Milestones

* Identifies several body parts

* Matches 4 to 5 colours

* Understands most things said to him or her

* Knows “big” and “small”

* Can concentrate on an activity for 6 – 7 minutes

* Understands the concept of ‘one’ and ‘all’

* Understands the concept of “one”. If he is playing with 6 blocks, and you ask him for one, he should be able to hand you just one block.

* Understands time concepts e.g. “yesterday” and “tomorrow”

* Enjoys listening to short stories, songs and rhymes

* Likes to hear the same story repeated

* Follows simple instructions like “comb the doll’s hair”

* Can put a toy “in”, “on” or under” a box when asked

* Identifies matches and names common pictures and things

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* Points to pictures in a book when named

* Requests items by name

* Carries on “conversations” with himself and toys

* Asks “what’s that and “where’s my?”

* Verbalizes toilet needs (before, during or after act)

* Can say his name, and holds up his fingers to tell his age

* Exhibits multiple grammatical errors

* Uses short sentences like “I want more” or “I want mum-mum”

* Combines nouns and verbs e.g. “mummy-go”

* Uses two word negative phrases e.g. “don’t want”

* Uses phrases with “is” like “Daddy is eating, Mummy’s sleeping”

* Uses some regular past tense verbs (kicked) and possessive pronouns (him, her)

* Uses some prepositions, present progressive verbs (e.g. walking), and irregular past tense forms (e.g. threw)

* Talks to other children as well as adults

* Tries to solve problems by talking instead of hitting or crying

* Answers simple questions about object function. E.g. “which one do you use to eat?”

Warning signs

* Is your child frustrated when he tries to talk?

* Do you have difficulty understanding your child when he talks?

* Does your child only use one word at a time and has difficulty putting two words together on his own?

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Article Courtesy of Isabel Tan Cjinh Ping, Senior Speech Therapist

Bachelor of Speech Pathology, University of Queensland, Australia (1999)

Public Service Commission Scholarship Awardee 1995