Early Language Milestones and Shared Book Reading

Reading to (and with) them is one of the most efficient ways to enrich the language they hear. A little knowledge about language-related milestones of development can help you make the most of this opportunity.

Below, we discuss some major language milestones according to stage of development. Each section includes a short list of tips on how to make shared reading time as rewarding as possible.

0-6 months: They’re Listening!

In the early months of life, a child only offers a gentle coo in response to the adults around her. But she already shows a preference for human speech to other sounds, and reacts to bright, happy speech from caregivers. By around six months of age, her cooing will become babbling—the language-like syllables that show she is experimenting with making the sounds of her native language.

• Read with your baby daily, even if it’s just one slim board book.
• Let your child feel the pages, soak in the colors and shapes, while you say the words slowly and clearly.
• Feel free to go off-book and describe the funny cat in the illustration, the flowers in the garden, the fish in the ocean.

6 months to One Year: First Words

Your child’s babbling will be become more complex, mixing consonants and vowels into patterns that sound remarkably like real language.

By the end of the first year, he may have said his first word (though sometimes this happens as late as 15 months without indicating a problem). Though it’s his first spoken word, he can already understand the meaning of around 50 words when he hears them.

• Experiment with different types of books to see what your child responds to.
• Allow him to set the pace with books, lingering on this page for awhile and ignoring that page entirely.
• Describe the images. Talk about what you see and ask questions.

Age One to Two: Talking Toddlers

Usually between 18 and 24 months, your child will begin putting together meaningful two-word phrases. Her spoken vocabulary is probably about 50 words by now. Books offer a perfect laboratory to hear and learn new words.

• Set a number of books for each night’s session, and allow her total freedom to make the decisions. Be prepared to read certain books over and over.
• Expand on the lessons and ideas in the story with questions and observations: “Why is that bird sitting on that branch? What is it looking at?”
• Visit the library often, and check the mailbox for the latest from Books from Birth.
• Stash some books in the car and the diaper bag. Use books instead of smart phones to keep her stimulated and entertained.

Age 2 to 3: Big Kid Conversation

During this period of rapid development, signs of his increasing language skill seem to appear daily. Keep the conversations going all day, describing the things you do and see together. Carry this idea over into book time, and act as a facilitator of exploration, rather than a mere reader of words.

• Leave the simple books behind and look for stories that are interesting to your child and have appropriately challenging vocabulary.
• Be patient with questions. If it takes ten minutes to read three pages, don’t lose your head. Be sure not to stifle his curiosity by making shared reading routines inflexible.
• Let him try material he’s not quite ready for. Don’t assume a book is too old for him if he seems interested. If he gets bored, it won’t become a favorite yet, but he might surprise you and go nuts for it.

These milestones can serve as a general guide to what’s happening with children at different stages of development. But it’s important to remember that each child grows at his or her own pace. The timing of any given milestone will vary greatly from one child to another; the ages given are only an estimation.