Speech & Language

4 months

• Reacts to loud sounds (startles, wakes up, stop sucking or cries)
• Coos and vocalises when happy, excited or talked to

6 months

• Smiles and vocalises at image in mirror
• Starts babbling (e.g., “pa pa pa”)
• Turns head towards a sound above the level (7 to 9 months)

9 months

• Babbles consistently with more than 1 syllable type (e.g., “ba ba ba”, “ma ma ma” and “ta ta ta”)
• Responds to her name
• Imitates playful or animal sounds

12 months

• Looks for familiar family members (e.g., “Where’s mama?”)
• Very tuneful babbling with different intonations
• Repeats a few single words

15 months

• Uses 3 - 5 words meaningfully, mixed with jargon
• Understands simple instructions
• Points to familiar persons and objects upon request

18 months

• Uses 6 - 20 words clearly, understands much more
• Points to 2 - 3 body parts

2 years

• Listens to simple stories and songs
• Has a vocabulary of 50 or more words
• Combines 2 or more words into simple phrases
• Points to 5 - 6 body parts
• Names familiar objects and pictures

3 years

• Gives own name and gender
• Uses 3 - 4 word sentences
• Ask simple questions (e.g., Who, What, Where and Why questions)
• Points to details in a pictures (wings on a bird)

4 years

• Speech is clear
• Names several colours, shapes, letters and numbers
• Listens to long stories
• Tells simple stories

5 years

• Speaks fluently in long sentences, uses descriptive words and ‘joining’ words (e.g., and, but, then)
• Knows letter sounds, reads single words