Verbal Expectations: 22-24 Months

From 22 to 24 months, toddlers are eager communicators and often surprise parents with their expanding vocabulary. At this stage, children are beginning to combine words into short sentences and may start asking simple questions, a sign of their growing curiosity and language skills.

What Should My Child Understand?

• Follows two-step instructions, such as “Pick up the toy and put it on the table.”
• Recognizes names of familiar people, objects, and body parts, and can point them out when asked.
• Understands basic prepositions like “in,” “on,” and “under.”
• Can identify colors, shapes, and familiar actions (e.g., jumping, running).

What Should I Hear from My Child?

• Vocabulary may exceed 100 words, and some children may use up to 200 words by this age.
• Forms short three-word sentences, like “Want more juice” or “Big dog run.”
• Asks simple questions, often beginning with “What” or “Where,” like “What’s that?” or “Where’s mommy?”
• Begins to use pronouns, such as “I” and “me,” and imitates the tone and inflection of adult speech.

Ways to Encourage Language Development

1. Model Simple Sentences: If your child says “red car,” respond with “Yes, it’s a big red car!” This helps them see how sentences are formed.
2. Read Engaging Books Together: Choose books with questions or prompts, like “What do you see on this page?” to encourage vocabulary expansion.
3. Use Descriptive Language: Add descriptive words when talking about familiar objects, such as “soft teddy bear” or “big yellow truck.”
4. Encourage Questions: Ask simple open-ended questions, like “What do you see?” or “Where did it go?” to build conversational skills.

A Note for Parents

Every child develops at their own pace, and language milestones can vary widely. If you notice your child isn’t combining words by age two or using a range of sounds, consider checking in with a pediatrician or speech-language pathologist.

Here are some tips for helping your baby develop speech and language skills:

• Talk to your baby often. The more you talk to your baby, the more they will hear language and the better they will become at understanding and using language.
• Read to your baby. Reading to your baby helps them learn about language and how words sound.
• Sing to your baby. Singing to your baby helps them learn about rhythm and melody, and it also helps them develop their vocal cords.
• Play games with your baby. Games like peek-a-boo and patty-cake help your baby learn about social interaction and how to take turns.

Be patient. It takes time for babies to develop speech and language skills. Be patient and encouraging, and your baby will eventually reach their milestones.

For more examples and a wonderful explanation of the developmental milestones, see the video below published by the Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC) at Albert Einstein College of Medicine:

For more info, see:
Verbal Expectations: Birth to 3 Months
Verbal Expectations: 4-6 Months
Verbal Expectations: 7-9 Months
Verbal Expectations: 10-12 Months
Verbal Expectations: 13-15 Months
Verbal Expectations: 16-18 Months
Verbal Expectations: 19-21 Months