Listening to a toddler speak can be endearing, if not a little confusing. But the next time you "ooh" and "aah" over your little one's jumbled jargon, keep your ears open to make sure you're hearing at least a few real words.
Researchers from the Child Study Institute at Bryn Mawr College have identified a list of 25 words that every toddler should be using by the age of two. Find out what those 25 words are.
As the study pointed out, an average toddler uses around 75-125 words, and can string words together to form phrases. The minimum number of words a "late talker" should be using is 25.
Although late talkers, or children with normal delayed speech, usually catch up to their peers by the age of 4 or 5, a lack of vocabulary at the age of 2 (i.e., using less than 25 basic words), can be a red flag for a hearing problem, dyslexia, or autism.
Using basic vocabulary is a great way to help late talkers develop their language skills. Among the 25 words listed are some toddler-faves, like:
-ball
- juice
- mommy
- daddy
- cookie
- "all gone"
(For the complete list, click here.)
We've also got tons of activities to help your toddler's language development:
- Helping Your Toddler Build His Vocabulary