Speech & Language Milestones

Speech and Language Milestones by Age

Birth to 3 Months:

• Makes cooing and gurgling sounds

• Startles at loud noises

• Responds to familiar voices

4 to 6 Months:

• Babbles with different sounds

• Imitates some sounds

• Turns head towards sound sources

7 to 12 Months:

• Says simple words like "mama" or "dada"

• Understands simple commands like "wave bye-bye"

• Uses gestures like pointing

1 to 2 Years:

• Uses 10 to 50 words

• Combines two words together

• Follows simple instructions

2 to 3 Years:

• Uses 200 to 1,000 words

• Speaks in short sentences

• Asks simple questions

3 to 4 Years:

• Uses more complex sentences

• Tells stories

• Understands concepts of past and future