1-2y Speech Sounds

What is it?

Speech sounds are the sounds we make, using our mouth, to form words. To make sounds the brain needs an idea to communicate, then it send the idea to the mouth telling it which words to say and the sounds to make. This includes signals to the muscles that control the tongue, lips and jaw.

What to expect?

By two years old children will usually:

  • Have a selection of speech sounds such as m,n,p,b,t,d,w may be present.
  • Miss out or change sounds in words.

Information & advice

You can help by:

  • Encourage your child’s ability to listen e.g. point out every day noises, sing songs & nursery rhymes, play Simon says/ musical chairs/shopping games etc.
  • Encourage your child to look at you and listen before talking to them
  • Play with your child and listen out for what they say
  • Acknowledging  that you have not understood, and asking your child to tell you again. If you still don’t understand, ask him/her to show you what they mean if possible.

Activities