Communication Milestones Birth to 5 years

Birth to 3 months:

Does the child:

• make cooing sounds

• have different cries for different needs

• smile at you

• startle to loud sounds

• soothe/calm to a familiar voice

4 to 6 months:

Does the child:

• babble and make different sounds

• make sounds back when you talk

• enjoy games like peek-a-boo

• turn his/her eyes toward a sound source

• respond to music or toys that make noise

7 to 12 months:

Does the child:

• wave hi/bye

• respond to his/her name

• let you know what he/she wants using sounds, and/or actions like pointing

• begin to follow simple directions (e.g., Where is your nose?)

• localize correctly to sound by turning his/her head toward the sound

• pay attention when spoken to

By 12 to 18 months:

Does the child:

• use common words and start to put words together

• enjoy listening to storybooks

• point to body parts or pictures in a book when asked

• look at your face when talking to you

By 18 to 24 months:

Does the child:

• understand more words than he/she can say

• say two words together (e.g., More juice)

• ask simple questions (e.g., What’s that?)

• take turns in a conversation

2 to 3 years:

Does the child:

• use sentences of three or more words most of the time

• understand different concepts (e.g., in-on; up-down)

• follow two-part directions (e.g., take the book and put it on the table)

• answer simple questions (e.g., Where is the car?)

• participate in short conversations

3 to 4 years:

Does the child:

• tell a short story or talk about daily activities

• talk in sentences with adult-like grammar

• generally speak clearly so people understand

• hear you when you call from another room

• listen to TV at the same volume as others

• answer a variety of questions

4 to 5 years:

Does the child:

• pronounce most speech sounds correctly

• participate in and understand conversations even in the presence of background noise

• recognize familiar signs (e.g., stop sign)

• make up rhymes

• hear and understand most of what is said at home and school

• listen to and retell a story and ask and answer questions about a story