Communication milestones: what to expect from 12 months to 5 years

Our kids develop communication skills at their own pace, but there are key speech and language milestones to look for between 12 months and 5 years. From first words and gestures to forming sentences and telling stories, each stage builds on the last.

These are some key language and communication milestones for children from 12 months to 5 years old: 

12 months: Babies understand simple words, respond to their name, and start using gestures and a few words. 

18 months: They follow basic instructions, recognise familiar objects, and begin saying 6–20 words. 

2 years: Children can follow two-part instructions, say more than 50 words, and start combining words into short phrases. 

3 years: They begin using longer sentences, ask basic questions, and understand concepts like “same” and “different.” 

4 years: Kids answer questions about stories, describe events, and use longer, more detailed sentences. 

5 years: They follow three-step instructions, tell simple stories, recognize letters and sounds, and have conversations with turn-taking. 

Speech Pathology Australia has put together a handy communication milestone poster, to help you track your child’s progress. If you have any concerns about delays in their development, reach out to our speech pathologists for support.