How Many Words Should My Toddler Be Using?

If you’re a parent, you are probably no stranger to worry when it comes to your child. Since becoming a mom in 2021, I have learned firsthand just how much worry comes with the title. From the time we bring our child home, we can easily become overwhelmed, worrying if they’re growing enough, if they’re on the right sleep schedule, and whether a few-minutes-of Miss-Rachel-so-I-can-drink-my-coffee-in-(relative)-peace is going to ruin them forever (Also SHOUT OUT to Miss Rachel, an actual angel among us). And don’t get me started on feeding (My toddler had 2 crackers for dinner last night…).  

For many, one of the biggest worries in the first few years of parenthood is about whether their child is meeting their speech and language milestones as expected. Over the years, parents have come to me with questions, like: How many words should my baby be saying? My child seems to understand everything but isn’t talking…is that okay? Am I supposed to be able to understand them? When will my toddler be able to just tell me what it is that they want for dinner rather than having me cook five meals only to eat one single Ritz cracker they found in the back of their dump truck? Okay, fine, that last one was from me…but you get the point!

Speech and language development can be nerve wracking for parents

when all we want is to hear their little voices talking back to us!

In this post, I hope to answer your questions about your child’s communication development. I have included some basic speech and language milestones for babies and children ages 1 to 5.  This is not an exhaustive list; but rather, a quick checklist to reference if you are wondering whether your child’s communication development is on track. 

Speech and Language Milestones Ages 1-5: 

By 12 months, your child may:

-Use 2-3+ words besides “mama” and “dada” verbally

-Imitate familiar words (or tries to approximate such as saying bah for ball)

-Respond to basic requests and directions

By 18 months, your child may: 

-Use between 10 and 50+ words

-Understand “no”

-Makes needs known by using words such as “more”

-Waves bye bye 

-Uses about 16 gestures by 16 months (such as clapping, waving, pointing, arms up, giving an item, etc….learn more here)

By 2 years old, your child may: 

-Use 50-300+ words

-Combine 2+ words into phrases (such as mommy go, daddy car, etc.)

-Use a variety of different word combinations for different communication functions, such as to request, answer questions, comment, protest, etc. 

-Comprehend approximately 300 words

By 3 years old, your child may: 

-Use 250-1000+ words

-Speak in 3+ word sentences
-Use the following speech sounds: b, p, m, w, t, d, m, f, y, k, g, ng, and h

-Have a word for almost everything

-Comprehend approximately 500 words

-Answer what and where questions

By 4 years old, your child may:

-Ask and answer a variety of simple questions

-Use the following speech sounds: v, j, ch, sh, l, s, and z

-Use 4+ word sentences

-Know most body parts

By 5 years old, your child may: 

-Understand 3000+ words

-Identify/label colors and shapes

-Attend to an activity for 11-12 minutes

-Follow multiple step directions

-Tell a short story

At Connections Speech Pathology, we know that every child is unique and follows their own trajectory toward communication. These milestones are averages and are not truly black and white. If you have questions or concerns, our dedicated team of ASHA certified and licensed speech therapists would be happy to provide a complimentary consultation to discuss your child’s speech and language development. 

References:

https://www.ldonline.org/ld-topics/speech-language/speech-and-language-milestone-chart

https://www.asha.org/slp/schools/prof-consult/norms/

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/speech-and-language