Understanding Language Development in 0-2 Year Old’s

Updated: December 2023

Language development begins from birth, and even newborn babies have ways and means to communicate with us and let their needs be known. 

Generally, children begin to babble at around six months old and say their first word between ten and fifteen months. However, most do not begin to speak until about twelve months old. Their ability to acquire more words and form two- to three-word sentences will start around eighteen months old.

It is important to understand that language development is not only associated with spoken words. Listening and understanding also form a huge part of early language development. Children need to understand what is being asked of them or the meaning of words before using these themselves. Hence the reason that talking to your child from birth has a huge impact. You might wonder why, because you will not get a response for much of their early life. But behind the scenes, the foundations are being built for their later language development. 

Developmental Milestones

Children vary in when they learn to talk, and there is a wide range of what’s typical, but the following ages are considered to be the developmental milestones:

• 1 year old: Children start to say their first words.
• 18 months old: Children should be able to follow simple instructions, e.g. “Kiss Mummy” or “Give it to Daddy”.
• 2 years old: Children typically start to put two- to three-word sentences together, e.g. “Daddy work” or “more juice”. You can expect children to know around 50 words but be able to understand many more.
• 3 years old: Children can understand longer and more complex instructions, such as “put the teddy in the toy box”.
• 3 & 1/2 years old: By 3 and a half years old, children should be understood by unfamiliar people 5. Children should be using well-formed sentences by the time they are 5 years old.

How do children develop their language skills?

It seems obvious when you think about it, but it’s often overlooked. Research shows that children develop their language skills by being exposed to a language-rich environment. Exposure to language is the most significant factor in predicting children’s early language outcomes before age five.

There are many simple ways to keep the words flowing with your child. Most won’t take much time or effort but will have a profound impact. 

Bedtime Stories

A bedtime story every night is a great place to start from six months old (or earlier if you want to). Of course, reading does not only have to be a bedtime activity. But if you only have time for one story per day, then bedtime provides a lovely opportunity at the end of a busy day to help your child relax before falling asleep. 

Your choice of a story should reflect your child’schild’s age. However, if you have a story that is too advanced, you can always make up shorter stories that still accompany the pictures. 

Singing

Singing exposes children to a range of words and vocabulary in a fun and interactive way. Accompanying songs with actions means that even the youngest children, including babies, can often join in replicating movements during songs like ”Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”. The more enthusiasm and fun you can add when singing, the more engaged your child will be. 

If you need more confidence in singing, just remember that no one is watching, and your child is your biggest fan!

Ongoing Dialogue/Narrative

It might feel like you are narrating your life, but constantly talking to your child about what you are doing is a great way to keep the dialogue going. Talking to your child throughout these early stages, even when they are unable to reply, is crucial to building the foundations of early language development. Many parents underestimate the importance of ongoing dialogue and narrative, but it has been shown repeatedly to be really effective. 

Allowing your child the time to talk

As parents, there are times when we talk for our children, even when there may not be a language delay. We are all guilty of this. However, children need adequate time to talk in meaningful discussions. This means that we speak to our children about the things that are important or meaningful to them, which prompts language development. For example, if your child is a Paw Patrol fan, talking about Paw Patrol and the pups’ adventures will help them maintain focus throughout the discussion. Children need around 10 seconds after being asked a question to process what is being asked of them. Try counting in your head to 10 when you ask your child a question and see how long it takes before you usually repeat the question or answer it for them. 

Limiting or managing ”screen time’‘

First, we must stress that we are not against children using tablets. There is absolutely a place for them in early childhood. However, we do believe that screen time should be managed by us adults. Allowing young children unlimited access to a tablet is not the best way to manage screen time. Often, that will mean that children will stare at a screen with no human interaction for hours on end. Just as watching television for hours on end has no developmental benefit for children, neither do tablets. There are many educational games and apps that children can use. However, these are only shown to positively impact children’s development if an adult is present to talk through what is needed or required as part of the game. 

(Hint: Discover Helpful Rules to Manage Your Child’sChild’s Screen Time)

The 2-Year-Old Check

Agencies and professionals monitor children at various stages for the first 2 years of their life. All children in the UK have these checks.

The 2-year development check tends to be the last of these checks and will usually occur when your child is between 2 and 2 and a half years old. These checks are generally completed by your Health Visitor or another Health Care Professional.

However, if your child is attending an early years setting such as a day nursery or childminder, they too will be required to complete a 2-year development check. Their assessment provides an overview of your child’s development in the 7 Areas of Learning outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

As a nursery provider, we have spoken to many parents concerned about their child’s development but were told during their 2-year development check that they were progressing “”normally”. This can be disheartening, especially if you are sure that something isn’t quite right with your child’s development.

On the other side of the coin, however, you might feel relieved to be told by a professional that there are no concerns.

Our advice to parents is that if you are ever worried about your child’s development or want to ask a question, don’t hesitate to contact your Health Visitor or speak to your child’s Key Worker.

The Impact of Early Language Development on Lifelong Outcomes

There has been a lot of research into the impact of early language development. For example, studies such as Conti-Ramsden (2009) have shown a clear link between a child’s language and communication development level at school entry age and its impact on their ongoing levels of literacy learning and attainment. 

There is a continuing language gap for children under 5 in the UK. The revised Early Years Foundation Stage considers this, and there is now a further emphasis on the importance of early language development. There is also now a requirement to support those most in need through targeted support. If you have any concerns about your child’s early language development, please speak to your child’s Key Worker, Health Visitor, or GP.