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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

What could your toddler say at about 2 years old?

42 replies

PilauMice · 28/05/2014 20:11

All the online guides are very vague and I was wondering what was normal in your experience for a 2.1 year old?
-How many words can they say?
-Can they use sentences and if so what sort of thing do they say?
-Do they use 'I' or their name when referring to themselves?
-Can they say numbers?
-Can they actually count any things?
-Do they remember things that happened last week and talk about them?

OP posts:

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BertieBotts · 28/05/2014 20:17

Ooh I have a list in my old blog :)

I do remember that DS started at a childminder when he was 2 and a week later he started speaking in sentences, but whether that was two word sentences or more complex ones I can't remember.

PourquoiPas · 28/05/2014 20:24

The guides are so vague because there is such a massive spectrum of normal. I have known a lot of two year olds, some were speaking in clear 4 word sentences and counting to ten, some were using one word sentences and didn't count at all. All ended up pretty much the same by the time they were four.

However, as I know it is nice to know my 23 month old
Has about 300 words (not all understandable to others. And her favourite is "no!")
Sentences of 3/4 words "no more peas now mama" "go away naughty cat"
Uses "DDname not want" "Me want more choo choo"
Counts up to four (says the words, not always getting amounts right)
Will bring up things that happened, tell others what happened in places (DDname fall down, DDname ouch, sad at the playground)

She is my second which does make a difference I think.

Original poster

PilauMice · 28/05/2014 20:25

I love that her sentences are rejecting vegetables and scolding the cat, which are my DS's main activities!

OP posts:

AntinousWild · 28/05/2014 20:26

Both of mine spoke fluently at 2 but Ds still muddled some pronouns. My niece didn't speak at all. All normal.

KittieCat · 28/05/2014 20:27

Too bloody much and he hasn't stopped since!

AntinousWild · 28/05/2014 20:28

Oh and while they could count, with DS in particular it was just repetition. He was nearer 2.4 when he started counting objects.

beatingwings · 28/05/2014 20:29

Nothing. Not one word. Neither of my children spoke till after their third birthday.

TheOneAndOnlyAlpha · 28/05/2014 20:29

I think the guidelines say they should be using 3-4 word sentences by this age. I have a particularly vocal toddler and could speak well early, but was slow in other aspects but looking at official 'charts' they are all in the vast realm of 'normal'.

ThisFenceIsComfy · 28/05/2014 20:29

My DS also 23 months has just started using 2-3 word sentences such as: I go stairs, where's xxx gone, I no want

Mostly talks in one word statements though. I would say knows about 100-150 words. Can say "one, two, three" but I doesn't actually count ifyswim.

Lots of words used for things he can't pronounce as well. For example he says "rain" for umbrella and "eyes" for glasses.

BertieBotts · 28/05/2014 20:30

Okay there is less than I thought

18 months - "Uh-oh. Stuck!" (First time putting two words together)

2 years 2 months - could count up to 12 and attempted to count to 20 but got mixed up past 12. He has always been really keen on numbers, though, and I seem to remember this was unusual for his age. He was definitely counting.

He definitely used to say "my" to mean "I" for a long time.

I remember he started at the childminder the day before his 2nd birthday, and within a week he'd started to put two words together regularly.

TightyMcTight · 28/05/2014 20:30

They are all so different. My 19 month old I would say, can talk. He says things like, "look mummy big red van" or "all gone mummy, more please." He can count to 20 and recognises numbers to 10 out of order. He knows all 26 phonic sounds.

He understands EVERYTHING anyone says. His memory is phenomenal and you only have to tell him a word once or twice before he can use them in context. For instance, "we are going to get daddy's prescription." 5 hours later daddy comes home and asks what DS has been doing. "Getting daddy's scription."

He knows the names of all of his friends and their mums and talks to them by name. He knows colours, shapes and about 30 animal sounds.

BertieBotts · 28/05/2014 20:32

But I do have a lovely transcription of a conversation at 2 years 2 months

DS: So tired Mummy.
Me: Oh, are you tired?
DS: No! You's tired, Mummy.

PennySillin · 28/05/2014 20:32

They are all so different. DD1 could have a normal conversation at 2 (mainly about cBeebies) but proper sentences, DS could maybe put 2 words together his speech developed much later and DD2 was somewhere in between, simple sentences but nothing as complex as DD1.

