Speech Milestones
For more information on general developmental milestones, visit www.howkidsdevelop.com.
| Age | Receptive Language | Expressive Language |
0 to 6 months
| - Turns to sounds
- Initiates sounds
- Responds to name
| |
| 6 to 12 months | - Understands simple commands
- Knows names of toys and objects
| - Imitates consonant / vowel sounds
- Uses "Jargon" - babbling that sounds like real speech
|
12 to 18 month
| - Follows two-step commands
- Knows at least three body parts
- Identifies objects, people and toys
| - Uses two to five words
- Increase in jargon/babbling
|
18 to 24 months
 | - Recognizes pictures
- Identifies environmental sounds, (i.e. telephone, doorbell)
- Continues to increase vocabulary
- Asks one- to two-word questions
| - Uses 10 to 15 words
- Sometimes repeats requests
- Puts two words together
|
2 years
| - Follows two-part "related" commands
- Answers "what" and "where" questions by gesturing or single words
- Responds to "who" or "whose"
| - Vocabulary of 50 words
- Combines two words
- Uses "no" questions appropriately
|
3 years
| - Understands number concepts "more" and "one"
- Remembers and retells events of yesterday
| - Vocabulary of 400 words
- Can be reasoned with on a concrete level
|
4 years
| - Responds to "why" by giving reason or consequence
- Follows two-part "unrelated" commands
| - Vocabulary of 800 words
- Uses "how" and "why"
- Uses past tense
|
5 years
| - Responds to "when" questions by
answering with reference to time - Understands most conversation
| - Vocabulary of 1200+ words
- Produces sounds correctly (sometimes the s, r & th sounds are not quite mastered at this stage)
|
Development of Individual Speech Sounds
| Age | Sounds |
| 3 years | m, n, ing, h, w, j, f, p, t, k, b, d, g, tw, kw |
| 3 1/2 years | v, s, z, sh, r, ch, l, sp, st, sk, sm, sn, sw, skw, pl, bl, gl, fl, br, tr, dr, kr, fr |
| 4 1/2 years | th - as in the and thin |
