• Startles to loud sounds.
  • Quiets or smiles when spoken to.
  • Seems to recognizes your voice and quiets if crying.
  • Increases or decreases sucking behavior in response to sound.

  • Moves eyes in direction of sounds.
  • Responds to changes in tone of your voice.
  • Notices toys that make sounds.
  • Pays attention to music.

  • Enjoys games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.
  • Turns and looks in direction of sounds.
  • Listens when spoken to.
  • Recognizes words for common items like “cup,” “shoe,” “juice.”
  • Begins to respond to requests, “Come here,” “Want more?”

  • Points to a few body parts when asked.
  • Follows simple commands and understands simple requests (“Roll the ball,” “Kiss the baby,” “Where’s your shoe?”).
  • Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.
  • Points to pictures in a book when named.



  • Understands differences in meaning (“Go-Stop,” “In-On,” “Big-Little,” “Up-Down”).
  • Follows two requests in sequence, “Get the book and put it on the table.”

  • Hears you when you call from another room.
  • Hears television or radio at the same loudness level as other family members.
  • Answers simple “Who, What, Where, Why” questions.

  • Pays attention to a short story and answers simple questions about it.
  • Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school.



  • Makes pleasure sounds (cooing, going).
  • Cries differently for different needs.
  • Smiles when sees you.

  • Babbling sounds more speech-like with many different sounds, including p, b, and m.
  • Vocalizes excitement and displeasure.
  • Makes gurgling sounds when left alone and when playing with you.

  • Babbling has both long and short groups of sounds such as “tata upup bibibibi.”
  • Uses speech or non-crying sounds to get and keep attention.
  • Imitates different speech sounds.
  • Has 1 or 2 words (bye-bye, dada, mama) although they may not be clear.

  • Says more words every month.
  • Uses some 1-2 word questions (“Where kitty?” “Go bye-bye?” “What’s that?”).
  • Puts 2 words together (“More cookie,” “No juice,” “Mommy book”).
  • Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words.



  • Has a word for almost everything.
  • Uses 2-3 word sentences to talk about and ask for things.
  • Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time.
  • Often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them.

  • Talks about activities at school or at friends’ homes.
  • People outside family usually understand child’s speech.
  • Uses a lot of sentence that have 4 or more words.
  • Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words.

  • Voice sounds clear like other children.
  • Uses sentences that give lots of details (e.g., “I like to read my books”).
  • Tells stories that stick to topic.
  • Communicates easily with other children and adults.
  • Says most sounds correctly except a few like l, s, r, v, z, j, th.
  • Family members can clearly understand your child’s speech.