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Children vary in their development of speech and language skills. However, they follow a natural progression or timetable for mastering the skills of language. A checklist of milestones for the normal development of speech and language skills in children from birth to 6 years of age is included below.

Listening Skills

AGE MILESTONE
BIRTH-3 MONTHS
  • Discriminates speech from non-speech sounds. Startles to loud sounds.
  • Startles to loud sounds.
  • Quiets or excites in response to novel sounds.
  • May calm and turn towards nearby source of continuous sound (except when screaming or feeding).
  • Recognizes a primary caregiver’s voice and smiles or quiets when spoken to.
  • Decreases or increases sucking behavior in response to sounds.
3-6 MONTHS
  • Moves eyes (and may turn head) in direction of sounds.
  • Discriminates friendly and angry voices and reacts to these changes in tone of voice.
  • Attends to music and toys that make sounds (including those out of sight).
  • Listens to a speaker and watches a speaker’s face when spoken to.
  • Shows excitement at sound of familiar voices approaching, footsteps, running water, etc.
  • By 6 months will turn immediately to a familiar voice across the room.
  • By 6 months will turn to source of sound, when hears sounds at ear level.
6-12 MONTHS
  • Responds to sound when a source is not visible; will turn to look for this.
  • Responds physically to music and tries to join in with familiar tunes.
  • Recognizes words for common items.
  • Listens with increased interest to new words and attentive to everyday sounds.
  • By 12 months begins to respond to simple requests, such as “sit here.”
  • By 12 months will immediately respond to own name.
1-2 YEARS
  • Follows one-step directions with cues.
  • Follows directions to find two familiar objects.
  • Points to named pictures in a book.
  • Listens to simple stories.
  • Listens to songs and rhymes, and tries to join in.
2-3 YEARS
  • Responds to commands involving body parts, such as “show me your foot.”
  • Follows two-step  directions, such as “get your cup and bring it to me.”
  • Follows directions that include action + adverb or action + adjective, such as “walk slowly” or “give me the red ball.”
  • Demonstrates understanding of several verbs by selecting corresponding pictures.
  • Recognizes family labels such as “baby,” or “grandpa.”
  • Listens with interest to general conversation.
3-4 YEARS
  • Attends to name being called from another room.
  • Understands simple wh- questions.
  • Understands most simple questions related to own activities and environment.
  • Improves listening skills and begins to learn from listening.
4-5 YEARS
  • Attends to a short story and answers simple questions about it.
  • Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school.
  • Repeats four digits when they are given slowly.
  • Readily follows simple commands involving remote objects.
5-6 YEARS
  • Repeats sentences up to nine words in length.
  • Follows three-step directions.
  • Responds correctly to more types of sentences but may still be confused at times by more complex sentences.

Pragmatics/Social Interaction

AGE MILESTONE

BIRTH-6 MONTHS

  • Responds to voice and sound.
  • Watches speaker’s face and stops crying when spoken to.
  • Discriminates between strangers and familiar people.
  • Varies responses to different family members.
  • Smiles when spoken to, has a social smile.
  • Uses babbling for gaining attention and expressing demand.
  • Establishes eye contact.

6-12 MONTHS

  • Responds to “no.”
  • Responds to name and pats image of self in mirror, smiles at self in mirror.
  • Tries to “talk” to listener.
  • Coos, squeals and shouts for attention.
  • Laughs when playing with objects and people.
  • Tries to communicate by actions and gestures (inc. pointing).
  • Plays simple social games, such as peek-a-boo.
  • Copies simple actions of others.

1-2 YEARS

  • Repeats actions that made someone laugh.
  • Engages in parallel play and talks to self during play.
  • Pairs gestures with words to make wants known (e.g., “more” and “up”).
  • Imitates adult behaviors in play.
  • Refers to self by name.
  • Engages in verbal turn-taking.
  • Protests by vocalizing “no.”
  • Engages in simple pretend play, such as talking on a telephone.
  • Uses social words such as “hi” and “bye,” “thank you” and “please,” waves “bye bye.”
  • Practices intonation, sometimes imitating an adult.

