or phrases on each page. When reading to your child, take time to name and describe the pictures on each page.
Have your child point to pictures that you name.
Ask your child to name pictures. He or she may not respond to your naming request at first. Just name the pictures for him or her. One day, he or she will surprise you by coming out with a picture's name!

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Two to Three Years

Listens to and enjoys hearing stories for longer periods of time
Follows two requests ("Get the book and put it on the table")
Understands differences in meaning ("go-stop," "in-on," " big-little," "up-down,")
Has a world for almost everything
Uses two- or three- words to talk about and ask for things
Uses k, g, f, t, d and n sounds
Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time
Often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them
Asks why
May stutter on words or sounds

What can I do to help?

Use clear, simple speech that is easy to imitate
Show your child that you are interested in what he or she says to you by repeating what he or she has said and expanding on it.
Let your child know that what he or she has to say is important to you by asking him or her to repeat things that you do not completely understand.
Expand on your child's vocabulary. Introduce new vocabulary through reading books that have a simple sentence on each page.
Talk about colors (e.g. "Sam's hat is red.")
Practice counting. Count toes and fingers. Count steps as you go down them.
Look at family photos and name the people. Use simple phrases/sentences to describe the pictures.
Continue to sing songs, play finger games and tell nursery rhymes.

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Three to Four Years

Hears you when you call from another room
Hears television or radio at the same loudness level as other family members
Understands words for some colors, like red, blue, and green
Understands words for family, like brother, grandmother, and aunt
Talks about activities at school or at friends' homes
Talks about what happened during the day
Uses about 4 sentences at a time
People outside of the family usually understand child's speech
Answers simple "who?", "what?", "when?," and "where", questions
Asks when and how questions
Says rhyming words, like hat-cat
Uses pronouns, like I, you, me, we and they
Uses some plural words, like toys, birds, and buses
Usually talks easily without repeating syllables, or words

What can you do to help?

Use clear, simple speech that is easy to imitate
Sort out pictures and items into categories, but increase the challenge by asking your child to point out the item that does not belong in a category.
Expand vocabulary and length of your child's utterances by reading, singing, talking about what you are doing and where you are going.
Read books that have a simple plot, and talk about the story line with your child. Help your child to retell the story or act it out with props and dress-up clothes. Tell him or her your favorite part and ask for his or her favorite part.
Work on comprehension skills by asking your child questions. Have him or her try to fool you with him or her own questions. Make this game playful by pretending that you have been fooled by some of his or her really hard questions.
Expand on social communication and storytelling skills by "acting out" typical scenarios with a dollhouse and its props. Do the same type of role-playing activity when playing dress-up.

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Four to Five Years

Listens to and enjoys hearing stories for longer periods of time
Understands words for order, like first, next, and last. Understands words for time, like yesterday, today, and tomorrow
Follows longer directions, like "Put your pajamas on, brush your teeth, and then pick out a book"
Follows classroom directions, like "Draw a circle on your paper around something you eat"
Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school
Says all speech sounds in words. May make mistakes on sounds that are harder to say, like l, s, r, v, x, ch, sh, th
Responds to "What did you say?"
Talks without repeating sounds or words most of the time
Names letters and numbers
Uses sentences that have more that 1 action word, like jump, play and get
Tells a short story
Can contribute to a back and forth conversation

What can I do to help?

Use clear, simple speech that is easy to imitate
Talk about spatial relationships (first, middle, and last; right and left) and opposites (up and down, big and little)
Offer a description or clues and have your child identify what you are describing
Work on forming and explaining categories
Follow your child's directions as she or he explains how to do something
Give full attention to your child when he or she is speaking, and acknowledge, praise, and encourage him or her afterward
Build on your child's vocabulary. Provide definitions for new words, and use them in context
Encourage your child to ask for an explanation if he or she does not understand what a word means
Point out things that are the same or different
Expand on social communication by role-playing. Play house, doctor, and store using dialogue, props, and dress-up clothes.
Give your child two-step directions. Encourage your child to give directions to explain how he or she has done something

Speech Language Milestones

One to Two Years

Points to a few body parts when asked

Follows simple commands and understands simple questions ("roll the ball," " kiss the baby," "where's your shoe?")

