Language at Two: A Snapshot
We’ve reached the toddler era of your child’s development. At 24 months your child has begun to master some more complicated parts of the language. You should expect the following from your child:
Receptive Language (Understanding)
Follow simple two-part instructions (e.g., "Put your socks and shoes on").
Respond to basic "wh-" questions such as "what" and "where".
Identify food, toys, animals, and body parts. and pictures in books when named.
Understand early preposition concepts (e.g., in/on/etc.)
Expressive Language (Using/Speaking)
Say more than 50 single words about everyday objects. Their speech may not always be clear yet.
Combine two words to form simple phrases or utterances (e.g., "bye-bye teddy," "no ball").
Use their tone of voice to ask questions (e.g., "bird fly?").
Frequently say "no" when they do not want something.
Use most vowel sounds and a variety of consonants (m, b, “y” as in 'you', n, w, d, p, and h). These are sometimes called the ‘early eight’ sounds.
Start using possessive terms like "mine" and"my"
Uses personal pronouns (e.g., me, you, etc.)
Ask for help
Uses possessives (e.g., Mum’s shoe)
Tips and Tricks
Engage in regular conversations with your child, narrating daily activities and describing objects around them.
Read books together, pointing out and naming pictures.
Encourage them to chat by asking open-ended questions.
Model the correct pronunciation and sentence structures, but don’t pressure them to repeat accurately all the time.
Provide a responsive and nurturing environment where attempts to communicate are acknowledged and encouraged.
Play with sounds at bath time, like blowing bubbles make a “b-b-b-b” sound and popping bubbles make a “p-p-p-p” sound.
Give your child two-step directions, like “Put the car and doll away”.
Use short words and sentences that your child can repeat easily.
Have your child point to pictures, body parts, or objects that you name first.
Ask your child to name pictures. Don’t expect them to name things immediately.
Please note the above information is general in nature and is not intended as professional medical advice. Please seek an appointment with a registered speech-language pathologist if you are at all worried about your child's development.
References
At 2 years. (2024). Speech Pathology Australia. www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au. https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Public/Comm-swallow/Speech-development/At-2-years.aspx?WebsiteKey=bf2f5d12-81e9-45de-b848-da380f72ca15
Communication Milestones: 19 to 24 Months. (2024). American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones-19-to-24-months/
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