Milestones in Language Development in Early Childhood
- The Green Elephant
- Jan 8, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 1
In a rush? Here's a quick rundown.
Language development progresses through stages: pre-linguistic communication (birth-12 months), single words (12-18 months), and two-word combinations (18-24 months).
Both nature and nurture shape language skills — genetics play a role, but exposure to rich and varied adult speech is one of the critical predictors of early language development.
Key milestones include babbling by 4-8 months, first words by 12 months, 50+ words by 24 months, and two-word sentences by age 2.
Create a language-rich environment through reading aloud, singing songs, labelling objects in conversation, and including your child in social situations.
The first 24 months of a child's life play a significant role in their overall development. Learning effective communication during these formative years is crucial for healthy cognitive, social, and emotional growth.
In this guide, we'll cover the stages of language development, common concerns in milestone monitoring, and how to enhance your child's language development so they can thrive as they grow.
What Influences Language Development?
A combination of nature and nurture determines the road to speech. Genetics, exposure to language, environment, cognitive abilities, and social relationships work together to shape your child's linguistic skills from early childhood to adulthood.
Key factors include:
Genetics — Recent studies have shown connections between genetic factors and the number of words spoken by children in their formative years
Language exposure — Children benefit significantly from exposure to rich and varied adult speech within family dynamics
Conversation — Whether you're describing an object or event in detail, conversing with your child is one of the critical predictors of early language development
Cultural environment — Children exposed to different languages in early life are more likely to become bilingual or multilingual
Stages of Language Development
As a parent or caregiver, you play a critical role in your child's communication journey. Let's examine the phases and how to support language development in these key years.
Pre-Linguistic Communication (Birth to 12 Months)
Birth to 4 months: There will be no recognisable speech during this period, but your baby will find ways to communicate with you. In the first two months, expect reflexive crying sounds when they are uncomfortable or hungry. Babies also begin to make cooing noises as a reaction to your voice. Responding vocally and with a smile is critical to language development and emotional bonding.
4 to 8 months: By four months, your baby will start to babble. There'll be many "ooh" and "aahhh" noises. Children of this age rely on auditory and visual input, so being expressive is key.
8 to 12 months: Babbling evolves as your baby learns to combine consonants and vowels. Expect to hear "baba" and similar attempts to form speech sounds. Sometimes, it may sound like your baby is singing as they babble.
Single Word Stage (12 to 18 Months)
By this point, children have developed enough language skills to say single words. The words will be simple as your child learns to identify their basic needs. You'll also start to hear object words. Children typically learn "mama" or "dada" during this exciting stage to get the caregiver's attention.
Modelling language during playtime is an ideal method to help your child build their speech skills. Children rely on your feedback and vocabulary expansion to develop their language foundation.
Two-Word Stage (18 to 24 Months)
As children reach 18 months, they learn to use two words instead of one by combining words they learned during the single word stage. Instead of saying "mama," your child may say "thank mama" as their communication skills develop.
Typically, children start to follow simple grammatical rules during this time. For example, your child may change their pitch at the end of asking a question.
You may observe your toddler's development of syntax at this stage as they start to put together increasingly complex words. They begin to express relationships with objects, actions, and entities. You can also expect the formation of commands and questions.
Key Milestones to Monitor
Developmental milestones play a crucial role in measuring your child's growth and deciding if you need to consider intervention to aid their communication journey.
By 6 months:
Makes eye contact
Looks at you when you call their name
Turns to look at a discussed object
By 12 months:
Plays interactive games with you
Attempts to communicate using gestures, sounds, and words
Tries to communicate that they want something or need help
By 18 months:
Saying single words
Responding to everyday questions like "Can you pass me the ball, please?"
By 24 months:
Has a vocabulary of 50+ different words
Putting two words together
Can name common colours
Responding to everyday questions like "Do you want the ball?"
Identifying Language Development Delays
Sometimes, when children have unusual difficulties understanding or forming words, it might be a language delay.
Look out for problems with:
Responding to language
Understanding words or sentences
Saying first words or retaining vocabulary
Forming sentences
Language delays can result from conditions such as autism, hearing loss, deafness, or Down syndrome. However, many language delays manifest in the absence of any disorder.
Language delay is relatively common in the first couple of years — as many as 1 in 6 children in this age bracket can have slowed speech development. If you're concerned about your child's communication journey, don't hesitate to contact your local speech and language therapy service for guidance.
Nurturing Language Development at Home
Language development is a two-way process. There are things you can do to nurture your child's progress so they have a solid foundation on which to build.
Create a Language-Rich Environment
Start by immersing your child in a language-rich world right at home:
Sing songs together
Label objects in your home by referring to them in conversation
Listen intently to your child's stories and ask questions to encourage them to share further details
Include your child in social situations so they can observe how you interact with others
Enjoy shared meal times together and practise taking turns speaking and listening
The Power of Reading Aloud
Reading aloud to your child is a great way to expose them to a wide range of vocabulary. Stories that rhyme can be particularly helpful for teaching language skills and literacy development.
Great books for read-aloud include:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
Interactive reading techniques:
Invite your child to play with objects related to the story
Reenact the text through simple drama
Stop and ask your child questions during storytime
Point to pictures and name what you see
Social Interaction and Language Skills
Social interaction plays a major part in language development. You can foster positive communication in various social settings by showing your child how to:
Initiate exchanges with others
Take turns whilst talking
Display appropriate gestures
Listen and respond to what others say
Celebrating the Journey
Language development is much more than a series of linguistic achievements — it's your child's road to empowerment and self-discovery. By nurturing your child's progress and celebrating their milestones along the way, you help pave the way for their unique language development journey.
A large part of supporting language development is about celebrating achievements. Progress monitoring is an excellent way to grow your child's confidence and build certainty in their language skills. By also identifying any delays and seeking professional help if needed, you give your child the best chance to succeed.
FAQ
What are the main stages of language development in early childhood?
Language development progresses through three main stages: pre-linguistic communication (birth to 12 months) with cooing and babbling, the single word stage (12-18 months) with first words like "mama" and "dada," and the two-word stage (18-24 months) where children combine words into simple phrases.
When should my child say their first words?
Most children say their first recognisable words around 12 months, typically starting with simple words like "mama," "dada," or names of familiar objects. By 18 months, they should be using single words, and by 24 months, most children have a vocabulary of 50+ words and are combining two words together.
How can I help my child's language development at home?
Create a language-rich environment by singing songs together, labelling objects in conversation, reading aloud daily, listening attentively when your child communicates, including them in social situations, and having shared meal times where you practise taking turns speaking and listening.
When should I be concerned about my child's language development?
Consider seeking professional advice if your child isn't making eye contact by 6 months, isn't using gestures or sounds to communicate by 12 months, isn't saying single words by 18 months, or doesn't have at least 50 words and isn't combining two words by 24 months.
Is language delay common in young children?
Yes, language delay is relatively common — as many as 1 in 6 children in the first two years can have slowed speech development. Many delays resolve with time and support, but if you're concerned, contact your local speech and language therapy service for guidance.
See How We Nurture Communication Skills
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