How many words should a 2-year-old have?

By age 2, many toddlers have 50+ words and begin combining two words. Some are earlier or later—watch for steady growth over time.

What can I do at home to help my toddler start talking?

Narrate daily routines, use parallel talk, offer simple choices (two options), and add one word to what your child says. Create playful communication temptations so your child has a reason to request.

Is screen time okay for language?

Co-watching slow, story-based shows and talking about what you see supports language better than fast autoplay videos. Conversation beats passive watching.

My 2-year-old isn’t talking. Should I be worried?

It’s worth getting curious. Red flags include few sounds, limited gestures, and frustration when trying to communicate. Early support helps—and you can start at home today with simple strategies in The Tiny Talker Playbook.

How many words should a 2-year-old say?

Many 24-month-olds use about 50 words and combine two-word phrases. Some are earlier or later. If growth seems slow, try daily routines like narrating, offering choices, and the 1+ word strategy.

What can I do at home to help my toddler talk?

Narrate everyday moments, offer simple choices, add one word to what your child says, and create communication temptations—like storing a favorite snack in a clear container so your child has a reason to request.

Is screen time okay for language?

Co-watching slow, story-based shows and talking about what you see supports language more than fast, autoplay videos. Conversation beats passive watching.

Toddler Speech FAQ — SpeechRise Inc.

Toddler Speech FAQ: Clear Answers from a Pediatric SLP

As a speech pathologist and toddler mom, I understand navigating the milestones can be really difficult. It’s my job to help clear that up for you! Below are the most common questions I get daily about toddler speech development. If you have a question not listed below, email me at nicole@speechrise.com for a direct reply! Looking forward to supporting your child’s speech and language development.

Question 1: When should my toddler start talking?

First words are expected anywhere from 10-14 months of age. From then on, language continues to expand and by 18 months, we typically see anywhere from 10-50 words. The number continues to go up from there. At 2 years we expect anywhere from 50+ words, with many two year olds speaking upwards of 200 words. If your little one is not producing this level of spoken language, consider reaching out to your pediatrician or your local speech language pathologist for an assessment. If you’re early on in the process, my course The Tiny Talker Playbook, would be perfect for you!

Question 2: What counts as a word?

Approximations, signs, and even animal noises count as words! Just because they don’t sound like adult words, don’t count them out just yet. Did you know that baby signs, like “more” and “hi” count as words? Animal noises like “bah” and “moo” and baby approximations like “wah-wah” for “water” also count. When counting how many words your baby has, be sure to include all of these!

Question 3: What can I do at home with my toddler to help them start speaking?

This is my favorite question! This is the exact reason I created The Tiny Talker Playbook- it’s a digital course for toddler parents that helps teach all of the strategies we use in speech therapy to elicit more language from our little ones. You will learn how to ask questions, all about narrating and parallel talk, what to avoid (which is so important!!), and strategies to use in your daily routines to extract more language from your little one! Proven to work with so many families!

Question 4: Is screen time okay and does it impact speech development?

Screen time is hard for all parents to navigate. I am a big fan of everything in moderation. If you are going to lean on screen time, be sure you are being selective. Choose slow-paced, story-based shows and talk about what you see is better than fast, autoplay videos. Conversation beats passive watching. Watch alongside your child so it becomes an opportunity for socializing instead of “zone out”.

Question 5: What is the difference between a late talker and a speech delay?

Late talkers often have typical receptive language (understanding) and solid social engagement even with fewer spoken words. A speech and language delay can affect sounds, words, or understanding more broadly. If you’re unsure, start with home strategies and consider an evaluation.

Question 6: How many words should my two year old have? and When should I be worried?

By 2 years old, we see approximately 50 words. By two, we see children start to combine two words. Some are earlier or later—that’s okay. If you’re not seeing steady growth, try daily language routines (narrating, choices, waiting). If you see any sign of regression, meaning your baby was using language and then stopped, speak with your pediatrician or local SLP! I’m always here to help.