Speech and Language Milestones

* Begins to turn head toward sounds

* Quiets or smiles in response to a caregiver’s voice or touch

* Makes eye contact and watches faces intently

* Makes sounds back and forth during interactions

* Starts to imitate facial expressions (e.g., sticking out tongue)

* Cries differently for different needs (e.g., hunger vs. discomfort)

* Coos with vowel-like sounds such as “ooo” or “aahh”

* Recognizes familiar voices and everyday sounds 

* Turns head toward voices or people speaking

* Smiles and laughs in response to people

* Initiates social engagement by smiling, cooing, or reaching

* Looks at people’s faces while they speak
 

* Turns toward voices and sounds
 

* Enjoys interactive games like peekaboo and tickling
 

* Follows interesting objects with their eyes
 

* Reacts to noisy toys or sounds
 

* Coos, gurgles, and babbles with increasing variety
 

* Begins combining vowel and consonant sounds (e.g., “ba,” “da,” "ma")
 

* Blows “raspberries” or bubbles with their lips

* Uses vocalizations to express excitement, frustration, or attention-seeking

* Looks toward caregiver when their name is called

* Waves “hi” or “bye”, claps, and points to show interest
 

* Pauses or stops when told “no”
 

* Babbles in longer strings like “mamama” or “babababa”
 

* Seeks comfort from familiar people when upset
 

* Uses gestures like pointing, waving, or showing objects
 

* Tries to imitate sounds / syllables / words
 

* Understands simple phrases like “Go bye-bye” or “Look at Mommy”
 

* Says one or two meaningful words or word approximations by 12 months

* Says 5–10 words clearly and meaningfully
 

* Uses words to name familiar people or objects (e.g., “Mama,” “ball”)
 

* Follows simple one-step directions (e.g., “Give me the toy”)

* Responds to their name and simple social cues (e.g., “bye-bye”)
 

* Points to body parts when asked (e.g., “Where’s your nose?”)
 

* Uses gestures and words together (e.g., saying “up” while reaching)
 

* Repeats words they hear in conversation
 

* Enjoys songs, stories, and rhymes
 

* Understands more words than they can say
 

* Tries to communicate wants and needs using sounds, words, or gestures

* Looks to adults for cues in unfamiliar situations (social referencing)

* Says at least 50 words by age 2
 

* Begins putting two words together (e.g., “more juice,” “go car”)
 

* Asks simple questions using one or two words (e.g., “What’s that?”)
 

* Follows two-step directions (e.g., “Get your shoes and bring them here”)
 

* Names common objects, people, and actions
 

* Uses words to express wants and needs more clearly

* Uses words to protest (“no!”), request (“want ball”), or greet (“hi,” “bye”)
 

* Imitates new words and phrases they hear
 

* Begins to use pronouns like “me” and “you”
 

* Enjoys pretend play with toys (e.g., feeding a doll, driving a car)
 

* Understands simple concepts like “in,” “on,” and “under”

* Enjoys playing near and with others (parallel play)
 

* Shows interest in peers, may imitate or try to communicate with them

* Uses 2–4 word phrases consistently (e.g., “I want milk,” “Daddy go work”)
 

* Vocabulary grows to 200+ words by age 3
 

* Begins using simple sentences
 

* Asks and answers simple questions (e.g., “What’s that?”, “Where’s Mommy?”)
 

* Follows 2–3 step directions (e.g., “Pick up the toy and put it in the box”)
 

* Uses pronouns correctly (e.g., “I,” “me,” “you”)
 

* Begins to understand concepts like big/small, up/down
 

* Speech is becoming clearer—familiar adults understand most of what they say
 

* Enjoys listening to stories and may ask for favorites repeatedly

* May say untrue things to avoid trouble, but without fully understanding the difference between truth and lies (more confusion or wishful thinking than intentional deception)
 

* Speaks in full sentences (4+ words) and tells simple stories
 

* Uses 500–1,000 words or more by age 4
 

* Asks lots of questions: “Why?”, “Who?”, “Where?”
 

* Understands and uses past tense (e.g., “I went to the park.”)
 

* Follows multi-step directions (e.g., put on your shoes and go to the door)
 

* Talks about things that happened in the recent past
 

* Begins to use syntax (sentence structures) correctly—plurals, pronouns, and simple verb tenses
 

* Speech is mostly understood by people outside the family
 

* Takes 3-4 turns in conversation and stays on topic

* Initiates conversation with familiar adults and peers

* Starts to understand and use polite words such as “please” and “thank you” (with reminders)
 

* Enjoys rhyming, singing, and pretend play with dialogue

* Begins to tell deliberate lies, mostly to avoid punishment or get something they want
 

* Starts to understand that others have different thoughts and perspectives (the beginnings of theory of mind)

* Speaks in detailed sentences with 5+ words
 

* Tells simple stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end
 

* Uses future tense (e.g., “We will go to the zoo tomorrow.”)
 

* Understands time-related concepts like today, tomorrow, and yesterday
 

* Follows complex directions with multiple steps, without needing repetition
 

* Names letters, numbers, and shapes
 

* Uses most syntax rules correctly (plurals, possessives, tenses)
 

* Can answer “why” and “how” questions
 

* Speech is clear and easily understood by both familiar and unfamiliar listeners
 

* Engages in back-and-forth conversation, taking turns and asking questions

* Stays on topic for several exchanges

* Begins using language to express opinions, share ideas, and tell simple stories

* Shows interest in other children and starts engaging in cooperative play

* Uses polite language ("please," "thank you") with reminders 

5 to 6 Years

* Speaks in grammatically correct sentences
 

* Describes objects by category or function
 

* Understands opposites (e.g., big/little, fast/slow)
 

* Begins to understand humor and figures of speech
 

* Tells long, detailed stories that stay on topic
 

* Recognizes and produces rhyming words
 

* Understands sequencing (first, next, last)
 

* Speech is clearly understood by all listeners

6 to 8 Years

* Uses advanced vocabulary

* Engages in conversations with appropriate topic shifts and turn-taking
 

* Understands and uses synonyms, antonyms, and multiple-meaning words
 

* Starts to explain ideas logically and give reasons
 

* Retells stories with accurate details and sequence
 

* Understands jokes, riddles, and simple idioms
 

* Uses language for reading comprehension and writing