Milestones for Speech and Language Development
If a child has not achieved the speech and language milestones for the age groups below, please consider referring the child for speech and language testing
Two Year Olds
Hearing and Understanding
• Points to a few body parts when asked.
• Follows simple commands and understands simple questions ("Roll the ball," "Kiss the baby," "Where's your shoe?").
• Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.
• Points to pictures in a book when named.
Talking
• Says more words every month.
• Uses some one- or two- word questions ("Where kitty?" "Go bye-bye?" "What's that?").
• Puts two words together ("more cookie," "no juice," "mommy book").
• Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words.
Three Year Olds
Hearing and Understanding
• Follows two requests ("Get the book and put it on the table").
• Understands differences in meaning ("go-stop," "in-on," "big-little," "up-down").
Talking
• Has a word for almost everything.
• Uses two- or three- word "sentences" to talk about and ask for things.
• Speech is understood by people outside of the family 80% of the time.
• Asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them.
• Uses pronouns he, she, I, you, they, his, her, my, mine, we.
Four Year Olds
Hearing and Understanding
• Hears you when you call from another room.
• Hears television or radio at the same loudness level as other family members.
• Understands simple "wh" (who, what, where, why) questions.
Talking
• Talks about activities at school or at friends' homes.
• Speaks clearly enough that people outside of the family understand his or her speech 100% of the time.
• Uses a lot of sentences that have four or more words.
• Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words.
• Uses all sounds correctly with the possible exception of one of the following: r, l, s, z, v or th.
Five Year Olds
Hearing and Understanding
• Pays attention to a short story and answers simple questions about it.
• Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school.
Talking
• Uses sentences that give lots of details (e.g., "My friend is coming over to play after school.").
• Tells stories that stick to topic.
• Communicates easily with other children and adults.
• Says most sounds correctly with the possible exception of one of the following: l, s, r, z, or th.
• Uses the same grammar as the rest of the family.
