top of page

CHECK OUT THE SKILLS AND BEHAVIORAL MILESTONES

WE RECOMMEND FOR YOUR CHILD'S AGE!

Speech & Language Milestones

Newborn

3-6 MONTHS

  • Smiles spontaneously to human contact

  • Smiles when playing alone

  • Smiles at faces of several family members

  • Stops crying when spoken to

  • Shows different responses to different family members

  • Coos to caregivers

3-6 MONTHS
Baby on a Bed

  • Responds to "Come here baby!"

  • Becomes more outgoing with familiar people

  • Shows anxiety when separated from favorite caregiver

  • Likes to be with specific people

  • Uses speech sounds to get attention

  • Listens when spoke to

  • Says 1-3 words

  • Uses nouns almost exclusively

  • Understands simple commands

7-12 MONTHS

7-12 MONHS
Gay Couple with their Son

12-18 MONTHS

  • Follows simple directions, especially with gestures

  • Practices intonation, sometimes imitating an adult

  • Is aware of the value of communication

  • Uses much, meaningful jargon with inflection and emotion

  • Has an expressive vocabulary of 5-20 words

  • Produces 2-word phrases

  • Most speech is unintelligible

  • Combines gestures and vocalizations

  • Requests more of desired items

12-18 MONTHS
Boy with Type Machine

  • Names common objects

  • Uses 2-3 or more preposition like "in" or "under"

  • Uses noun + verb consistently

  • Listener understands 2/3 of what child says

  • Understands 300 words or more

  • Uses 100-200 words reliably

  • Rhythm and fluency of speech is poor

  • Confuses "I" and "me"

  • Poor control of pitch and volume

  • Follows commands such as "show me your nose"

  • Adding more words

  • Knows 5 body parts

  • Enjoys listening to stories

  • Answers "what's that" questions

18-24 MONTHS

18-24 MONTHS
Boy with Type Machine

25-36 MONTHS

  • Uses 3-4 word sentences

  • Speech is 50-70% intelligible to strangers

  • ​Understands of 500-900 words

  • Says 50-250 or more words

  • Begins to use plurals and past tense

  • asks 1-2 word questions

  • requests items by name

  • uses vowels correctly

  • responds to some yes and no questions 

  • Knows main body parts

  • Verbs begin to emerge

  • Able to explain experiences 

25-36 MONTHS
Smiling Baby

  • Understands more than is able to express

  • Identifies animals

  • Begins to identify colors

  • Enjoys pretend play schemes

  • Imitates many words, phrases, sounds

  • Understands contrasts 

  • Uses at least four prepositions

  • Speech is 80% intelligible to strangers

  • Understands 1200-2000 words

  • Says 800-1500 or more words

  • Uses 4-5 words in sentences

  • Uses pronouns (him, her, she, they)

  • Tells two events in chronological order

  • Engages in meaning and long conversation

3-4 YEARS

3-4 YEARS
Little Girl

4-5 YEARS

  • Can repeat sentences as long as 9 words

  • All speech should be intelligible, but some articulation errors may be present

  • Able to count to 10 

  • Knows opposites

  • Can follow 3-step commands without help

  • Understands simple time concepts

  • Uses adjectives and adverbs in conversations

  • Talks extensively during play

  • Can repeat 4 syllable words

  • Able to define common words

4-5 YEARS
bottom of page