A parent is their child’s first teacher and should remain their best teacher throughout life. Functioning as a coach, the parent exposes a child to age appropriate challenges to encourage development as well as to experiences that allows the child to explore on their own and learn from interacting with their environment. Child Development specialists have learned that from birth children are goal directed to experiment and learn from each experience.
• Follows simple commands and understands simple questions (“Roll the ball,” “Where’s your shoe?”).
• Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.
• Points to pictures in a book when named.
• Says more words every month.
• Uses some one- or two- word questions (“Where kitty?” “Go bye-bye?” “What’s that?”).
• Puts two words together (“more cookie,” “no juice,” “mommy book”).
• Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words.2-3 years
• Follows two requests (“Get the book and put it on the table”).
• Has a word for almost everything.
• Uses two- or three- word “sentences” to talk about and ask for things.
• Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time.
• Often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them.
• Understands simple “wh” (who, what, where, why) questions.
• Talks about activities at school or at friends’ homes.
• Speaks clearly enough that people outside of the family usually understand his or her speech.
• Uses a lot of sentences that have four or more words.
• Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words.
• Pays attention to a short story and answers simple questions about it.
• Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school.
• Uses sentences that give lots of details (e.g., “I like to read my books”).
• Tells stories that stick to topic.
• Communicates easily with other children and adults.
• Says most sounds correctly.
• Uses the same grammar as the rest of the family.