Points to pictures in a book when named

Says more words every month

Uses some one- or two- word questions ("Where kitty?" "Go bye-bye?" "What's that?")

Puts two words together ("more cookie," " no juice," "mommy book")

Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words

Listens to simple stories, songs and rhymes

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What can you do to help?​

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Talk while doing things and going places, When taking a walk in the stroller, for example, point to familiar objects and say their names.

Use simple speech that is easy for your child to imitate

Expand words. For example, if your child says "car", you respond by saying, " You're right! That is a big red car."

Find time to read to your child every day. Try to find books with large pictures and one or two words or phrases on each page. When reading to your child, take time to name and describe the pictures on each page.

Have your child point to pictures that you name.

Ask your child to name pictures. He or she may not respond to your naming request at first. Just name the pictures for him or her. One day, he or she will surprise you by coming out with a picture's name!

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﻿Two to Three Years

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Listens to and enjoys hearing stories for longer periods of time

Follows two requests ("Get the book and put it on the table")

Understands differences in meaning ("go-stop," "in-on," " big-little," "up-down,")

Has a world for almost everything

Uses two- or three- words to talk about and ask for things

Uses k, g, f, t, d and n sounds

Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time

Often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them

Asks why

May stutter on words or sounds

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What can I do to help?​

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Three to Four Years

Hears you when you call from another room

Hears television or radio at the same loudness level as other family members

Understands words for some colors, like red, blue, and green

Understands words for family, like brother, grandmother, and aunt

Talks about activities at school or at friends' homes

Talks about what happened during the day

Uses about 4 sentences at a time

People outside of the family usually understand child's speech

Answers simple "who?", "what?", "when?," and "where", questions

Asks when and how questions

Says rhyming words, like hat-cat

Uses pronouns, like I, you, me, we and they

Uses some plural words, like toys, birds, and buses

Usually talks easily without repeating syllables, or words

What can you do to help?

Use clear, simple speech that is easy to imitate

Sort out pictures and items into categories, but increase the challenge by asking your child to point out the item that does not belong in a category.

Expand vocabulary and length of your child's utterances by reading, singing, talking about what you are doing and where you are going.

Read books that have a simple plot, and talk about the story line with your child. Help your child to retell the story or act it out with props and dress-up clothes. Tell him or her your favorite part and ask for his or her favorite part.

Work on comprehension skills by asking your child questions. Have him or her try to fool you with him or her own questions. Make this game playful by pretending that you have been fooled by some of his or her really hard questions.

Expand on social communication and storytelling skills by "acting out" typical scenarios with a dollhouse and its props. Do the same type of role-playing activity when playing dress-up.

Four to Five Years

Listens to and enjoys hearing stories for longer periods of time

Understands words for order, like first, next, and last. Understands words for time, like yesterday, today, and tomorrow

Follows longer directions, like "Put your pajamas on, brush your teeth, and then pick out a book"

Follows classroom directions, like "Draw a circle on your paper around something you eat"

Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school

Says all speech sounds in words. May make mistakes on sounds that are harder to say, like l, s, r, v, x, ch, sh, th

Responds to "What did you say?"

Talks without repeating sounds or words most of the time

Names letters and numbers

Uses sentences that have more that 1 action word, like jump, play and get

Tells a short story

Can contribute to a back and forth conversation

​

What can I do to help?

Use clear, simple speech that is easy to imitate

Talk about spatial relationships (first, middle, and last; right and left) and opposites (up and down, big and little)

Offer a description or clues and have your child identify what you are describing

Work on forming and explaining categories

Follow your child's directions as she or he explains how to do something

Give full attention to your child when he or she is speaking, and acknowledge, praise, and encourage him or her afterward

Build on your child's vocabulary. Provide definitions for new words, and use them in context

Encourage your child to ask for an explanation if he or she does not understand what a word means

What can you do to help?

Two to Three Years

What can I do to help?