Kids typically start talking by saying their first words around 9 to 12 months of age. Before that, they begin babbling between 4 and 6 months, which is the important early stage of language development. By the time they reach 12 to 18 months, their vocabulary grows with new words learned every week, and by 18 to 24 months, toddlers often start combining words into simple phrases and sentences.
Key stages of early speech development:
- 4 to 6 months: Babbling begins with sounds like “ba-ba” or “da-da,” but these are not yet words.
- 9 to 12 months: Babies start saying their first meaningful words, often “mama,” “dada,” or simple words related to their environment.
- 12 to 18 months: Vocabulary grows, with toddlers learning several new words weekly and starting to use them to express needs.
- 18 to 24 months: Toddlers combine words into simple phrases and sentences.
- By 2 to 3 years: Children expand their vocabulary rapidly and start using more complex sentences and ideas.
There is a normal range for these milestones, and some variation is expected from child to child. If a child hasn’t started saying words by 15 months or has a limited vocabulary by age 2, consulting a specialist might be helpful.
