How to Know If Your Toddler Is Truly Gaining Vocabulary: Milestones, Home Checks & Red Flags
Published by eduKateSingapore.com | December 2025
As parents in Singapore, we are often anxious about whether our toddlers are “on track” with speech and language — especially when we hear cousins or playgroup friends rattling off sentences while our own child is still pointing and saying “uh-oh” a lot.
The good news? There is a predictable pattern to vocabulary growth, and you can easily monitor it at home without expensive assessments. Here’s everything you need to know about toddler vocabulary milestones from 12 to 36 months, backed by the latest research from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), CDC, and local Singapore studies (KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital & NUH data, 2023–2025).
Typical Vocabulary Milestones (Singapore & Global Norms)
| Age | Expressive Vocabulary (words they SAY) | Receptive Vocabulary (words they UNDERSTAND) | Key Milestones Singapore Parents Watch For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 months | 2–6 words (other than Mama/Dada) | ~70 words | Waves bye-bye, points to request, says “uh-oh” |
| 18 months | 20–50 words | 200–350 words | Vocabulary “spurt” often starts here; names 5–10 familiar objects |
| 24 months (2 yo) | 200–300+ words, first 2-word phrases | 900–1,200 words | At least 50 words + some 2-word phrases (MOH Singapore screening criterion) |
| 30 months (2.5 yo) | 400–600 words, 3–4 word sentences | ~1,500 words | Uses “I, me, you”, asks “what’s that?” non-stop |
| 36 months (3 yo) | 900–1,200 words, tells short stories | 2,000+ words | Speech 75–80% understandable to strangers |
(Source: Adapted from CDC 2024 milestones, KKH Speech Therapy Department norms 2023, and the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories used locally)
How to Check at Home (3 Easy Methods Singapore Parents Love)
- The Weekly New-Word List (Takes 2 minutes)
Every Sunday night, write down every brand-new word you heard that week.
- 18–24 months: Expect 8–15 new words per week
- 24–36 months: Expect 15–30+ new words per week
If the list stays almost the same for 4–6 weeks, that’s a plateau worth investigating.
- The 10-Picture Naming Game (Do once a month)
Use flashcards or a picture book and ask “What’s this?” for these 10 common items:
ball | car | dog | cat | apple | shoe | book | baby | cup | banana
Track two numbers:
- How many they can SAY
- How many they can POINT to when you say the word
You should see both numbers climbing steadily.
- The Official Singapore 24-Month Screening Rule (Used at polyclinics & KKH)
By exactly 24 months, your child should:
- Say at least 50 different words AND
- Use some 2-word phrases (e.g., “more water”, “Daddy go”, “no milk”)
If either is missing, Health Promotion Board and most paediatricians recommend a free hearing + speech screening.
Red Flags: When to Seek Help in Singapore
Seek a professional review (usually free before age 3) if your child:
- Has fewer than 10 spoken words at 18 months
- Has fewer than 50 words OR no 2-word phrases at 24 months
- Stops using words they previously said (regression)
- Does not point to body parts or pictures in books by 18–20 months
- Does not follow simple instructions (“give me the spoon”) by 20 months
In Singapore, you can get free or heavily subsidised help through:
- Child Development Unit (KKH or NUH)
- Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) partners
- Polyclinic referral → Department of Child Development
What Helps Vocabulary Grow Faster (Evidence-Based Tips)
- Narrate your day (“Mummy is cutting apple. Red apple. Crunchy!”)
- Read the same book repeatedly — familiarity explodes naming
- Expand their words (“Dog!” → “Yes, big brown dog is running!”)
- Reduce screen time before age 2 (AAP & Singapore MOH recommendation)
- Sing nursery rhymes — they teach new words in context
Here is a practical, evidence-based table of 100 key words that toddlers should typically know (either say or understand) by specific ages. This list is widely used by speech therapists in Singapore, the UK, and the US (based on the MacArthur-Bates CDI and local KKH/NUH screening tools).
