Birth – 3 Months

• Startles to loud sounds
• Quiets or smiles when spoken to
• Seems to recognize your voice and quiets if crying
• Increases or decreases sucking behavior in response to sound

Birth – 3 Months

• Makes pleasure sounds (cooing, gooing)
• Cries differently for different needs
• Smiles when sees you

4 – 6 Months

• Moves eyes in direction of sounds
• Responds to changes in tone of your voice
• Notices toys that make sounds
• Pays attention to music

4 – 6 Months

• Babbling sounds more speech-like with many different sounds, including p, b and m
• Chuckles and laughs
• Vocalizes excitement and displeasure
• Makes gurgling sounds when left alone and when playing with you

7 Months – 1 Year

• Enjoys games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake
• Turns and looks in direction of sounds
• Listens when spoken to
• Recognizes words for common items like “cup”, “shoe”, “book”, or “juice”
• Begins to respond to requests (e.g. “Come here” or “Want more?”)

7 Months – 1 Year

• Babbling has both long and short groups of sounds such as “tata upup bibibibi”
• Uses speech or noncrying sounds to get and keep attention
• Uses gestures to communication (waving, holding arms to be picked up)
• Imitates different speech sounds
• Has one or two words (hi, dog,dada, mama) around first birthday, although sounds may not be clear

1 Year – 2 Years

• Points to a few body parts when asked.
• Follows simple commands and understands simple questions (“Roll the ball,” “Kiss the baby,” “Where’s your shoe?”).
• Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.
• Points to pictures in a book when named.

1 Year – 2 Years

• Says more words every month.
• Uses some one- or two- word questions (“Where kitty?” “Go bye-bye?” “What’s that?”).
• Puts two words together (“more cookie,” “no juice,” “mommy book”).
• Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

2 Years – 3 Years

• Understands differences in meaning (“go-stop,” “in-on,” “big-little,” “up-down”).
• Follows two requests (“Get the book and put it on the table”).
• Listens to and enjoys hearing stories for longer periods of time

2 Years – 3 Years

• Has a word for almost everything.
• Uses two- or three- words to talk about and ask for things.
• Uses k, g, f, t, d, and n sounds.
• Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time.
• Often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them.

3 Years – 4 Years

• Hears you when you call from another room.
• Hears television or radio at the same loudness level as other family members.
• Answers simple “who?”, “what?”, “where?”, and “why?” questions.

3 Years – 4 Years

• Talks about activities at school or at friends’ homes.
• People outside of the family usually understand child’s speech.
• Uses a lot of sentences that have 4 or more words.
• Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words.

4 Years – 5 Years

• Pays attention to a short story and answers simple questions about them.
• Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school.

4 Years – 5 Years

• Uses sentences that give lots of details (“The biggest peach is mine”).
• Tells stories that stick to topic.
• Communicates easily with other children and adults.
• Says most sounds correctly except a few like l, s, r, v, z, ch, sh, th.
• Says rhyming words.
• Names some letters and numbers.
• Uses the same grammar as the rest of the family.