FlipFlopWaddle · 28/05/2014 20:34

Dd2 is 21 months. She has moderate hearing loss so doesn't talk as much as dd1 did at this age so she gets very frustrated. She probably has over 100 words though (I counted 50 a few months ago but she says a lot more now). She puts words together into simple sentences - tonight for example she said 'want give it to daddy' when she didn't want any more of her muffin. She says 'mine' and 'my' but not I or me. She remembers things really well but wouldn't be able to answer questions like 'what did you do today?'. She knows her colours and some numbers but doesn't put them in order. Have you got concerns?

katandkits · 28/05/2014 20:34

Sentences of 3 words sometimes four. Not sure how many words he has in total, is expanding by the day! Many sentences begin "no mummy"..
" M blue chair"(I want to sit in the blue chair)
"Mummy up yes please" (mother get off your arse and come here)
"M snack please"
"George pig yes please" ( get peppa pig on the telly now)

The only number he knows is two. He can't count but he does recognise 123 from me counting and tries to imitate it. As far as he is concerned, two just means more than one.

He uses his name to talk about himself, and other peoples names, he says mummy instead of you.

No he can't discuss what he did last week.

DS is 2.1 and I am not in the slightest bit concerned about his language. He is destined to be a genius as he can name six colours already :)

Smartiepants79 · 28/05/2014 20:35

Couldn't count how many words by that point. Definitely speaking in sentences. Could clearly express herself, what she wanted, things shed seen etc.
She was an early talker and could repeat and use words after hearing them just once.
My younger daughter is very different. She is 18 months and has about 20 words. Maybe only 5 of those would be recognisable to outsiders.
On the other hand she can can climb up ladders, jump with 2 feet and use a scooter already. Her sister couldn't manage a scooter til she was 3.
She just has different skills.

boringlivingroom · 28/05/2014 20:36

Dd talks pretty well as did ds. I didn't correct them - just model the correct speech and they will pick it up. Plus lots of reading to them etc.

Smartiepants79 · 28/05/2014 20:37

Oh and her understanding is good. She can follow instructions and answer questions.
She's no fool.

TheresLotsOfFarmyardAnimals · 28/05/2014 20:44

Ds has no sentences. He says numbers but in a random order.

He has lots of words but other people can't understand them very well. I can as I'm tuned in.

His understanding is good.

He's 23 months.

dashoflime · 28/05/2014 20:51

Ds is 23 months.
How many words? Not sure. 30ish
Sentences? Yes. "Gie that" "Don't touch!" Where Mum?"
All the other things- no.

ISpyPlumPie · 28/05/2014 20:54

Smartiepants - that sounds very similar to my DC.

DS1 was an early talker. By 2, he was speaking fluently and could be easily understood. A couple if egs I remember and can be sure he was 2 as birthday related are "what's the emergency grandma?" when he was playing Fireman Sam with DM while I was making his cake, "it's terrible" sneaking a taste of the Oero used to make wheels on said fire engine cake and "no Dneighboursson, it's mine give it back" when neighbours' DS took a shine to one of his new toys (thankfully DS1s social skills have come on apace since then )

DS2 on the other hand only has a handful of words at 18 months but us very physical - early walker, always climbing, running etc and good fine motor skills. I was getting a bit worried about the kack of words but his receptive language seems fine and I think it really is just a case if different skills.

ISpyPlumPie · 28/05/2014 20:55

Lack not kack!

missorinoco · 28/05/2014 20:58

One of mine could say short sentences that Dh and I could understand but was gobbledygook to anyone else.

Another said "Actually Mummy, Daddy is downstairs," at that age. It still sticks in my mind with the "Actually".

In answer to your questions - can't recall number of words. At 2.1 they could rote count, but didn't understand the numbers, referred to themselves by name with variable pronounication, and only with one could I get enough meaning to establish what happened last week.

My youngest aged 3 still refers to any date in the past as yesterday.

CPtart · 28/05/2014 20:59

Always remember DS1 aged 21 months saying "they're daddy's keys" which a friend thought was pretty good. Seems so long ago now I honestly can't remember much else!

BrianTheMole · 28/05/2014 20:59

Dc1 loads, I have no idea how many, certainly more than a few hundred and speaking in sentences. Could count to about 20, used I instead of own name.

Dc2. Nothing. Not one single word. Just the odd grunt. Started speaking at 2.5 yrs. Couldn't count etc, although completely caught up now aged 4.5yrs. Still refers to self by name rather than I though.

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