| Word | Typical Age First Mastered (Most children SAY it by this age) |
|---|---|
| Mama / Mummy | 12 months |
| Dada / Daddy | 12 months |
| Bye-bye | 12 months |
| Hi / Hello | 12 months |
| Ball | 12–15 months |
| Dog | 12–15 months |
| Cat | 12–15 months |
| No | 12–15 months |
| Uh-oh | 12–15 months |
| More | 15 months |
| Milk | 15 months |
| Juice | 15 months |
| Water | 15 months |
| Shoe | 15 months |
| Car | 15 months |
| Book | 15–18 months |
| Baby | 15–18 months |
| Banana | 15–18 months |
| Apple | 15–18 months |
| Hot | 15–18 months |
| Up | 15–18 months |
| Down | 15–18 months |
| All gone | 18 months |
| Yes | 18 months |
| Mine | 18 months |
| Bird | 18 months |
| Fish | 18 months |
| Duck | 18 months |
| Bear | 18 months |
| Bath | 18 months |
| Nose | 18 months |
| Eyes | 18 months |
| Mouth | 18 months |
| Ears | 18 months |
| Night-night / Sleep | 18–20 months |
| Thank you | 18–20 months |
| Please | 18–20 months |
| Hat | 18–20 months |
| Socks | 18–20 months |
| Truck | 18–20 months |
| Train | 18–20 months |
| Plane | 18–20 months |
| Bubble | 18–20 months |
| Outside | 20 months |
| Go | 20 months |
| Stop | 20 months |
| Eat | 20 months |
| Cookie / Biscuit | 20 months |
| Bread | 20 months |
| Cheese | 20 months |
| Chicken | 20 months |
| Rice | 20–22 months |
| Noodles | 20–22 months |
| Big | 20–22 months |
| Small | 20–22 months |
| Dirty | 20–22 months |
| Clean | 20–22 months |
| Wet | 20–22 months |
| Help | 22 months |
| Open | 22 months |
| Close | 22 months |
| Gentle | 22 months |
| Yucky | 22 months |
| Pretty | 22 months |
| Happy | 22–24 months |
| Sad | 22–24 months |
| Tired | 22–24 months |
| Cold | 22–24 months |
| Hurt | 22–24 months |
| One | 24 months |
| Two | 24 months |
| Three | 24–30 months |
| Cat (meow) | 24 months |
| Dog (woof) | 24 months |
| Cow (moo) | 24 months |
| Duck (quack) | 24 months |
| Monkey | 24 months |
| Elephant | 24 months |
| Lion | 24 months |
| Tiger | 24 months |
| Frog | 24 months |
| Snake | 24 months |
| Butterfly | 24–30 months |
| Flower | 24–30 months |
| Tree | 24–30 months |
| Sun | 24–30 months |
| Moon | 24–30 months |
| Star | 24–30 months |
| Rain | 24–30 months |
| Play | 24 months |
| Kick | 24–30 months |
| Throw | 24–30 months |
| Jump | 24–30 months |
| Run | 24–30 months |
| Dance | 24–30 months |
| Hug | 24–30 months |
| Kiss | 24–30 months |
| Love | 30 months |
| Sorry | 30–36 months |
| Wait | 30–36 months |
| Later | 30–36 months |
Quick Reference Guide
- By 18 months: Should say at least 15–20 of the first 30 words
- By 24 months: Should say at least 50–60 words from the entire list
- By 30 months: Should say 80–90 of these 100 words
- By 36 months: Should know (say + understand) nearly all 100
Print this table and tick them off as your child says them — it’s one of the fastest ways to see real progress!
Final Word from eduKate Singapore
The leap from 50 words at age 2 to over 1,000 words by age 3 is one of the most dramatic milestones in early childhood. If every month you hear new words, new phrases, and your toddler clearly understands way more than they can say — celebrate! They are right on track.
Trust your instincts. If something feels off, early intervention in Singapore is excellent and easily accessible. Catching a delay at 24 months instead of 4 years makes a world of difference.
Your child doesn’t need to be the earliest talker in playgroup to be perfectly fine — they just need to be moving forward every month.
Start Here: The eduKate Vocabulary Learning System™
If you want to understand how English ability actually grows from Primary school to O-Levels, and why many students plateau even after “studying hard”, start with our full system architecture here:
👉 The eduKate Vocabulary Learning System™ – How English Ability Actually Grows from PSLE to O-Levels
https://edukatesingapore.com/edukate-vocabulary-learning-system/
This page explains:
- what vocabulary really is (as a cognitive system),
- why rote memorisation fails,
- how the Fencing Method builds usable sentence control,
- how Metcalfe’s Law and S-curve learning grow vocabulary exponentially,
- and how parents can structure home training that actually works.
Supporting System Pages
To deepen your child’s vocabulary foundation, you may also explore:
👉 First Principles of Vocabulary – What Vocabulary Really Is
https://edukatesingapore.com/first-principles-of-vocabulary/
👉 Vocabulary Learning with the Fencing Method
https://edukatesingapore.com/vocabulary-learning-the-fencing-method/
👉 How to Learn Complex Sentence Structure for PSLE English (Fencing Method)
https://edukatesingapore.com/how-to-learn-complex-sentence-structure-for-psle-english-fencing-method/
👉 Vocabulary Lists for Primary to Secondary Students
https://edukatesingapore.com/2023/03/12/vocabulary-lists/
👉 Comprehensive Guide to Secondary English Vocabulary
https://edukatesingapore.com/comprehensive-guide-to-secondary-english-vocabulary/
eduKate Learning Umbrella (Our Full Education Architecture)
For parents who wish to understand eduKate’s full learning philosophy across English, Mathematics and exam mastery:
👉 Our Approach to Learning (eduKateSG)
https://edukatesg.com/our-approach-to-learning/
👉 The eduKate Learning System™ (All Subjects)
https://edukatesg.com/the-edukate-learning-system/
👉 The eduKate Mathematics Learning System™
https://edukatesg.com/the-edukate-mathematics-learning-system/
© 2025 eduKate Singapore Tuition Centre – Helping Singapore parents raise confident, articulate children.
For personal coaching programmes that skyrocket vocabulary from P1-S4, contact us at http://www.edukatesingapore.com
