Understanding How Kids Learn Words
Learning new words is an exciting adventure that starts even before we can talk! From the time we're babies to when we’re toddlers, we hit some important milestones in learning language.
In the first year of life, babies hear lots of sounds and rhythms of language around them. They start to "babble," which means they make sounds like "ba-ba" or "da-da."
This playful sound-making helps babies learn the tiny sounds, called phonemes, in the words we use. By about 6 months old, babies may start to recognize their names and some simple words. They might respond when called, like when you say “come here.”
Once toddlers are about a year old, they're getting better at using their voices, and they start picking up new words fast! By their first birthday, many will say their first real words, like “mama” or “dada.”
Research shows that by 18 months, toddlers can know around 50 words. They begin to use these words in ways that make sense. For example, if they see a dog, they might point and say “dog.”
As toddlers grow into the late toddler stage, their vocabulary really takes off! A 2-year-old might know about 200 words, and by the time they are 3 years old, they could know over 1,000 words!
At this age, kids start putting words together into simple sentences, like “more juice” or “big truck.” This is their first step into using grammar. They can learn new words every day, which can surprise their parents with how fast they are picking things up.
This amazing journey from making sounds to learning words and sentences shows just how capable children are when it comes to language. It helps build the skills they need to communicate well as they grow up.
Understanding How Kids Learn Words
Learning new words is an exciting adventure that starts even before we can talk! From the time we're babies to when we’re toddlers, we hit some important milestones in learning language.
In the first year of life, babies hear lots of sounds and rhythms of language around them. They start to "babble," which means they make sounds like "ba-ba" or "da-da."
This playful sound-making helps babies learn the tiny sounds, called phonemes, in the words we use. By about 6 months old, babies may start to recognize their names and some simple words. They might respond when called, like when you say “come here.”
Once toddlers are about a year old, they're getting better at using their voices, and they start picking up new words fast! By their first birthday, many will say their first real words, like “mama” or “dada.”
Research shows that by 18 months, toddlers can know around 50 words. They begin to use these words in ways that make sense. For example, if they see a dog, they might point and say “dog.”
As toddlers grow into the late toddler stage, their vocabulary really takes off! A 2-year-old might know about 200 words, and by the time they are 3 years old, they could know over 1,000 words!
At this age, kids start putting words together into simple sentences, like “more juice” or “big truck.” This is their first step into using grammar. They can learn new words every day, which can surprise their parents with how fast they are picking things up.
This amazing journey from making sounds to learning words and sentences shows just how capable children are when it comes to language. It helps build the skills they need to communicate well as they grow up.