Language is the bridge that connects children to the world around them. For toddlers, this bridge is under constant construction, with each word, gesture, and sound representing a significant milestone in their cognitive and social development.
Perhaps your first child was a precocious language learner who began speaking early and is now using complex phrases and advanced vocabulary. However, your second child is not as verbose, and tends to point and make sounds instead of trying to use words. While each child grows and develops on their own timeline, it is natural for parents to make comparisons, and you may be wondering if your younger child is developing their communication milestones within the typical timeframe.
Understanding how toddlers learn to communicate can help parents and caregivers support this crucial developmental stage. The following communication milestones can help you identify if your child is on-track.
Key Developmental Stages in Child Language Development:
12-18 Months
– First words: “ball”, “dog”, “milk”, “more”
– Example command understanding: “Bring me your shoes”
– Gestures like pointing at objects, waving bye-bye
– Example communication: Saying “up” while raising arms to be picked up
18-24 Months
– Vocabulary examples: “water”, “eat”, “play”, “car”
– Two-word combinations: “Mommy go”, “big truck”, “my toy”
– Pronouns in practice: “Me hungry”, “You play”
– Simple questions: “Where daddy?” or “What that?”
24-36 Months
– Sentence examples: “I want juice”, “Doggy running fast”
– Storytelling: “Grandma give me cookie”
– Complex questions: “Why sky blue?” or “How car work?”
Modeling clear and simple language is the best way to support your little one’s communication. You can do this by speaking to, and in front of your child as often as possible. Use opportunities such as mealtime, car rides, and bath time to label and narrate throughout your child’s day. Swap out screen time for story time. Follow these strategies to help your child develop their communication skills.
6 Effective Strategies to Support Early Language Development:
– Reading: Use interactive books with animal sounds or action words.
Encourage your child to repeat or point to common and familiar objects and items on the pages.
– Conversation: Repeat and expand child’s words – add one word on to what your child says.
– Daily narration: “Now I’m stirring the soup”, “We’re putting on your red shoes”
– Encouragement: Respond enthusiastically to communication attempts – “Yay! You said “open”!”
– Singing: Use nursery rhymes with repetitive words
– Pairing your words with gestures
Signs to discuss with your pediatrician:
– Your child is not yet producing any single understandable words by 16 months
– Your toddler cannot follow simple, familiar directions such as “go get your shoes”
– Your child is not yet combining two-word phrases by 24 months
– Your child is saying less words than they used to
– Your child uses limited eye contact during communication and does not typically respond to their name.
Conclusion
Each child’s language development is a unique symphony of sounds, gestures, and emerging communication skills. While milestones provide guidance, they are not rigid rules. The most critical ingredients in a toddler’s linguistic journey are love, patience, and consistent engagement. By creating a rich, interactive environment that celebrates every attempt at communication, parents and caregivers can nurture their child’s growing ability to express their thoughts, needs, and emotions as they explore the world around them.
Remember that language development is not a race, but a path that each child navigates at their own pace. Every child finds their voice in their own time, and your supportive presence is the most powerful tool in helping them navigate this exciting developmental journey.
Schedule a free phone consultation with a speech therapist at East Bay Child Development Center if you have questions or concerns about your child’s communication development – We are here to help.(And/or) Sign up for our newsletter and get a free First Words Checklist to keep track of your toddlers’ budding expressive language.