Language and Speech Skills for Children Ages 4–5 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 4 and 5 years, your child may speak in longer, more complex sentences, tell simple stories, begin asking more complex questions, and be understood clearly by most people outside the family. 

Language and speech milestones (ages 4–5 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 5 years, many children: 

• Speak and understand increasingly complex language 
  • Speak in longer, more detailed sentences and hold back-and-forth conversations 
  • Understand most of what is said at home and at school 
  • Follow directions that have several steps 
  • Understand and answer who, what, where, when, and simple “why” questions 
  • Use action words and descriptive language 
  • Listen to short stories and answer questions about them 
  • Put ideas together in the correct order 
• Communicate clearly and share ideas 
  • Speak clearly enough that most people can understand them most of the time 
  • Use correct grammar most of the time 
  • Tell simple stories and describe events in order 
  • Stay on topic when talking or explaining something  
  • Ask and answer questions to learn new information and share ideas 
  • Use more detailed words, including feelings, colors, and descriptions 

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: 

• Give your child attention and support communication 
  • When your child is speaking, give them your full attention when possible. 
  • Get your child’s attention before you talk to them. Listen when they respond. 
  • Take turns in conversation. Allow your child time to respond. 
  • Ask your child to repeat or clarify if you do not understand what they say. 
• Build vocabulary and word understanding 
  • Tell your child new words in meaningful ways, and explain what they mean. For example, say, "This vehicle is driving on the road. It is a car. A bus is another kind of vehicle." 
  • If your child does not understand a word, help them ask questions about it. 
  • Use and explain location words, such as “between” and “under.” 
• Support thinking, language, and early concepts 
  • Point out things that are the same or different and explain why. 
  • Sort objects into groups. Then sort them again using smaller differences. For example, sort rocks into big and small. Then, sort them into smooth and rough. Ask your child why an item does not belong in a group. 
• Develop storytelling and comprehension skills 
  • Read or tell stories that are easy to follow. Ask what your child thinks will happen next. 
  • Act out stories using dolls, puppets, or everyday objects. Encourage characters to “talk” to each other. 
  • Ask your child to draw a picture about a story, video, or TV show. Ask who, what, when, where, and why questions. 
  • Ask your child to remember and retell parts of a story.  
  • Build word use and memory through play and games.
  • Play games that encourage recalling and using words, such as “I spy something round on the wall that tells the time.” 
  • Read books with rhyming words. Ask your child to think of words that rhyme. 
  • Encourage your child to use language to describe, guess, and explain during games. 
• Support language in daily routines and planning 
  • Let your child help plan daily activities or events. Ask them to help you make a list of things you need. 
  • Ask your child for their opinion. For example, “What kind of fruit do we need from the store?" 
  • Talk about daily routines using clear language and encourage your child to describe what comes first, next, and last. 

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 
• Trouble making sounds 
• Slurred speech or stuttering 
• 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: 

• Not respond when you speak or say their name 
• Sleep through loud sounds 
• Turn their head to hear better with 1 ear 
• Have balance problems 
• Turn up the volume of the television or music 
• Have trouble following directions 
• Not notice or respond to sounds in their environment 
• Speak quieter or louder than normal   
• Avoid conversations or group activities 
• Have trouble talking on the phone 

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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