Birth to 3 months

• Reacts to loud noises

• Smiles at you

• Makes sounds of pleasure

• Knows your voice and may calm down if upset

4 to 6 months

• Laughs

• Babbles (says "ba-ba-ba")

• Notices music or toys that make sounds

7 months to 1 year

• Looks towards sounds

• Understands some words like cup or shoe

• Imitates different sounds

• Says first words

1 to 2 years

• Can point to a few parts of the body

• Points to pictures in books when asked

• Asks simple 2-word questions

• Continues to add new words

• Uses 2-word phrases, such as "more milk"

2 to 3 years

• Knows some spatial concepts, such as in and on

• Has words for most things

• Follows 2-step instructions

• Uses 3-word sentences

• Friends and family can understand much of what is said

• Enjoys hearing stories

• May have trouble with some sounds

3 to 4 years

• Can hear you from another room

• Can hear the TV and radio at same volume as others

• Identifies colors and shapes

• Talks about daycare, preschool, or other activities

• Use 4-word sentences

• Uses plural words, such as shoes or socks

• Uses pronouns, such as you, me, her

• Strangers are able to understand much of what is said

• Answers simple questions, such as "What do you do when you are hungry?"

4 to 5 years

• Understands words for time, such as today and tomorrow

• Understands words for order, such as first and last

• Follows more difficult or multi-step directions

• Can say all speech sounds

• Identified letters and numbers

• Can tell a short story

• Can have a conversation