One to Two Years

[en Español]

Disclaimer: The communication milestones included in ASHA's "How Does Your Child Hear and Talk" products are currently being revised and will be published in 2023. Changes include (a) shorter timeframes and (b) evidence regarding the percentage of children demonstrating specific milestones. Feeding and swallowing milestones will be added.

How Does Your Child Hear and Talk? | Birth to One Year | Two to Three Years
Three to Four Years | Four to Five Years | Learning More Than One Language
What should I do if I think my child has a problem?

Children develop at their own rate. Your child might not have all skills until the end of the age range.

What should my child be able to do?

Hearing and Understanding	Talking
Points to a few body parts when you ask. Follows 1-part directions, like "Roll the ball" or "Kiss the baby." Responds to simple questions, like “Who’s that?” or “Where’s your shoe?” Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes. Points to pictures in a book when you name them.	Uses a lot of new words. Uses p, b, m, h, and w in words. Starts to name pictures in books. Asks questions, like “What's that?”, “Who’s that?”, and “Where’s kitty?” Puts 2 words together, like "more apple," "no bed," and "mommy book."

What can I do to help?

Talk to your child as you do things and go places. For example, when taking a walk, point to and name what you see. Say things like, “I see a dog. The dog says ‘woof.’ This is a big dog. This dog is brown.”
Use short words and sentences that your child can imitate. Use correct grammar.
Talk about sounds around your house. Listen to the clock tick, and say “t-t-t.” Make car or plane sounds, like “v-v-v-v.”
Play with sounds at bath time. You are eye-level with your child. Blow bubbles, and make the sound “b-b-b-b.” Pop bubbles, and make a “p-p-p-p” sound. Engines on toys can make the “rrr-rrr-rrr” sound.
Add to words your child says. For example, if they say “car,” you can say, “You're right! That is a big red car.”
Read to your child every day. Try to find books with large pictures and a few words on each page. Talk about the pictures on each page.
Have your child point to pictures that you name.
Ask your child to name pictures. They may not answer at first. Just name the pictures for them. One day, they will surprise you by telling you the name.
Talk to your child in the language you are most comfortable using.