Speech
and
Language
of
the
two
year
old
At age two, you child:
-
listens for the meaning of words, not just sounds
-
understands simple questions and commands
-
identifies body parts
-
uses mainly names of things, actions, persons and situations in his or her language.
-
carries on "conversation" with self and dolls
-
asks "what's this?", "what's that ?" and "where's my?"
-
sentence length is composed of 2-3 words
-
refers to self by name
-
names pictures
-
uses 2-word negative phrases such as "not go", "not right", "no want"
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forms some plurals by adding "s"; book, books
-
has around 300 words in speaking vocabulary
-
builds an 8-block tower
-
asks for drink, toilet, food
-
listens to stories with pictures
-
stays with one activity 6-7 minutes
You can stimulate your two-year-old's speech and language by:
-
reading books with simple colorful pictures
-
being a good speech model
-
repeating new words over and over
-
helping your child listen and follow instructions by playing games: "pick up the ball," "touch Daddy's nose"
-
talking about what you are doing
-
playing records with your child
-
listening to your child when he or she is talking, never saying, "I don't understand you."
-
praising the child for telling you some of the things he or she is doing and for the child's efforts at saying things
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taking the child on excursion trips and talking about what you see
-
carrying on a conversation with him/her
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asking questions to stimulate additional thought and language
