In the toddler years, your child’s language starts to ‘explode’, although your child has been learning about words, sounds and back-and-forth conversations since birth.
At 12-18 months, your toddler will probably:
- say their first words, but you and other close family members might be the only people who know what these words mean
- enjoy babbling when you talk
- point out familiar objects when you name them.
By two years, your toddler will probably:
- enjoy naming everyday things, like ‘doggie’ and ‘drink’
- understand and follow a simple request, like ‘Bring me your book’ or ‘Wave bye-bye’
- have trouble with some sounds – for example, they might say ‘wed’ when they mean to say ‘red’.
By three years, your child will probably:
- move on to simple sentences, like ‘Where doggie gone?’
- say words and sentences that strangers can mostly understand
- understand most of what adults say
- start to use pronouns (I, you, me, we, they) and some plurals.
Talking can be frustrating for toddlers – they can have so much to tell you but can’t quite get the words out. Your toddler will get there eventually. Trying and making mistakes are important parts of learning.