Browse by age
18 to 24 months
Children vary a lot. These are milestones that many children reach somewhere in this window.
Talking and understanding
- Saying about 50 words
Most children are saying about 50 words somewhere between about 16 months and 2¼ years, often around 18 months. Children learning many different languages reach this at similar ages, though some take longer.
- Two-word phrases
Most children start putting two words together, like "more milk", somewhere between about 16 months and 2½ years, often around 19 to 21 months. Children learning many different languages start at similar ages.
- Word endings like -ing and plural -s
Most children start adding endings like plural "-s" (cats) and "-ing" (running) somewhere between about 1½ and 2½ years, often around their second birthday. Past-tense "-ed" (jumped) tends to come a few months later.
Feelings and friends
- Saying "me" and "mine"
Most toddlers start saying "mine" at around 21 months and "me" at around 23 months. In parents' reports for American children, 9 in 10 said "mine" by about 28 months.
- Talking about feelings
Most toddlers start using a feelings word like "happy", "sad", "mad" or "scared" at around 2 years. In parents' reports for American children, half did so by about 23 months and 9 in 10 by about 3 years.