When Should My Toddler Start Talking? Speech Milestones Every Parent Should Know

As a mom, I know how easy it is to fall down the rabbit hole of Googling milestones. You watch your child, compare their skills to same-aged peers, and wonder, “Should they be saying more by now?” or “Why aren’t they using words like my friend’s toddler?”

The truth is, every child develops at their own pace—but as a speech-language pathologist, I also know how important it is to recognize when a child may need a little extra support. The good news? There are simple, effective ways to foster speech and language growth at home—and I love teaching parents how to do just that.

💡 Beyond the Milestones: The Critical Prelinguistic Skills You Need to Know

When we think about speech milestones, we often focus on the number of words a child says. But here’s the secret most parents don’t know:
👉 Before children speak their first words, they must master 10 critical prelinguistic skills. These include things like joint attention, imitation, and turn-taking—the foundational building blocks of communication.

If you’re only tracking how many words your child says, you might be missing the bigger picture. This is why I created The Tiny Talker Playbook, a digital course designed to:
✅ Educate you on the skills your child needs before they start speaking
✅ Empower you with strategies to help your child build these skills at home
✅ Eliminate the guessing game of whether your child is on track

For most families, learning these stepping stones is a lightbulb moment—helping them realize there are actionable steps they can take to support their child’s language journey.

🗓️ Speech and Language Milestones to Watch For

While prelinguistic skills lay the foundation, it’s still helpful to understand the typical speech and language milestones. Here’s what to expect by age:

✅ By 12 months:

• Babbling with different sounds consistently (e.g., “mamama,” “dadada”)

• Responds to their name

• Says 1-2 words (like "mama" or "bye-bye")

• Uses gestures (waving, pointing)

✅ By 18 months:

• Says 10-20 words

• Imitates new words

• Follows simple one-step directions (e.g., “Get the ball”)

• Pairs gestures + words together (e.g., waving and saying “bye-bye”)

• Uses roughly 16 gestures

✅ By 24 months (2 years):

• Says 50+ words, with a range from 50-200+ words

• Combines two words (“More juice,” “Go outside”)

• Understands simple questions (“Where’s your shoe?”)

• Tries to repeat words you say

✅ By 36 months (3 years):

• Has 500+ words

• Speaks in 3+ word sentences

• Can be understood by unfamiliar listeners ~75% of the time

• Asks lots of questions (the “why” stage begins!)

🎯 What to Do if Your Child Isn’t Hitting These Milestones

If your toddler isn’t meeting these milestones, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is a problem—but it is worth exploring. Early intervention makes a huge difference, and there are research-backed strategies you can use at home to support their progress.

✨ Want to learn more? Download my free guide to the Prelinguistic Skills Every Toddler Needs Before They Start Talking or reach out to me directly at nicole@speechrise.com.

You’re not alone on this journey—I’m here to help you navigate it with confidence!