We’ve probably all wondered if our children are developing appropriately and hitting developmental milestones on time. Of course, each child progresses at their own pace and milestones are general guidelines, however it can be helpful to know what is considered typical, especially if we have concerns about development. Some general guidelines to consider for speech and language development are listed below.

By 3 years of age, most children:

  • use sounds: P, B, M, N, T, D, H, W, K, G, F

  • are understood almost all of the time by familiar listeners

  • have a word for most things

  • use 2-3 word phrases

By 4 years of age, most children:

  • use sounds: L, S, Z, V, SH, CH, J

  • answer simple WH (who, what, where, etc.) questions

  • can tell a story about their day

  • use sentences with 4 or more words

  • speak easily without having to repeat words

By 5 years of age, most children:

  • use sounds: R, ZH, TH (voiced – such as in ‘that,’ ‘the,’ etc.)

  • pay attention to short stories

  • understand most of what is said

  • use sentences with 4-5 words and many details

  • ask many questions, including “who” and “why”

By 6 years of age, most children:

  • use sounds: TH (voiceless – such as in ‘thanks,’ ‘thing,’ etc.)

  • understand spatial concepts like “behind” and “near”

  • rhyme and know letters and numbers

  • use many different types of sentences

  • communicate easily with mostly adult grammar

If you feel your child may not be on track, it is best to have a speech and language evaluation in order to know for sure. Early therapy, if needed, produces the best results. Please reach out to TLC Therapy Services if you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s speech and language development or to schedule an evaluation.

Adapted from nidcd.nih.gov, McLeod and Crowe, 2018