Is Your Child on Track?

Milestones

• Understands “no”
• Uses 10 to 20 words, including names
• Combines two words such as “daddy bye‐bye”
• Waves good‐bye and plays pat‐a‐cake
• Makes the “sounds” of familiar animals
• Gives a toy when asked
• Uses words such as “more” to make wants known
• Points to his or her toes, eyes, and nose
• Brings object from another room when asked

Activities to encourage your child’s language

• Reward and encourage early efforts at saying new words
• Talk to your baby about everything you’re doing while you’re with him
• Talk simply, clearly, and slowly to your child
• Talk about new situations before you go, while you’re there, and again when you are home
• Look at your child when he or she talks to you
• Describe what your child is doing, feeling, hearing
• Let your child listen to children’s records and tapes
• Praise your child’s efforts to communicate

Milestones

• Identifies body parts
• Carries on ‘conversation’ with self and dolls
• Asks “what’s that?” And “where’s my?”
• Uses 2‐word negative phrases such as “no want”.
• Forms some plurals by adding “s”; book, books
• Has a 450 word vocabulary
• Gives first name, holds up fingers to tell age
• Combines nouns and verbs “mommy go”
• Understands simple time concepts: “last night”, “tomorrow”
• Refers to self as “me” rather than by name
• Tries to get adult attention: “watch me”
• Likes to hear same story repeated
• May say “no” when means “yes”
• Talks to other children as well as adults
• Solves problems by talking instead of hitting or crying
• Answers “where” questions
• Names common pictures and things
• Uses short sentences like “me want more” or “me want cookie”
• Matches 3‐4 colors, knows big and little

Activities to encourage your child’s language

• Repeat new words over and over
• Help your child listen and follow instructions by playing games: “pick up the ball,” “Touch Daddy’s nose”
• Take your child on trips and talk about what you see before, during and after the trip
• Let your child tell you answers to simple questions
• Read books every day, perhaps as part of the bedtime routine
• Listen attentively as your child talks to you
• Describe what you are doing, planning, thinking
• Have the child deliver simple messages for you (Mommy needs you, Daddy )
• Carry on conversations with the child, preferably when the two of you have some quiet time together
• Ask questions to get your child to think and talk
• Show the child you understand what he or she says by answering, smiling, and nodding your head
• Expand what the; child says. If he or she says, “more juice,” you say, “Adam wants more juice

Milestones

• Can tell a story
• Has a sentence length of 4‐5 words
• Has a vocabulary of nearly 1000 words
• States first name
• Names at least one color
• Understands “yesterday,” “summer”, “lunchtime”, “tonight”, “little‐big”
• Uses pronouns (I, you, we, they) and some plurals
• Begins to obey requests like “put the block under the chair”
• Knows his or her last name, name of street on which he/she lives and several nursery rhymes

Activities to encourage your child’s language

• Talk about how objects are the same or different
• Help your child to tell stories using books and pictures
• Let your child play with other children
• Read longer stories to your child
• Pay attention to your child when he or she is talking
• Talk about places you’ve been or will be going

Milestones

• Has sentence length of 4‐5 words
• Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand
• Uses prepositions (under, beside, in front)
• Answers simple questions
• Uses past tense correctly
• Has a vocabulary of nearly 1500 words
• Points to colors red, blue, yellow and green
• Identifies triangles, circles and squares
• Understands “In the morning” , “Next”, “Noontime”
• Can speak of imaginary conditions such as “I hope”
• Asks many questions, asks “Who?” and “Why?”

Activities to encourage your child’s language

• Help your child sort objects and things (ex. things you eat, animals.)
• Teach your child how to use the telephone
• Let your child help you plan activities such as what you will make for Thanksgiving dinner
• Continue talking with him about his interests
• Read longer stories to him
• Let her tell and make up stories for you
• Show your pleasure when she comes to talk with you

Milestones

• Has a sentence length of 5‐6 words
• Uses compound and complex sentences
• Has a vocabulary of around 2000 words
• Understands rhyming
• Defines objects by their use (you eat with a fork) and can tell what objects are made of
• Knows spatial relations like “on top”, “behind”, “far” and “near”
• States full name and address
• Identifies a penny, nickel and dime
• Knows common opposites like “big/little”
• Understands “same” and “different”
• Counts ten objects
• Asks questions for information
• Uses future tense
• Distinguished left and right hand
• Uses all types of sentences, for example “let’s go to the store after we eat”

Activities to encourage your child’s language

• Praise your child when they talk about her feelings, thoughts, hopes and fears
• Comment on what you did or how you think your child feels
• Sing songs, rhymes with your child
• Continue to read longer stories
• Talk with them as you would an adult
• Look at family photos and talk to them about your family history
• Listen to him/her when they talk to you