Speech and Language Developmental Milestones: Birth to 5 Years Old
Speech & Language Milestones: Birth to 5 Years
These milestones are intended as general developmental guidelines. Every child develops at their own pace, and not meeting every milestone exactly on time does not necessarily mean your child has a speech or language disorder.
Multilingual consideration: Children learning two or more languages may distribute their vocabulary across languages, but bilingualism itself does not cause speech delays. Here’s a guide to learn more about “What is normal in bilingual development?”
Birth–3 Months
Talking
Cries to communicate needs
Starts makes vowel-like sounds
Understanding
Startles to loud sounds
Calms to familiar voices
Turns head towards speaker when hearing familiar voices
Play & Social Skills
Engages with caregivers during play
Responds to familiar people
Try This:
Use one-word phrases during daily routines, label familiar objects (like favorite toys and foods), imitate your baby's sounds, and smile while waiting for them to "talk back."
4–6 Months
Talking
Babbles using sounds like "ba" and "ma"
Laughs and squeals
Understanding
Turns toward sounds
Responds to changes in your tone of voice
Recognizes familiar voices
Play & Social Skills
Enjoys peekaboo
Reaches for toys
Takes turns making sounds with you
Try This:
Continue to use se one-word phrases during daily routines. Copy your baby's sounds and pause to let them respond. These back-and-forth "conversations" help build communication.
7–9 Months
Talking
Imitates and repeats syllables during babbling (dadada, mama)
Vocalizes during play
Understanding
Responds to their name
Begins understanding familiar words like "no"
Looks toward familiar objects when named
Play & Social Skills
Uses gestures or vocalizations to protest undesired activities
Uses gestures or vocalizations like reaching to request familiar objects
Vocalizes (can be even crying or shouting) to get caregiver’s attention
Try This:
Continue using one word phrases, then pause before handing your child their desired object, in order to encourage your baby to communicate through reaching, pointing, or vocalizing.
10–12 Months
Talking
Says first word(s)
Uses sounds and gestures together
Imitate simple sounds (boo, woof, beep, roar) - they may not pronounce the words completely correctly, but they attempt to make the sound.
Understanding
Follows simple directions with gestures
Recognizes familiar words
Understands common routines
Play & Social Skills
Waves goodbye
Points to request or share interest
Claps and imitates simple actions
Try This:
Read age appropriate books together and point to pictures while labeling what you see.
12–18 Months
Talking
Uses approximately 10+ words
Labels familiar people and objects
Starts using words to request favorite things
Understanding
Follows simple one-step directions (ex: Come here, put in, sit down)
Identifies familiar body parts, toys, food, or people
Understands simple questions by pointing or responding (ex: "Where's your shoe?")
Play & Social Skills
Begins pretend play (feeding a doll, pretends to eat play food, pretends to talk on the phone)
Tries to engage in play by showing favorite objects to show others
Uses toys for functional play (ex: rolling a car, stacking blocks)
Try This:
Offer 2 choices such as "car or doll?" and wait for your child to point, gesture, or use a word.
18-24 Months
Talking
Uses 50+ words
Starts using two word phrases (ex: more milk)
Uses words to request, comment, greet, and protest
Understanding
Follows two-step related directions
Understands simple questions (ex: Where’s daddy?)
Points to familiar objects when named
Play & Social Skills
Begins taking turns during simple games with maximum encourage and support
Enjoys simple pretend play in an increased number of activities
Imitates everyday activities during play when given a demonstration by the parent
Try This:
Pause before giving your child something they want to encourage them to request it using a word, gesture, or sound.
2–3 Years
Talking
About 50% understandable to unfamiliar listeners by age 2
About 75% understandable by age 3
Uses 2-3 word sentences (ex: “I want milk.)
Understanding
Understands location words like "in" and "on"
Follows two-step contextual, related directions (ex: "Get your shoes and bring them to me.")
Understands simple concepts (ex: big/little, open/close)
Play & Social Skills
Cooperative playing, such as turn taking
Solves simple problems during play (ex: opening a container, moving a chair to reach a toy, turning a puzzle piece until it fits)
Matches similar objects (colors, shapes)
Try This:
Use a phrase length that is equivalent to the longest phrase length they use (ex: 3 woord sentences if they are using 3 words).
3–4 Years
Talking
Uses 3-4 word sentences (ex: “I want more milk.)
Uses short sentences to comment (ex: I like ball)
About 75% understandable by age 3 by unfamiliar listeners
Understanding
Answers "who," "what," and "where" questions
Follows 2-step unrelated directions (ex: "Close the door and bring me your teddy bear.")
Starts sequencing and understanding “first” , “next”, and “last”
Play & Social Skills
Plays cooperatively with others (ex: building a block tower together or pretending to cook with a friend)
Takes turns in conversation (ex: answering a question and then asking one back)
Creates simple stories during play (ex: pretending a stuffed animal is sick and needs to see the doctor)
Try This:
After reading a book, ask your child to tell you what happened first, next, and last.
4–5 Years
Talking
Speaks in complete 4-5 word sentences
Retells familiar stories
Nearly 100% understandable by age 5, even if there are a few speech sound errors (like /r/, /th/)
Understanding
Follows multi-step directions (like "Put your shoes away, wash your hands, and come to the table.")
Begins understanding time concepts (like "yesterday" and "tomorrow")
Answers more complex questions (like "Why do we wear coats when it's cold?")
Play & Social Skills
Creates beginning, middle, and end storylines during play
Acts out real-life experiences (school, grocery store, doctor)
Uses one object to represent something else during imaginative play
Try This:
Play games that involve following directions, storytelling, and taking turns, such as scavenger hunts, simple board games, or pretend adventures.
“Does my child need speech therapy?"
You are the expert on your child and you can trust your intuition. If you are concerned about their communication, it’s always worth looking into. Perhaps an evaluation could determine they are meeting milestones. However, if they need a extra support, early intervention can make a meaningful difference.
You may also find this resource helpful: What to Expect at Your Child's First Speech Evaluation.
I would be honored to partner with you to support communication development and confidence at any stage of life. I provide multilingual speech therapy services in English, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and Portuguese for children, teens and adults. I can provide speech therapy services in your home in Leander, Cedar Park, or North Austin, or teletherapy in Texas. Please reach out if I could be ofservice to you.