Milestone Chart is and other information available from Learning Disabilities
Association of America. Please note that these and all milestones are
general guidelines and that all children develop differently. Therefore,
your child may be advanced in some areas and slightly behind in others.
This is normal. Just be sure the difference is not excessive. Also,
use milestone charts to help your child. If there is a skill listed for a
child's age which has not been addressed by his/her caregiver, start
working on it with him/her, and help him/her achieve it.
Speech & Language Milestone
Chart
LEARNING
DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
By Age One
Milestones
- Recognizes name
- Says 2-3 words besides "mama" and "dada"
- Imitates familiar words
- Understands simple instructions
- Recognizes words as symbols for objects:
Car - points to garage, cat - meows
Activities to Encourage your Child's
Language
- Respond to your child's coos, gurgles, and
babbling
- Talk to your child as you care for him or
her throughout the day
- Read colorful books to your child every day
- Tell nursery rhymes and sing songs
- Teach your child the names of everyday
items and familiar people
- Take your child with you to new places and
situations
- Play simple games with your child such as
"peek-a-boo" and "pat-a-cake"
Between One and Two
Milestones
- Understands "no"
- Uses 10 to 20 words, including names
- Combines two words such as "daddy bye-bye"
- Waves good-bye and plays pat-a-cake
- Makes the "sounds" of familiar animals
- Gives a toy when asked
- Uses words such as "more" to make wants
known
- Points to his or her toes, eyes, and nose
- Brings object from another room when asked
Activities to Encourage your Child's
Language
- Reward and encourage early efforts at
saying new words
- Talk to your baby about everything you're
doing while you're with him
- Talk simply, clearly, and slowly to your
child
- Talk about new situations before you go,
while you're there, and again when you are home
- Look at your child when he or she talks to
you
- Describe what your child is doing, feeling,
hearing
- Let your child listen to children's records
and tapes
- Praise your child's efforts to communicate
Between Two and Three
Milestones
- Identifies body parts
- Carries on 'conversation' with self and
dolls
- Asks "what's that?" And "where's my?"
- Uses 2-word negative phrases such as "no
want".
- Forms some plurals by adding "s"; book,
books
- Has a 450 word vocabulary
- Gives first name, holds up fingers to tell
age
- Combines nouns and verbs "mommy go"
- Understands simple time concepts: "last
night", "tomorrow"
- Refers to self as "me" rather than by name
- Tries to get adult attention: "watch me"
- Likes to hear same story repeated
- May say "no" when means "yes"
- Talks to other children as well as adults
- Solves problems by talking instead of
hitting or crying
- Answers "where" questions
- Names common pictures and things
- Uses short sentences like "me want more" or
"me want cookie"
- Matches 3-4 colors, knows big and little
Activities to Encourage your Child's
Language
- Repeat new words over and over
- Help your child listen and follow
instructions by playing games: "pick up theball, " "Touch Daddy's s nose"
- Take your child on trips and talk about
what you see before, during and after the trip
- Let your child tell you answers to simple
questions
- Read books every day, perhaps as part of
the bedtime routine
- Listen attentively as your child talks to
you
- Describe what you are doing, planning,
thinking
- Have the child deliver simple messages for
you (Mommy needs you, Daddy )
- Carry on conversations with the child,
preferably when the two of you have some quiet time together
- Ask questions to get your child to think
and talk
- Show the child you understand what he or
she says by answering, smiling, and nodding your head
- Expand what the; child says. If he or she
says, "more juice", You say, "Adam wants more juice."
Between Three and Four
Milestones
- Can tell a story
- Has a sentence length of 4-5 words
- Has a vocabulary of nearly 1000 words
- Names at least one color
- Understands "yesterday," "summer",
"lunchtime", "tonight", "little-big"
- Begins to obey requests like "put the block
under the chair"
- Knows his or her last name, name of street
on which he/she lives and several nursery rhymes
Activities to Encourage your Child's
Language
- Talk about how objects are the same or
different
- Help your child to tell stories using books
and pictures
- Let your child play with other children
- Read longer stories to your child
- Pay attention to your child when he's
talking
- Talk about places you've been or will be
going
Between Four and Five
Milestones
- Has sentence length of 4-5 words
- Uses past tense correctly
- Has a vocabulary of nearly 1500 words
- Points to colors red, blue, yellow and
green
- Identifies triangles, circles and squares
- Understands "In the morning" , "next",
"noontime"
- Can speak of imaginary conditions such as
"I hope"
- Asks many questions, asks "who?" And "why?"
Activities to Encourage your Child's
Language
- Help your child sort objects and things
(ex. things you eat, animals. . )
- Teach your child how to use the telephone
- Let your child help you plan activities
such as what you will make for Thanksgiving dinner
- Continue talking with him about his
interests
- Read longer stories to him
- Let her tell and make up stories for you
- Show your pleasure when she comes to talk
with you
Between Five and Six
Milestones
- Has a sentence length of 5-6 words
- Has a vocabulary of around 2000 words
- Defines objects by their use (you eat with
a fork) and can tell what objects are made of
- Knows spatial relations like "on top",
"behind", "far" and "near"
- Knows her address
- Identifies a penny, nickel and dime
- Knows common opposites like "big/little"
- Understands "same" and "different"
- Counts ten objects
- Asks questions for information
- Distinguished left and right hand in
herself
- Uses all types of sentences, for example
"let's go to the store after we eat"
Activities to Encourage your Child's
Language
- Praise your child when she talks about her
feelings, thoughts, hopes and fears
- Comment on what you did or how you think
your child feels
- Sing songs, rhymes with your child
- Continue to read longer stories
- Talk with him as you would an adult
- Look at family photos and talk to him about
your family history
- Listen to her when she talks to you
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here to return to Mrs. Van Hoesen's Speech and Language page
Updated October 2004