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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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Pragmatics/Social Interaction
| AGE |
MILESTONE |
|
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.”
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Language Skills
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- Understands instructions in context and with cues (e.g., pointing).
- May point to pictures in a book when named.
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- Has between 2-10 recognizable words.
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- 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.
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- Has around 20-60 recognizable words.
- Not always understood by unfamiliar adults.
- Beginning to use simple “What’s that?” question forms.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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?”
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- 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.
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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 |
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P, B, M, N, T, D, K, G, NG, (as in sing), W, H, Y, F |
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L, J, CH, S, V, SH, Z |
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R, ZH (as in measure) Voided “th” (as in this) |
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Voiceless “TH” (as in “think) |
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@stage.chconline.org to set up an initial Parent Consultation appointment.
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