Speech & Language Milestones: What to Expect at Every Age (0–5)

LMBSLP
May 30
4 min read

Understand the stages. Spot the signs. Support your child with confidence.

Why Speech & Language Milestones Matter

Understanding your child’s speech and language development is one of the most powerful ways you can support their growth. From your baby’s first coos to their first full sentence, these milestones don’t just show communication—they reflect cognitive, emotional, and social development too.

Knowing what’s typical—and what might signal a need for extra support—empowers you to show up early, consistently, and with confidence.

📊 Speech & Language Milestone Timeline

Below is a breakdown of what to expect at each age range, along with red flags to watch for and practical steps you can take as a parent.

🐣 0–6 Months: Laying the Foundation

A baby lying on a white blanket holds a small red heart. The baby looks towards the camera with a calm expression.

Typical Development:

Reacts to sounds and voices
Coos, gurgles, and makes vowel sounds (like “ahh” or “ooh”)
Smiles in response to talking
Begins to imitate facial expressions and mouth movements

Red Flags to Watch For:

Doesn’t respond to loud sounds
Rarely makes eye contact or smiles
Doesn’t coo or make any vocal sounds

What You Can Do:

Talk to your baby during routines (diaper changes, feeding, etc.)
Imitate their sounds and facial expressions
Use gentle sing-song tones to encourage back-and-forth interaction

👶 6–12 Months: Babbling & Back-and-Forth

Spanish Toddler in a pink shirt and blue pants sits on a wooden chair, chewing the backrest. Soft lighting creates a serene mood.

Typical Development:

Babbles using repetitive sounds (e.g., “ba-ba,” “da-da”)
Responds to their name
Understands simple words like “no” or “bye-bye”
Uses gestures like pointing, reaching, or waving

Red Flags to Watch For:

No babbling by 9 months
Limited interest in interaction
Doesn’t respond to their name by 12 months

What You Can Do:

Encourage turn-taking in babble conversations
Name everything in your environment (e.g., “cup,” “ball,” “light”)
Reinforce gestures by pairing them with simple words (“Wave bye-bye!”)

🚼 12–18 Months: First Words Appear

spanish Toddler in blue overalls and white shirt stands on wooden floor, holding headphones. Blurred background with warm tones. Curious expression.

Typical Development:

Says 5–10 words meaningfully
Understands simple instructions (“Give me the ball”)
Uses gestures + words to communicate
Imitates new words or sounds

Red Flags to Watch For:

No spoken words by 15 months
Doesn’t imitate gestures or sounds
Doesn’t follow simple instructions

What You Can Do:

Offer choices: “Do you want the apple or the banana?”
Expand on their speech: If they say “milk,” you say, “More milk!”
Use books with simple, repetitive text and clear pictures

👧 18–24 Months: Vocabulary Explosion Begins

spanish Girl in leopard print sweater holds a black ball, smiling in a park. Playground and people in the blurred background. Bright, cheerful mood.

Typical Development:

Says at least 20–50 words
Begins combining 2 words (“want toy,” “mama go”)
Follows two-step directions
Understands more than they can say

Red Flags to Watch For:

Fewer than 20 words by 18 months
No two-word combinations by 24 months
Difficulty making needs known

What You Can Do:

Encourage pretend play and narrate actions
Reinforce language through routines (e.g., dressing: “Shirt on!”)
Pause and wait after questions to give your child time to respond

🧒 2–3 Years: Putting It All Together

Young spanish girl in pink dress with tiara, smiling at a picnic. Balloon number 3, fruit, and tea set on red checkered blanket in a sunny park.

Typical Development:

Vocabulary grows to 200–300+ words
Uses simple 3-word sentences
Understands concepts like “big/little,” “in/on”
Strangers can understand about 50% of what they say

Red Flags to Watch For:

Speech is hard to understand even for parents
Still relying mostly on gestures
Doesn’t use simple sentences by 3

What You Can Do:

Model full sentences based on what they say: “Dog run” → “Yes, the dog is running!”
Ask open-ended questions during play: “What should we cook?”
Let them “lead” play and follow their cues with language

🧠 3–5 Years: Refining and Expanding

Young spanish boy in striped shirt and shorts carries a small bag over his shoulder, walking on grass in a park setting on a sunny day.

Typical Development:

Uses complex sentences with plurals, tenses, and descriptive words
Can retell short stories or describe past events
Understands most questions (“what,” “where,” “who,” “why”)
Speech is mostly understood by strangers by age 4

Red Flags to Watch For:

Trouble forming sentences or using age-appropriate grammar
Difficulty understanding simple stories or questions
Ongoing frustration with communication

What You Can Do:

Read books daily and ask comprehension questions
Use pretend scenarios (“Let’s go shopping!”) to practice conversation
Support emotional expression: “You’re mad? Tell me why.”

🚩 When to Seek Extra Support

If your child shows one or more red flags listed above, it doesn’t necessarily mean something’s wrong—but it does mean it’s time to explore support.

Early intervention can make a huge difference in long-term speech, confidence, and learning. You’re not overreacting. You’re being proactive.

💬 What If My Child Is Bilingual?

Bilingual children may mix languages or start speaking slightly later—but the milestones still matter. They should still be using gestures, combining words, and showing steady progress in either language.

If you’re unsure, we offer a specialized bilingual speech program to support families like yours. Learn more here.