Language and Speech Skills for Children Ages 2–3 Years

What are language and speech skills?

Language is how your child understands and uses words. Speech is how your child makes sounds to form words. These skills help your child understand and communicate with others. 

Children learn these skills early in life. Between the ages of 2 and 3 years, you may see big changes in how your child communicates and follows directions.

Language and speech milestones (ages 2–3 years)

Milestones are skills that many children can do by a certain age. Each child develops at their own pace. Most follow a similar pattern of early childhood development. 

By age 3 years, many children: 

• Understand words, directions, and stories 
  • Follow 2 to 3 step directions, such as “Put the ball in the cup, and give me the toy.” 
  • Understand action words, such as “run” and “sit” 
  • Understand simple concepts such as “in,” “on”, and “under” 
  • Listen to longer stories, songs, and rhymes 
• Communicate more 
  • Use about 200 words or more by age 3 years 
  • Ask and answer simple questions, such as “Where is the ball?” 
  • Put 3–4 words together, such as “I want the ball.” 
  • Repeat words and short phrases they hear 
  • Use new words to talk about or name common objects 
  • Use words to share wants, needs, and ideas 
  • Use words when playing 
  • Speak clearly enough that friends and close family members can understand what they are saying most of the time 

How to help your child learn language and speech skills

You can help your child develop language and speech skills in many ways. The most helpful moments often happen when talking and playing. 

To help your child: 

• Model clear speech 
  • Use clear, correct words instead of baby talk. 
  • Say the word the right way if your child makes a mistake. 
  • Name objects using their correct names. 
  • Talk about what you are doing and what you see.  
  • Describe things such as color, size, and shape during routines, such as meals or bath time. 
• Build on your child’s words 
  • Repeat and expand on what your child says. For example, if your child says “pretty flower,” you can answer “Yes. That is a pretty flower. The flower is red. It smells good, too.” 
  • Use words your child knows in sentences to help them learn how to use them. 
• Encourage your child to communicate 
  • Ask your child to say things again that repeat what they said if you do not understand. For example, say, “I know you want a block. Tell me again which block you want.” 
  • Ask questions that need more words than just “yes” or “no.” For example, instead of “Do you want milk?” ask “Would you like milk or water?”  
  • Give your child time to respond. 
• Talk, read, and sing every day 
  • Read books with simple pictures and short sentences. Point to and name things you see on the page. 
  • Let your child turn pages and look through the story at their own pace. 
  • Sing songs and use familiar rhymes.  
• Use everyday moments to teach new ideas 
  • Look at family photos. Talk about who is in them and what is happening. 
  • Use toys to talk about colors, shapes, and sizes.  
  • Practice simple ideas such as “in,” “on,” and “under.” 

Signs of language or speech problems in children

Some children reach language and speech milestones later than expected. Illness, treatment, or changes in routine can affect development, including communication skills.   

Talk with your care team if your child has:  

• Trouble understanding or using words 
• Delayed language or speech milestones 
• Trouble making sounds 
• Slurred speech or stuttering 
• Trouble sucking, chewing, or swallowing 
• Weak control of their lips, tongue, or jaw  
• Speech that is hard to understand 
• Lack of interest in interacting with others 

Signs of hearing loss in children

Hearing loss can delay language and speech skills. Watch for signs that your child does not hear well.  

Children with hearing problems may: 

• Have trouble recognizing the sound of your voice 
• Not respond when you speak or say their name 
• Sleep through loud sounds 
• Make fewer sounds to get attention 
• Show little interest in music or noisy toys 
• Have trouble copying sounds they hear 
• Turn their head to hear better with 1 ear 
• Have speech delays  
• Have balance problems 
• Not react to voices on the phone 
• Turn up the volume of the television or music 

Also watch for frequent ear problems or infections. If you have concerns about your child’s hearing, talk with your health care provider. They may refer your child to an audiologist for a hearing test. An audiologist is a healthcare professional who specializes in hearing, listening, and balance. 

Therapy for language and speech problems

If your child has problems with language or speech skills, your health care provider may recommend speech-language therapy. 

A speech-language pathologist (sometimes called a speech therapist or SLP) is a trained health professional who helps children build communication skills. They assess speech and language skills and create a therapy plan for your child. They can also share ways to practice skills at home. 

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