Speech Development Chart
Speech & Language Milestones
Speech and language milestones are different skills that children develop as they grow. Every child is unique and may develop at their own pace. If you think your child needs speech and language services please express your concerns with your child’s provider.
Birth – 1 Year
| Language | Speech Sounds | Social |
|---|---|---|
| – Babbles, squeals, produces some reduplicated syllables (i.e. “mama”, “baba”) – Uses actions/gestures to communicate – Uses 2–6 words | p, m, h, n, w | – Responds to “no” – Tries to “talk” to listener – Plays pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo games – Responds to name |
2-3 Years
| Language | Speech Sounds | Social |
|---|---|---|
| – Identifies 6+ body parts – Responds to 2-part commands – Answers “what”, “who”, “where” and “what doing” questions – Combines 2–3 words to make phrases – Asks simple questions – Uses 200–1,000 words | p, m, h, n, w, b Understand about 50–75% of what he/she says | – Participates in simple group activities – Beginning make-believe play – Makes conversational repairs when the listener doesn’t understand – Listens to stories |
4-5 Years
| Language | Speech Sounds | Social |
|---|---|---|
| – Follows 3-step commands – Uses pronouns correctly – Answers “when” and “how many” questions – Uses appropriate grammar – Uses 1,600–2,500 | p, m, h, n, w, b, k, g, d, f, y Understand about 80–90% | – Uses words to invite others to play – Uses words to resolve disputes with peers – Participates in competitive play |
5-6 Years
| Language | Speech Sounds | Social |
|---|---|---|
| – 2,500–7,000 words – Asks/Answers a variety of questions about past/present/future – Asks meaning of words – Understand that spoken words are made up of sounds | p, m, h, n, w, b, k, g, d, t, r, l, s Understands 100% of what he/she says | – Chooses own friends – Engages in cooperative play/playing fairly – Takes more care in communicating with unfamiliar people |
6-7 Years
| Language | Speech Sounds | Social |
|---|---|---|
| – 7,000+ words – Participates in conversational exchange with greater than 3 exchanges – Retells familiar stories – Creates rhyming words | p, m, h, n, w, b, k, g, d, t, r, l, s, ch, sh, z, j, v, th | – Participates in lengthy conversation with adults and peers – Uses appropriate behavior for various settings (i.e. school vs home) |
Red Flags
- Limited to no babbling during infancy
- Has not used first words by 15 months
- Does not use at least six consonant sounds by 20 months
- Has a vocabulary less than 50 words by age 2
- Has decreased interest in social interactions