Baby Language Development Month by Month

"My 18-month-old only says mama and dada. Is that normal?"

We typed something close to that into a phone at 11 p.m., too. If that is about where you are tonight, you are in the right place. Nothing is wrong with you for looking this up. We will give you a map, not a deadline.

What you'll find on this page

• What sounds usually come first, and when
• Why the "normal" range is wider than it looks
• Three things you can try tonight
• The signs that are worth a phone call

The short answer

Most babies babble by 6 to 9 months. They say a first word around 12 months. They join two words by about age 2. The exact ages differ by source. Use the ages below as a map, not a deadline.

Month-by-month map

This table shows what many babies do and where guides disagree. The ages are not averages. They mark when most kids — at least 3 in 4 — can do the skill.

These ranges come from speech therapists, children's doctors, and health officials. Their guides don't always match. Health officials revised their milestone checklists in 2022. Some skills moved to older ages, and they added new checklists for 15 and 30 months. That is one reason this page shows ranges, not single numbers.

Stage 1: Birth to 12 months — sounds before words

What many babies do in the first year:

• Reacts to loud sounds, then to your voice
• Coos, then babbles ("ba-ba," "da-da")
• Waves and points near the first birthday
• Says a first word around 12 months

Try tonight: Talk through your day out loud. Then pause and let your baby "answer." This back-and-forth builds early language.

What you can do now: Bring up sounds and hearing at every well visit. Children's doctors say this is the best place to start.

These ages come from speech therapists' and children's doctors' guides for the first year.

Stage 2: 12 to 18 months — first words

What many babies do:

• One to a few words besides "mama" and "dada"
• Points to ask for something
• Follows simple one-step requests

Try tonight: Name whatever your child is looking at. Short words, said often.

What you can do now: If your 18-month-old isn't using words yet, call the doctor. You don't need to wait for the next checkup.

These ages come from speech therapists' one-to-two-year guide and health officials' milestone pages.

Stage 3: 18 to 24 months — words join up

What many babies do:

• Two-word phrases: "more milk," "doggie go"
• Points to pictures in a book when you name them
• Word count grows quickly

Try tonight: Read the same book again. Pause before the last word and let them fill it in.

What you can do now: Fewer than about 50 words at 24 months is what speech therapists call late language emergence — a small vocabulary for age, usually noticed between 18 and 30 months. It is the line they use for a closer look.

This age range comes from speech therapists' guidance on late language emergence.

Stage 4: 2 to 3 years — short sentences

What many babies do:

• Two- to three-word sentences
• People outside the family understand more and more
• "About 50 words" appears here — at 30 months — on one checklist

Try tonight: Offer choices out loud. "Red cup or blue cup?"

What you can do now: Keep language on the agenda at the 2-year and 30-month visits.

This age range comes from health officials' milestone checklists.

Three things you can try tonight

1. Talk out loud, then pause. Narrate what you are doing. Then stop and wait. Your baby needs quiet space to babble back.
2. Name what they see. Point at the dog, the cup, the light. Short words, many times. Repetition builds brain maps.
3. Read the same book, but leave a gap. Pause before the last word of a familiar line. Let your child fill it in, even with a sound.

But the baby at daycare is already talking

This is the comparison that keeps parents up at night.

• Other kids are not the standard. Milestones come from large groups, not the one child you see at pickup.
• A child can be quiet at daycare and chatty at home. That is common.
• If comparison is what pushed you to read this, that is enough reason to make a call. You don't need proof.

What you can do now: Call your child's doctor or your state's free early-intervention line. You can ask without proof.

When it's worth making the call

Here are four places to start, and five signs that mean now is the time.

1. Your child's doctor. Call when you notice something. You don't have to wait for the next checkup.
2. Free early intervention. Every US state has a program for kids under 3. Asking is free. You don't need a referral. Health officials keep a guide for parents that lists the program in your state.
3. A speech therapist. Parents can contact a speech therapist directly. An evaluation can tell you if your child is on track or needs a little help.
4. A hearing check. Hearing loss is a common, fixable cause of speech delay. Researchers who studied speech-delay checkups say every one needs a hearing test.

Signs to act on now — federal researchers list these in their speech and language guide:

1. By 12 months: no gestures, like pointing or waving
2. By 18 months: prefers gestures over sounds to communicate
3. By age 2: only imitates words, doesn't say them on their own
4. By age 2: can't follow simple directions
5. Any age: losing skills they once had

What you can do now: A phone call is free. Waiting can mean a months-long queue. If it turns out to be nothing, you will feel better. If it is something, early help works better.

You are allowed to call

Researchers who reviewed the evidence on late talkers found that many catch up on their own. Some need a little help. No single early measure can predict which way it will go for one child. Doctors usually can't tell whether a late talker has a lasting language disorder before age 4 or 5. And there isn't enough evidence yet to know whether screening every young child helps, researchers say.

Here is what we do know: early help helps when it is needed. The reason to call early is not that something is definitely wrong. It is that help works best when it starts early. A worried parent is a good enough reason to call. You are not overreacting. You are paying attention.

About Baby Voice Recorder

This magazine is published by the team behind Baby Voice Recorder. It is a small recorder and parent app. It automatically picks up the words your child says. It saves them as short clips. You can see how their vocabulary changes week by week. It's a keepsake and a record, not a screening tool. It isn't out yet — join the waitlist if you'd like to hear when it is.