Speech Milestones by Age: The Checklist — Is Your Child on Track?

✓ Reviewed against CDC Learn the Signs. Act Early., ASHA Developmental Milestones, NIDCDEvidence level ALast reviewed September 29, 2026Published June 29, 2026

The CDC checklist, by age: 12 months — calls a parent “mama”/“dada,” waves bye-bye; 18 months — tries to say three or more words besides “mama”/“dada”; 2 years — puts two words together; 3 years — strangers understand most of the time; 4 years — four-word sentences; 5 years — tells a simple story. The full checklist is below. Milestones are a guide, not a deadline — but a missed one is worth checking.

The CDC speech milestone checklist, by age

These are the language milestones from the CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” checklists — the current, 2022-revised wording, placed at the age by which 75% or more of children are expected to show each skill. Check the row for your child’s age; the sections below explain what each item means and what to do about a miss.¹

CDC “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” language milestones, current wording, 12 months to 5 years.
By age	CDC checklist items (language)
12 months	Calls a parent “mama” or “dada” or another special name · waves “bye-bye” · understands “no” · plays games with you like pat-a-cake
18 months	Tries to say three or more words besides “mama” or “dada” · follows one-step directions without any gestures · points to show you something interesting
2 years	Says at least two words together, like “More milk” · points to at least two body parts when asked · uses more gestures than waving and pointing, like blowing a kiss or nodding yes
3 years	Talks with you in conversation using at least two back-and-forth exchanges · says first name when asked · talks well enough for others to understand, most of the time
4 years	Says sentences with four or more words · says some words from a song, story, or nursery rhyme · talks about at least one thing that happened during their day
5 years	Tells a story they heard or made up with at least two events · answers simple questions about a book or story · keeps a conversation going with more than three back-and-forth exchanges

CDC “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” language milestones, current wording, 12 months to 5 years.^2,3,4,5,6,1

Not sure how your child measures up? The free milestone checker walks through the age-appropriate items above, question by question, and tells you plainly which are met and which are worth mentioning to your doctor. It is a conversation-starter, not a test — exactly what the CDC says its checklists are for.¹

When to consider a speech-language pathologist

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A plain rule of thumb

Talk with your pediatrician and ask about a speech-language evaluation if two or more milestones for your child’s age are unmet, if your child has lost any skill they once had (act on this one immediately), if strangers understand less of your child’s speech than the age rows above expect — or simply if your gut says something is off. Parent concern is a legitimate reason for a screening; you never need to wait for proof.

Under age 3, you can contact your area’s early-intervention program for a free evaluation without a referral; at age 3 and older, your local school district can evaluate. Early action beats “wait and see” at every age.^12,10

What are speech and language milestones?

Speech and language milestones describe the skills most children show by a given age. ASHA’s checklists, for example, list the age ranges by which a majority — about 75% — of children demonstrate each skill.⁷

They are a roadmap, not a stopwatch. Every child develops at their own pace, and your child may not reach a skill until the end of its age range. But milestones help you notice the early signs of a possible delay.^7,9

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A guide, not a deadline

Children vary — even within the same family. Use milestones to spot patterns over time, not to grade a single moment.

Speech & language milestones by age

Here are widely used milestones from the CDC and ASHA for the toddler and preschool years. If your child is well behind these, it’s worth a conversation with their doctor.^1,7

Typical speech & language milestones by age (CDC “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” and ASHA).
By age	What most children do
18 months	Says several single words; points to show you something or to ask for it.
2 years	Puts at least two words together (“more milk”); uses gestures like nodding “yes.”
3 years	Talks well enough for strangers to understand most of the time; uses short sentences.
4 years	Says sentences of four or more words; tells you about at least one thing that happened.
5 years	Tells a story with at least two events; keeps a conversation going with three or more back-and-forth exchanges.

Typical speech & language milestones by age (CDC “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” and ASHA).^4,5,6,8

How speech sounds develop

Separate from words and sentences, individual speech sounds come online in a predictable order. Early sounds (p, b, m, n, w, h, d) are usually in place by age 3, most mid sounds by 4, and the trickiest — r, s, and the “th” sounds — between 5 and 6.¹³

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So “r” at five is often fine

A 5-year-old still working on “r,” “s,” or “th” is frequently right on schedule. Intelligibility — how well people understand your child overall — matters more than any single sound.

Speech milestones vs. language milestones

Two different things are developing at once. Speech is how clearly a child produces sounds; language is the words and sentences they understand and use. A child can be on track for one and behind on the other.⁹

Speech — articulation of sounds and how understandable a child is.
Expressive language — the words, phrases, and sentences a child uses.
Receptive language — how well a child understands what’s said to them.

Signs your child may be behind

Not putting two words together by age 2.
Hard for unfamiliar people to understand by age 3.
Few words, or not following simple directions, for their age.
Lost speech or language skills they previously had.

Reaching milestones much later than other children the same age can be the earliest sign of a developmental delay — and even mild delays are worth checking, because they can affect later reading and learning.^1,10

Free speech delay quiz — 20 quick questions, no recording, about 3 minutes

What to do if your child is behind

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Act early

If a milestone is missed, your child loses skills, or you’re worried, talk to your pediatrician and ask about developmental screening. Early action beats “wait and see.”

Under age 3, you can contact an early-intervention program for a free evaluation; at age 3 and older, your local school district can evaluate. For children under 4, the right SpeechStep tool is the free milestone checker below — we do not run sound practice with toddlers. For ages 4–8, a free speech assessment shows which sounds to work on (see our speech assessment guide).^12,1

Free Speech Milestone Checker

Answer a few questions and get an instant, age-based development score.

Try it free →

Frequently asked questions

At what age should my child be talking?＋

Most children say their first words around 12 months, put two words together by age 2, speak in short sentences by age 3, and tell short stories by ages 4–5. These are typical ranges — children vary, but a child who is well behind these is worth checking.

How clear should my child’s speech be by age 3?＋

By age 3, most children can be understood by people outside the family most of the time. Frequent trouble being understood by strangers at age 3 is a reason to ask your pediatrician about a speech-language evaluation.

Are speech milestones the same as a deadline?＋

No. Milestones describe the age by which a majority of children show a skill — ASHA’s checklists use a 75% criterion. Children develop at their own pace, but missing a milestone, or losing a skill, is a signal to act early.

When should I see a speech-language pathologist about milestones?＋

A practical rule of thumb: two or more unmet milestones for your child’s age, any loss of skills they once had, speech that strangers understand less than expected for the age, or a persistent gut feeling that something is off. Any one of these is enough to ask for a screening — parent concern alone is a valid reason.

What should I do if my child is behind?＋

Talk with your child’s doctor and ask about developmental screening. For a child under 3 you can contact an early-intervention program; for age 3 and older, your local school district can evaluate. Acting early leads to better outcomes.