Communication & Language
4 entries — general developmental information with support ideas and guidance on when to seek professional advice.
Important — Development Information Is General
Developmental information on this page is general and not a diagnostic tool. Children develop at different rates and in different ways. A qualified health or developmental professional should evaluate specific concerns about a child's development, behaviour, learning, or wellbeing.
Early Vocalisations and First Sounds
Birth to approximately 6 months
In the first months of life, babies begin communicating long before any recognisable words appear. Cries, coos, and early babble are the starting point for everything that language will become.
Caregivers often notice that different cries carry different meanings early on. By around 2–3 months, many babies begin making cooing sounds — soft, rounded vowel sounds made during relaxed, alert states. Responding to these vocalisations tends to encourage more of them.
- Talk to the baby throughout ordinary care activities.
- Pause and wait after you speak — this establishes the back-and-forth pattern of conversation.
- Make eye contact during vocalisations.
- Mirror the sounds the baby makes.
Language Development in the First Three Years
Birth to approximately 3 years
Language development follows a broad sequence — from early sounds to first words to two-word combinations to simple sentences — but the timing within this sequence varies significantly between children.
Many children say their first recognisable words somewhere between 10 and 14 months, though the range considered typical is wide. By around 2 years, many children are combining two words. By 3, many are using simple sentences of several words.
- Talk about what you're doing as you do it.
- Name objects and actions throughout the day.
- Read aloud regularly — picture books, stories, whatever holds attention.
- Expand on what the child says: if they say "ball," you say "yes, a red ball."
- Avoid finishing sentences for the child.
Communication Skills Through Childhood
Preschool through middle childhood
Language continues to develop well beyond the first words. Vocabulary expands, sentence complexity grows, and children develop the ability to adjust how they speak depending on context — to a friend, to a teacher, to a stranger.
Children gradually shift from mainly concrete language ("I want the red one") to more abstract language ("I think that's unfair"). Narrative ability — telling what happened in a coherent sequence — develops through the preschool and early school years.
- Ask questions that require more than a yes/no answer.
- Invite children to tell you what happened rather than guessing.
- Model conversation turn-taking clearly.
- Discuss stories and why characters do what they do.
- Expand the complexity of your own language as children grow.
Early Literacy and Reading Readiness
Approximately 3–7 years
Reading readiness involves a cluster of skills — phonological awareness, letter recognition, print concepts — that develop through exposure and practice rather than formal instruction alone. Children develop these skills at different rates.
An interest in books, the ability to recognise their own name in print, and beginning to understand that sounds correspond to letters are all signs of emerging literacy. Some children begin reading independently quite early; others need more time and structured support.
- Read aloud daily — this is consistently linked with literacy development.
- Point to words as you read so children connect print with meaning.
- Play with sounds: rhymes, alliteration, silly words.
- Make books available and accessible.
- Let children see adults reading for pleasure.
This Is General Information
Child development is complex and individual. The information on this page describes broad patterns. It is not a checklist, and it is not diagnostic. If you have concerns about any aspect of your child's development, please contact your GP, paediatrician, or a relevant developmental specialist. Early professional support, when needed, is beneficial.