Tips for Understanding Your Child’s Communication Development
Children learn to speak and listen throughout their day-to-day life. Every child develops at different times but there are typical stages that families can look for as their child learns to communicate.
Speech and language develop slowly over time. Children progress from babbling and gestures to speaking in full sentences and conversations. These milestones are great guidelines, but each child will reach them at their own time.
Early Communication (0 Year to 1 Year)
Communication develops through sounds, facial expressions and gestures during the first year. Babies begin to listen attentively to sounds and voices they hear and start to recognise them.
Children in the first year will:
- Begin to coo and babble
- React to sounds they hear
- Communicate through smiling and eye contact
- Start responding to simple words
This encourages good listening skills and connections with others.
Developing First Words (1 Year to 2 Years)
Children start saying words to communicate with others. They understand more words and can follow simple directions.
Children might begin to:
- Say single words like Mama or dog
- Follow simple commands
- Gesture with words
- Start to combine two words
This milestone is when they really start to build up a vocabulary.
Expanding Language (2 Years to 3 Years)
Children's language skills grow rapidly during this period. Children speak more words and start to use short phrases.
Children will begin to:
- Speak in simple sentences
- Ask simple questions
- Label objects and actions
- Follow more complex commands
Talk becomes more intelligible and meaningful.
Building Communication Skills (3 Years to 5 Years)
By now children are beginning to feel confident as communicators. They can talk about ideas and share experiences.
Children may:
- Speak in sentences
- Tell simple stories
- Ask and answer questions
- Use language during play and imagination
All these skills help children’s learning and development.
Why Developmental Progression Matters
Recognising these stages allows you to help develop your child’s communication appropriately. You can celebrate progress, encourage growth and pinpoint if your child may need extra support.
Children learn best when they are nurtured in a safe, stimulating environment that is responsive to their needs and where communication is encouraged daily.
How you can help your baby or toddler
You can help your child regardless of their age:
- Chat
- Reply when they babble, talk or gesture
- Read and tell stories
- Play
- Have patience
All this talking and listening, combined with your warmth and attention over time, can help your child become confident in their communication skills.
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