SPEECH & LANGUAGE MILESTONES

Speech and Language at Home

N – Not observed R – Rarely O – Occasional F – Frequent C – Consistent

1-2 times/month 1-2 times/week 1-2 times/day Many times a day

Birth to 1 Year N R O F C
Vocalizes to gain attention (0-3)
Plays with rattle (0-3)
Smiles at familiar people (3-6)
Looks at you, eye contact (3-6)
Vocal turn taking (3-6)
Reaches for objects (3-6)
Bangs objects together (3-6)
Responds to their name (3-6)
Babbles (3-6)
Laughs (3-6)
Responds to request "come here" (6-9)
Responds to "want up?" (6-9)
Wants to be with people (6-9)
Responds to "no" most of the time (6-9)
Waves "bye" (6-9)
Uses a few gestures (give five, reach up, wave bye) (6-9)
Participates in games with adults using gestures (6-9)
Participates in song with adults by vocalizing (6-9)
Searches for hidden objects – object permanence (6-9)
Joint Attention, shifts gaze between object & adult (6-9)
Plays with toys without mouthing/banging (6-9)
Attends to pictures (6-9)
Uses a few different sounds when babbling (6-9)
Performs/repeats actions for attention (9-12)
Points to objects (9-12)
Resists removal of toy (9-12)
Plays with toys purposefully (pushes car, stirs spoon) (9-12)
Beginning to understand questions (where's mom? - look
for her) (9-12)
Beginning to understand directions (give me ___) (9-12)
Points to 2 body parts (9-12)
Says "mama" or "dada" (9-12)
Imitates sounds (moo, beep-beep) (9-12)
Created by Lia Kurtin M. S., CCC-SLP     www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com  
 SPEECH & LANGUAGE MILESTONES
Speech and Language at Home

N – Not observed R – Rarely O – Occasional F – Frequent C – Consistent

1-2 times/month 1-2 times/week 1-2 times/day Many times a day

12 – 24 months / 1 Year Old N R O F C

Demonstrates use of objects (brushes teeth, feeds others)
(12-15)
Shakes head "no" (12-15)
Follows 1 step directions during play (12-15)
Points to (2) action words in pictures (12-15)
Understands a few prepositions (in, on) (12-15)
Makes 3 animal sounds (12-15)
Says 8-10 words spontaneously (12-15)
Play independently (15-18)
Puts one object inside another (container/puzzle) (15-18)
Hands a toy to an adult for help (15-18)
Follows directions for 2 objects (get ___ & ___) (15-18)
Identifies object by category (food, animal, clothes) (15-
18)
Says 15 words meaningfully (15-18)
Talks more than uses gestures (15-18)
Asks "what's that?" (15-18)
Answer's "what's this?" for 5-7 familiar objects (15-18)
Uses two turns during conversation (18-21)
Indicates pants are wet (18-21)
Leads caregiver to desired object (18-21)
Plays with a group of toys (farm animals) (18-21)
Pretend play with toys (animals eating, caring for baby)
(18-21)
Identify 4 body parts on self (18-21)
Uses single words frequently (18-21)
Repeats a few phrases (what's that?" (18-21)
Chooses 1 object from a group of 5 (21-24)
Uses 50 different words (21-24)
Puts toys away on request (21-24)
Follows a 2 step related direction (21-24)

Created by Lia Kurtin M. S., CCC-SLP     www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com  

 SPEECH & LANGUAGE MILESTONES
Speech and Language at Home
N – Not observed R – Rarely O – Occasional F – Frequent C – Consistent
1-2 times/month 1-2 times/week 1-2 times/day Many times a day

