Little Voices, Big Steps

Understanding Your Child’s Language Growth

Language development is one of the most fascinating—and important—parts of early childhood. Between 18 months and 5 years, children make extraordinary progress as they move from single words to full conversations, jokes, and storytelling. Parents play a powerful role in guiding and celebrating this journey.

• 📖 Two Types of Language

  When we talk about language, there are two key areas to keep in mind:

  Receptive Language (Understanding)
  This is your child’s ability to receive and make sense of language. It shows up when they follow directions, recognize familiar words, or understand what is being said. For example, if you ask, “Can you get your shoes?” and your child goes to the door, that’s receptive language in action.

  Expressive Language (Speaking)
  This is your child’s ability to share their own ideas through sounds, words, and sentences. It includes naming objects, putting words together, asking questions, and telling stories. When your child says, “More juice, please,” they are practicing expressive language.

  💡 Both skills grow side by side. In the early years, it’s normal for children to understand more than they can say.

• 🗓️ What to Expect by Age

  Here’s a quick snapshot of common milestones—plus when to check in with a professional if needed:

  • Around 18 months: Children may use 10 to 50 words and understand far more. If they are using fewer than 10 words at this age, it’s a good idea to check in with your child’s doctor or consider a screening.

  • By 2 years: Children begin combining words (like “want ball”) and can follow simple directions.

  • By 3 years: Vocabulary expands quickly, sentences get longer, and children can answer basic questions. If speech doesn’t sound conversational, or they mainly repeat what they hear, it may be a sign to talk with a specialist.

  • By 4 to 5 years: Children can tell stories, ask “why” questions, and use language to solve problems and connect with friends. By this stage, they are usually able to share ideas freely, retell events, and problem-solve through conversation.

• 💡 How Parents Can Help

  Here are some simple, everyday ways to encourage language growth:

  • Talk throughout the day. Narrate what you’re doing: “I’m cutting the apple into little pieces.”

  • Read daily. Books build vocabulary and comprehension. Ask open-ended questions like, “What do you think will happen next?”

  • Sing songs and rhymes. Rhythm and repetition help children hear patterns in language.

  • Expand on their words. If your child says, “Car,” you might add, “Yes, a big red car is driving fast.”

  • Offer choices. Instead of yes/no questions, try, “Do you want the blue cup or the green cup?”

  • Play together. Pretend play—“Let’s cook dinner for the dolls”—sparks conversation and creativity.

• 🏫 Built-in Support at WHPS

  We want parents to feel confident knowing their child’s growth is being supported from every angle. That’s why we provide two important opportunities for families:

  🌱 Ages & Stages Developmental Screenings (Free)

  Parents can request a developmental screening in the preschool office at any time—at no cost. These screenings use the Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3 and ASQ-SE-2), which combine parent insights with teacher observations in the classroom. This collaboration gives a fuller picture of where your child is developmentally and helps identify strategies to support growth if any areas of concern are noted. Screenings cover several key domains:

  • Gross and fine motor skills

  • Communication

  • Problem solving

  • Personal-social development

  These tools give families peace of mind and help us work together to ensure every child is thriving.

  🗣️ Speech, Language & Hearing Screenings

  While our teachers and staff are trained to notice and flag questions or concerns about a child’s speech development, we also provide on-campus screenings with Bernice Sedlik, a licensed Speech Pathologist, each October. These screenings, available for a nominal cost, include a written report for families with results and suggested next steps if any concerns are identified.

🌱 Want to Go Deeper?

At WHPS, we see language as one of the essential building blocks of a child’s growth—but it’s not the only one. In a recent article, Cultivating Full Potential, we explored language and engagement in more detail, along with other areas parents and teachers can monitor to ensure children are thriving. Together, these resources give families a broader picture of how we track development and support every child’s journey.