SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 3 to 4-YEAR OLD CHILD
At this stage, toddlers become more confident in their ability to communicate, using longer sentences and a broader vocabulary to express their ideas, thoughts, and feelings. They also begin to grasp more complex grammatical structures and can engage in simple conversations with adults and peers. This period of development is vital for laying the groundwork for academic learning, social interactions, and emotional expression. Below we explore the key milestones in speech and language development for children aged 3 to 4 years.
What speech and language development can you expect to see at this age?
- Your child begins to understand position concepts such as next to, beside, between
- Follows two-step related instructions without cues (e.g. “Give the dog a bone and some milk.”)
- Begins to pay attention to specific print (e.g. the first letter of his/her name)
- Your child has an expressive vocabulary of 1000-1200 words and uses 4–5-word sentences consistently
- Answers simple questions (e.g. “What do you do when you’re hungry?”)
- Uses “what”, “where”, “when”, “how” and “whose” when asking questions
- Uses some plurals (e.g. cats) and past tense forms (e.g. jumped)
- Uses adjectives to describe things (e.g. big apple, naughty dog)
- Uses negative forms (e.g. no, not, can’t, don’t, won’t)
- Uses more pronouns (e.g. they, us, hers, his, them, her, our, him, myself, yourself, their)
- Uses position concepts (e.g. under, in front, around)
- Participates in rhyming games
- Expresses ideas and feelings
Red Flags: When to Seek Help
- If your child is only using short phrases or a few words.
- If it is difficult to understand what you child is saying by age 4.
- Your child does not ask or answer questions
- Has difficulty following instructions
- Shows frustration when trying to speak or explain themselves.
Next Steps: What to Do if You Have Concerns
If you notice one or more of the red flags above, consider scheduling an assessment with a speech therapist. The speech therapist can assess your child’s speech and language development. Early intervention can help your child develop the skills they need to communicate effectively.