24 – 36 months / 2 Years Old N R O F C

Points to 4 action words in pictures (24-27)
Recognizes family members names (24-27)
Understands the concept "one" (24-27)
Understands size concepts (24-27)
Repeats two numbers/words (24-27)
Uses 2-3 word phrases frequently (24-27)
Uses action words (24-27)
Plays next to other children (27-30)
Answers simple wh questions (27-30)
Identify 4 objects by function (27-30)
Names 1 color (27-30)
Uses early pronouns consistently (me, mine, my, I, you) (27-
30)
Uses negation in phrase (no, not) (27-30)
Sequences actions during play (eat, go to bed) (30-33)
Understands 5 common action words (30-33)
Understands the quantity concepts (one, all) (30-33)
Uses plural s (30-33)
Uses early prepositions (in, out, off, on, up, down, here,
there)(30-33)
Answers "yes" and "no" questions (30-33)
States first and last name (30-33)
States gender (30-33)
Identifies parts of an object (wheel, tail) (33-36)
Tells about a personal experience (33-36)
Uses verb form (ing) (33-36) (ed/s emerging)
Expresses physical state (tired, hungry) (33-36)
Counts to 3 (33-36)
Follows 3 step directions (33-36)
Follows directions with 2 familiar descriptions "big red ball"
(33-36)
Speaks in 3-5 word sentences (33-36)

Created by Lia Kurtin M. S., CCC-SLP     www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com  

 SPEECH & LANGUAGE MILESTONES
Speech and Language at Home

N – Not observed R – Rarely O – Occasional F – Frequent C – Consistent

1-2 times/month 1-2 times/week 1-2 times/day Many times a day

Gestures N R O F C
Reaches to be picked up

Waves “bye”

Give me five

Points to objects

Shakes head “no”

Blows kisses

Claps hands

So big! (Arms out)

Covers eyes for peek-a-boo.

Imitation N R O F C
Imitates actions with objects (put on hat, hug a doll)

Imitates actions with body (jumping, clapping)

Imitates actions with face (stick out tongue)

Imitates sounds (car noises, animal sounds)

Imitates word approximations (baba/Bottle)

Imitates words (baby)

Created by Lia Kurtin M. S., CCC-SLP     www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com  

 SPEECH & LANGUAGE MILESTONES
Speech and Language at Home

N – Not observed R – Rarely O – Occasional F – Frequent C – Consistent

1-2 times/month 1-2 times/week 1-2 times/day Many times a day

Play Skills N R O F C
Shakes a rattle

Reaches for objects

Bangs objects together

Reaches for hidden object (object permanence)

Plays with toys without mouthing

Plays with toys purposefully

Knocks down blocks

Pushes button on toy (cause/effect)

Open/closes doors on toys

Rolls a ball

Pushes car

Puts objects in a container

Hits pegs with hammer

Stirs with spoon

Feeds others with bottle/spoon

Puts baby/animal to sleep

Puts on sunglasses

Holds phone to ear

Plays with a group of toys (farm animals, food/dishes)

Sequences actions (cuts food, puts it on plate, serves)

Created by Lia Kurtin M. S., CCC-SLP     www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com  

 SPEECH & LANGUAGE MILESTONES
Speech and Language at Home

N – Not observed R – Rarely O – Occasional F – Frequent C – Consistent

1-2 times/month 1-2 times/week 1-2 times/day Many times a day

Hand Initiates
Songs
Some Most All Some All
Listens over song with Vocalizes
actions actions actions words words
hand gesture
The Wheels on
the Bus
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Twinkle, Twinkle
Little Star
Row, Row, Row
Your Boat
If You’re Happy
and You Know
it
Old
MacDonald
Had a Farm
Patty Cake
Head,
Shoulders,
Knees and Toes
Happy Birthday
to You
Ring around
the Rosie

Verbal Routines Gesture Expressive (part) Expressive (all)

Ready, Set, Go!
One, Two, Three!
Peek-a-boo!

Created by Lia Kurtin M. S., CCC-SLP     www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com  

 SPEECH & LANGUAGE MILESTONES
Speech and Language at Home
N – Not observed R – Rarely O – Occasional F – Frequent C – Consistent
1-2 times/month 1-2 times/week 1-2 times/day Many times a day

