It's incredible how fast kids grow - both physically and intellectually! Maybe you've been comparing your child to other toddlers their age, or wondering if they are too shy or not as talkative as their siblings.
Using evidence-based research and consulting with our team of Speech Language Pathologists, we've put together a list of milestones that children typically achieve around the age of 2. Have a look and see if this sounds like your little one!
A Typical 2 Year Old:
Takes turns in conversation
Uses rising intonation to ask questions
Protests by saying 'no'
Completes two-step instructions (i.e. "Take the ball and give it to Mommy")
Makes a choice between two options (i.e. "Banana or crackers?")
Understands 250-300 words
Uses 70-100 words overall
Asks questions that begin with 'Where-'
Calls themselves by their own name
Puts two words together
Has speech that is about 50% clear
Says 'mine'
Has speech sounds 'p', 'b', 'd', 'm', 'n', 'h'
Working on sounds 'k', 't', 'g', 'ing'
If you'd like to see these milestones in action, check out the video we created:
If you're interested in watching how speech and language progresses with age, you can also check out our full video series that documents typical development of children ages 1-5 or read about it on our blog post here.
It's important to remember that everyone is different and a lot of factors can determine how quickly children reach each milestone and develop confident speech. However, these videos can be used as a tool to gauge how your children are progressing based on the 'norms' of kids their age. So, if you notice a delay in your child's speech compared to what you see in our videos, or if you think they could be struggling with a speech impediment, don't be afraid to get in contact with a Speech-Language Pathologist to evaluate if they would benefit from speech therapy.
References
Cochlear Limited. (2009). Integrated scales of development. Retrieved from: https://2ears2hear.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/product_cochlearimplant_rehabilitationresources_earlyintervention_integratedscalesofdevelopmentfromlistenlearnandtalk_en_612kb.pdf
Dosman, C. F., Andrews, D., & Goulden, K. J. (2012). Evidence-based milestone ages as a framework for developmental surveillance. Paediatrics & child health, 17(10), 561-568.
Lanza, J. R., & Flahive, L. K. (2009). LinguiSystems guide to communication milestones. East Moline, IL: LinguSystems.
Learning Disabilities Association of America. Learning Disabilities Online – LD-Indepth: “Speech and Language Milestone Chart” www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/speech-language/lda_milestones.html
McLeod, S., & Crowe, K. (2018). Children's Consonant Acquisition in 27 Languages: A Cross-Linguistic Review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 27(4), 1546-1571.
Andalusia Speech Therapy has multiple clinics across Ontario and offers virtual therapy to clients anywhere in the world. Contact us more for information.