Life
Watching your child's language develop is one of the most exciting parts of parenting a toddler. They'll learn new words daily, constantly surprising you with how observant a 2 year old child can be. Although there is a large range of "normal" when it comes to language development in kids, experts have developed a list of words your kid should be saying before 2 years, or at least by their second birthday, to act as a guide for parents to assess their child's vocabulary.
Although "no" and "mine" always seemed to be on the top of my toddlers' list of commonly used words, watching their language skills grow and develop is one of my favorite aspects of motherhood to this day. Even children whose language skills are slower to develop should still be using the words on this list of basic words. If you're worried that your kiddo isn't using as many as you'd hoped, scheduling an appointment with your pediatrician is a good starting place.
On the other hand, it's very possible that your child will say way more than 25 words by their second birthday — Parents noted that it's usually closer to 50 words. But this list can act as a guidepost of the bare minimum for your toddler's bourgeoning vocabulary.
1
Mommy
Much to a mother's dismay, this word often falls second to "da- da." Parents puts "mommy" or "mama" at the top of the list of words your child should know by the time they turn 2.
2
Daddy
Even if it's "da-da" — or as my 2-year-old prefers, "dad" — ABC news stated that "daddy" is usually one of the first words a child learns.
3
Milk
Or "nuk" in my kiddo's case. "Milk" is among the list of words that are easy for kids to learn, Parents noted.
4
Baby
Even though they're barely out of the baby phase themselves, 2 year olds love to use "baby" to refer to anything they deem smaller than themselves. "Baby" is fairly universal, according to NY Daily News.
5
Hello
Your baby's ability to wave will soon be accompanied by the word "hello" or "hi," Parents noted.
7
Yes
Because every kid needs a way to respond in the affirmative, "yes" is also on Parents' list of words a toddler will know.
8
No
"No" however, is usually the more popular of the two, "yes" and "no" will both develop around the same time, ABC News noted.
9
Dog
Whether you have a dog or not, kids seem to learn the word "dog" before any other animal words, Parents pointed out.
10
Cat
If cats are more your kid's style, don't be surprised when this common word from NY Daily News' list pops up on your tot's radar.
11
Ball
Your mini athlete in training probably does a lot more than just say "ball," which is another word on Parent's list.
12
Nose
Saying the word "nose," a common body part word, according to ABC News, will come right along with their obsession for poking their own nose and saying "boop." (Are mine the only kids who do that?)
14
Juice
Along with "milk," "juice" is a common word your toddler will learn, the Mayo Clinic noted.
15
Hat
Your child's budding fashion sense may develop a bit early if they can't stop saying "hat" — Parents noted that it's among one of baby's first words.
16
Bath
Most kids have an odd obsession with taking baths. Soon, their language will follow suit, NY Daily News stated, with "bath" making the list of common vocabulary words.
17
Book
Your toddler's love for books — or as my toddler says, "gooks" — will develop early on when they learn how to say the word book, which seems to be a universal word for toddlers, Parents noted.
18
Car
Soon your kiddo will be begging to go on car rides, even if they loathed their carseat as a baby. "Car" is another easy word for kids to learn, as ABC News stated that it's on the expert's list of vocabulary words.
19
Shoe
Even though they'll more than likely always loose at least one of them at all times, toddlers seem to learn the word "shoe" pretty early on, Parents noted.
20
Thank You
Just so you can beam with pride over your child's impeccable manners, "thank you" is on the list too, NY Daily News reported.
21
Please
Along with "thank you," the list includes "please," Parents noted, just to cover all of the bases.
22
Cookie
Because what kid isn't obsessed with cookies? It's a common, and easily pronounceable word, according to ABC News.
23
Banana
Whether it's "nana" or "banana," most kids can say the word for their favorite yellow fruit pretty early on, according to Parents.
24
Hot
The word "hot" is an important one for kids to learn, and luckily, it's on NY Daily New's list of the first 25 words your child will learn.
25
More
It's especially exciting when your tot combines "more" with their manner words like "please." It might happen sooner than you expected, according to Parents.
