Speech Milestones by Age: Birth to 5 Years
Every child takes their own path to talking. These are the skills most children show around each age, plus one easy way to play that supports the next step. Think of them as signposts, not a test.
0–6 months
- Turns toward voices and is startled or soothed by sounds
- Coos and makes "ooh" and "aah" sounds
- Smiles and makes sounds back when you talk
Try this: Copy your baby's coos, then pause and wait for their "reply."
6–12 months
- Babbles with repeated sounds like "ba-ba" and "da-da"
- Responds to their name and to "no"
- Starts using gestures: reaching, waving, pointing
- May say a first word around the first birthday
Try this: Play peekaboo and wave "bye-bye" every time someone leaves.
12–18 months
- Says a handful of words, including sounds like "moo" or "uh-oh"
- Follows simple directions with a gesture ("Give me the cup")
- Points to show you things they find interesting
Try this: When your child points, name it: "Dog! A big dog."
18–24 months
- Vocabulary grows quickly, often to 50 or more words by age 2
- Starts joining two words: "more juice," "daddy go"
- Points to pictures in books and to a few body parts
Try this: Offer two choices ("Apple or banana?") so your child hears the word right before using it.
2–3 years
- Uses two- and three-word phrases, then short sentences
- Understands simple "what" and "where" questions
- Familiar adults understand much of what they say
Try this: Pause before the last word of a favorite song or book and let them fill it in.
3–4 years
- Speaks in longer sentences and asks lots of questions
- Talks during pretend play and about things that happened
- Most people can understand most of their speech
Try this: Join pretend play (a tea party, a doctor visit) and talk about what each character is doing.
4–5 years
- Tells simple stories with a beginning and an end
- Speech is clear to people who don't know them
- Uses past tense and describes how and why
Try this: Ask open questions like "What was the best part of the park?"
Next: speech sounds by age
When kids usually say each sound, and which "baby talk" mix-ups fade on their own.
When to check in
A child who is a little behind on one item is usually nothing to worry about. It's worth talking to your pediatrician or a speech-language pathologist if:
- Your baby isn't babbling, pointing or waving by around 12 months
- Your toddler isn't saying a few words or copying sounds by around 18 months
- Your child isn't putting two words together by around 2 years
- Your child loses words or skills they used to have, at any age
- You just have a feeling something isn't right. You know your child best.
In the United States, children under 3 can get a free evaluation through your state's Early Intervention program, and children 3 and older through your local public school district. You can reach out yourself without a referral.
Simple ways to help at any age
Talk face to face, follow your child's interests, keep sentences short and leave pauses for them to take a turn. Our guide How to Help Your Toddler Talk has 12 easy ideas, and the animal sounds game is a fun way to practice early sounds together.
This guide is general information about typical development. It is not a diagnosis or a replacement for advice from your child's doctor or a licensed speech-language pathologist.