Language begins before birth, according to BabyCenter. A baby can hear language and recognize voices in the womb. As he enters the world and continues to grow, his language skills will grow rapidly as he is exposed to voices, songs and books. Although every child is different and develops at varying speeds, talk to your child's doctor if you are concerned about his development.
Birth to 12 Months
Beginning at birth, a child uses crying as her only method of communication. Kids Health from Nemours states that she is attentive to sound and will recognize some voices. She may begin babbling before 6 months of age and will learn to wave. Before she is 12 months old, she may say her first word, respond to her name and pay attention to conversations.
1 to 2 Years
Beginning at age 1, a child may be able to identify objects and point to body parts when asked. He may say two or more words and imitate noises. He will learn to follow simple instructions, wave goodbye, and use gestures to convey things. As he approaches age 2, Ohio State University Extension states that his vocabulary will reach 50 words and he will be able to understand even more. He may talk to himself and speak in two- or three-word sentences.
2 to 4 Years
Between the ages of 2 and 4 years, a child will be able to identify up to 10 pictures in a book, Ohio State University Extension reports. She will use plural and past tense words in her vocabulary of approximately 500 words. The majority of her speech will increasingly become more understandable, and she will ask questions, identify colors and speak in sentences of three to five words.
4 Years and Older
By age 4, a child will be able to speak in complex sentences and may be able to learn his address and phone number. As he approaches age 6, he will become more understandable and use correct grammar and verb tense most of the time. He will continue perfecting his language skills, both in speaking and understanding, as he continues to grow older.
Encouraging Development
According to BabyCenter, a child whose parents talk to her regularly will grow to have a richer vocabulary than a baby who did not have the same exposure to language. Expose a young baby to language by talking about things you are doing throughout the day. Imitate her sounds, and sing to her. As she grows older, teach her the names of objects, encourage her to read on her own and make conversation with her as often as possible.