2-3 YEARS

  • Requests permission for items or activities.
  • Engages in increasingly longer dialogues and makes repairs if not understood.
  • Participates in simple group activities.
  • Defends own possessions.
  • Carries on “conversation” with self and dolls.
  • Engages in simple, make-believe activities.
  • Begins to control behavior verbally rather than just physically. Helps put things away.

3-4 YEARS

  • Takes turns and plays cooperatively.
  • Relates personal experiences through verbalization.
  • Separates from primary caregiver easily.
  • Begins dramatic play, acting out whole scenes.
  • Shows frustration if not understood.
  • Expresses ideas and feelings, talks to self to practice conversation skills.

4-5 YEARS

  • Uses words to invite others to play.
  • Uses language to resolve disputes with peers.
  • Has good control of the elements of conversation.
  • Speaks of imaginary conditions, such as “I hope” or “I wish.”

Language Skills

AGE

RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE

EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE

BY 12-15 MONTHS

  • Understands instructions in context and with cues (e.g., pointing).
  • May point to pictures in a book when named.
  • Has between 2-10 recognizable words.

BY 18 MONTHS

  • Understands instructions without context clues.
  • Understands simple questions, e.g., “Where’s Daddy?”
  • Answers “What’s this?” in relation to familiar objects.
  • Answers yes/no questions.
  • Makes a choice with intentionality.
  • Has around 20-60 recognizable words.
  • Not always understood by unfamiliar adults.
  • Beginning to use simple “What’s that?” question forms.

BY 24 MONTHS (2 YEARS)

  • Begins to understand instructions with two important words (e.g., “Pass me the big spoon.”)
  • Understands many words (200-600 words).
  • Answers more wh- questions such as “Where….?,” “What is…doing?,” “Who is…?”
  • Understands “Can you…?” questions.
  • Uses at least 60 words. May have 200-300 words.
  • Uses phrases with two or more words (e.g., “Where teddy bear?” or “More juice.”
  • Copies lots of words.
  • Between 2 and 3 years, is asking more wh- questions such as “Where…?,” “What…?,” “What…doing?” questions.

BY 36 MONTHS (3 YEARS)

  • Understands instructions with three important words (e.g., “Put the spoon under the plate.”)
  • Understands a range of verbs.
  • Understands simple wh- questions (who, what, where).
  • By 4 years, is beginning to understand “why” and “how” questions.
  • By 4 years is able to answer questions related to function, quantity, and “If…what” style questions (e.g., “If it starts raining, what do you need?”
  • Has around 1000 words.
  • Uses phrases with three or more words.
  • Uses “what,” “when,” “where,” “how,” and “whose” when asking questions.
  • By four years, asks questions such as “Can y0u…?,” “Do you want to…?,” and “Are we going to…?”
  • By four years, asks one- word “why?” questions.

What Counts As a Word?

A word that is used consistently, independently and intentionally.

This includes:

  • Word approximations (e.g.,  “uh” for “up” or “moh” for “more”)
  • Symbolic sounds and exclamatory words (e.g, animal sounds, and words like “uh oh” and “yay.”
  • Signs and gestures.

Speech Sounds

AGE SOUND

2-3 YEARS

P, B, M, N, T, D, K, G, NG, (as in sing), W, H, Y, F

4 YEARS

L, J, CH, S, V, SH, Z

5 YEARS

R, ZH (as in measure) Voided “th” (as in this)

6 YEARS

Voiceless “TH” (as in “think)
AGE INTELLIGIBILITY

18-24 MONTHS

25-60%

2-3 YEARS

60-75%

4-5 YEARS

75-90%

5+ YEARS

90-100%

Download a copy of this handout.

Source: Information taken and adapted from Lingisystems Guide to Communication Milestones (2012), and Sheridan (2008)
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If you have concerns about your child’s speech or language development, CHC Care Coordinators can arrange a free 30-minute consultation so you can explore options with an expert. We invite you to call or email us at 650.688.3625 or careteam@chconline.org to set up an initial Parent Consultation appointment.


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