Level 1 N R O F C
Vocalizes to gain attention
Plays with rattle
Smiles at familiar people
Looks at you, eye contact
Vocal turn taking
Reaches for objects
Bangs objects together
Responds to their name
Babbles
Laughs
Responds to request "come here"
Responds to "want up?"
Wants to be with people
Responds to "no" most of the time
Waves "bye"
Uses a few gestures (give five, reach up, wave bye)
Participates in games with adults using gestures
Participates in song with adults by vocalizing
Searches for hidden objects – object permanence
Joint Attention, shifts gaze between object & adult
Plays with toys without mouthing/banging
Attends to pictures
Uses a few different sounds when babbling
Performs/repeats actions for attention
Points to objects
Resists removal of toy
Plays with toys purposefully (pushes car, stirs spoon)
Beginning to understand questions (where's mom?
Looks)
Beginning to understand directions (give me ___)
Points to 2 body parts
Says "mama" or "dada"
Imitates sounds (moo, beep-beep)
Created by Lia Kurtin M. S., CCC-SLP     www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com  
 SPEECH & LANGUAGE MILESTONES
Speech and Language at Home
N – Not observed R – Rarely O – Occasional F – Frequent C – Consistent
1-2 times/month 1-2 times/week 1-2 times/day Many times a day

Level 2 N R O F C
Demonstrates use of objects (brushes teeth, feeds others)
Shakes head "no"
Follows 1 step directions during play
Points to (2) action words in pictures
Understands a few prepositions (in, on)
Makes 3 animal sounds
Says 8-10 words spontaneously
Play independently
Puts one object inside another (container/puzzle)
Hands a toy to an adult for help
Follows directions for 2 objects (get ___ & ___)
Identifies object by category (food, animal, clothes)
Says 15 words meaningfully
Talks more than uses gestures
Asks "what's that?"
Answer's "what's this?" for 5-7 familiar objects
Uses two turns during conversation
Indicates pants are wet
Leads caregiver to desired object
Plays with a group of toys (farm animals)
Pretend play with toys (animals eating, caring for baby)
Identify 4 body parts on self
Uses single words frequently
Repeats a few phrases (what's that?"
Chooses 1 object from a group of 5
Uses 50 different words
Puts toys away on request
Follows a 2 step related direction

Created by Lia Kurtin M. S., CCC-SLP     www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com  

 SPEECH & LANGUAGE MILESTONES
Speech and Language at Home
N – Not observed R – Rarely O – Occasional F – Frequent C – Consistent
1-2 times/month 1-2 times/week 1-2 times/day Many times a day

Level 3 N R O F C
Points to 4 action words in pictures
Recognizes family members names
Understands the concept "one"
Understands size concepts
Repeats two numbers/words
Uses 2-3 word phrases frequently
Uses action words
Plays next to other children
Answers simple wh questions
Identify 4 objects by function
Names 1 color
Uses early pronouns consistently (me, mine, my, I, you)
Uses negation in phrase (no, not)
Sequences actions during play (eat, go to bed)
Understands 5 common action words
Understands the quantity concepts (one, all)
Uses plural s
Uses early prepositions (in, out, off, on, up, down, here,
there)
Answers "yes" and "no" questions
States first and last name
States gender
Identifies parts of an object (wheel, tail)
Tells about a personal experience
Uses verb form (ing) (ed/s emerging)
Expresses physical state (tired, hungry)
Counts to 3
Follows 3 step directions
Follows directions with 2 familiar descriptions "big red
ball"
Speaks in 3-5 word sentences

Created by Lia Kurtin M. S., CCC-SLP     www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com  

Reference:

Bush, Catharine S. Language Remediation and Expansion: 100 Skill-building Reference Lists. Tucson,
AZ: Communication Skill Builders, 1979. Print.

Lanza, Janet R., and Lynn K. Flahive. "LinguiSystems Guide to Communication

Milestones." LinguiSystems. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.
<https://www.linguisystems.com/linguilist/index/freedownloads>.

Mize, Laura. Building Verbal Imitation in Toddlers. N.p.: Teach Me to Talk, 2012. Print.

Rossetti, Louis Michael. The Rossetti Infant Toddler Language Scale: A Measure of Communication and
Interaction; Includes Severity Rating Guidelines. East Moline, IL: LinguiSystems, 2005. Print.

Created by Lia Kurtin M. S., CCC-SLP     www.SpeechandLanguageatHome.com