Language Development

Looks around when asked “where” questions—like “Where’s your blanket?”
Follows directions—like “Give me the ball,” “Hug the teddy bear,” “Come here,” or “Show me your nose.”
Points to make requests, to comment, or to get information
Shakes head for “no” and nods head for “yes.
Understands and uses words for common objects, some actions, and people in their lives.
Identifies one or more body parts.
Uses gestures when excited, like clapping or giving a high-five, or when being silly, like sticking out their tongue or making funny faces
Uses a combination of long strings of sounds, syllables, and real words with speech-like inflection.

Uses and understands at least 50 different words for food, toys, animals, and body parts.
Speech may not always be clear—like du for “shoe” or dah for “dog.”
Puts two or more words together—like more water or go outside
Follows two-step directions—like “Get the spoon, and put it on the table.”
Uses words like me, mine, and you.
Uses words to ask for help.
Uses possessives, like Daddy’s sock

Tries to get your attention by saying, Look at me!
Says their name when asked.
Uses some plural words like birds or toys.
Uses –ing verbs like eating or running. Adds –ed to the end of words to talk about past actions, like looked or played.
Gives reasons for things and events, like saying that they need a coat when it’s cold outside.
Asks why and how.
Answers questions like “What do you do when you are sleepy?” or “Which one can you wear?
Speech is becoming clearer but may be between 50-75% understandable to unfamiliar listeners or to people who do not know your child.
May repeat words or whole parts of a sentence

Compares things, with words like bigger or shorter.
Tells you a story from a book or a video.
Understands and uses more location words, like inside, on, and under.
Uses words like a or the when talking, like a book or the dog.
Pretends to read alone or with others.
Recognizes signs and logos like STOP.
Pretends to write or spell and can write some letters.
Says all the syllables in a word.
Says the sounds at the beginning, middle, and end of words.
By age 4 years, your child talks smoothly. Does not repeat sounds, words, or phrases most of the time.
By age 4 years, your child speaks so that people can understand most of what they say.

Produces grammatically correct sentences. Sentences are longer and more complex.
Includes (1) main characters, settings, and words like and to connect information and (2) ideas to tell stories.
Uses at least one irregular plural form, like feet or men.
Understands and uses location words, like behind, beside, and between.
Uses more words for time—like yesterday and tomorrow—correctly.
Follows simple directions and rules to play games.
Locates the front of a book and its title.
Recognizes and names 10 or more letters and can usually write their own name.
Imitates reading and writing from left to right.
Blends word parts, like cup + cake = cupcake. Identifies some rhyming words, like cat and hat.
Produces most consonants correctly, and speech is understandable in conversation.