Speech Guides for Parents of Young Children

Plain-English answers to what parents actually ask about children’s speech: milestones by age, late talking, exercises that work, and when to see a therapist.

• ChecklistThe 2-year-old speech checklist for your childThe four things the CDC says most 2-year-olds do with words, why the 50-word count now sits at 30 months, and the signs that mean a call to the doctor now.
• ChecklistThe 3-year-old speech checklist for your childThe five things the CDC says most 3-year-olds can do with words, the sounds your child should already have, and the signs worth taking to a doctor this week.
• ChecklistThe 4-year-old speech checklist for your childWhat the CDC expects a 4-year-old to say, which sounds should be in by now and which are still years away, and the signs worth taking to a doctor.
• GuideApps that listen to your child’s speech and score itA few children’s speech apps score the attempt out loud; most leave the judging to you. What automated pronunciation feedback can and cannot tell a parent.
• GuideDoes my child need speech therapy?The signs that mean book an appointment, the ones that are normal for the age, and what actually happens at a first speech assessment, written for parents.
• GuideHow much does Proloquo2Go cost for a child?$249.99 once, checked 15 August 2026, plus the cheaper subscription AssistiveWare also sells. What it buys a child, what funding covers, when to spend less.
• GuideHow much does speech therapy for a child cost?What speech therapy for a child costs privately, what insurance and public health cover, and the free options worth trying while you sit on a waiting list.
• GuideHow to fix a lisp in a childThe two kinds of lisp, why one usually resolves on its own and the other almost never does, and a step-by-step S-sound routine to do with your child at home.
• GuideHow to help your child speak in sentencesYour child says single words but never puts them together. The order the steps go in, exactly what to say back, and when single words mean it is time to call someone.
• GuideIs my 2-year-old a late talker?The two-part test clinicians use for late talking at age two, why “wait and see” is bad advice, and eight things you can start doing with your child tonight.
• GuideIs Proloquo2Go available on Android for your child?No. Proloquo2Go is Apple-only, and AssistiveWare publishes nothing on Google Play. What an Android family can actually give a child who needs AAC.
• GuideIs there a free download of Proloquo2Go?There is no free version, trial or Android APK of Proloquo2Go; it is $249.99, Apple only. The legitimate ways to pay less, and the AAC apps that really are free.
• ComparisonProloquo2Go vs LetMeTalk, and the other AAC apps parents compareLetMeTalk is free but unmaintained since 2018; Proloquo2Go is $249.99 and the most-used AAC app. Both compared, plus Speak for Yourself, LAMP, TD Snap and Avaz.
• GuideSpeech delay vs language delay in childrenSpeech is how words come out; language is what they mean and how they go together. Which one your child has changes what helps, so this page shows how to tell them apart.
• GuideSpeech games for 5-year-olds that actually get the practice doneTen speech games a five-year-old will ask to play again, ranked by how many practice repetitions each buys you, plus the sounds due at five and the apps worth using.
• GuideChildren’s speech milestones by ageWhat most children can say at 12 months, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years old, following the CDC checklists, plus the signs worth asking a professional about.
• GuideSpeech practice for kids without an internet connectionOn a plane your child can still do the lesson, the word lists and the picture boards. The pronunciation score is the one part that needs a connection.
• GuideHow to do speech therapy with your child at homeA realistic five-minutes-a-day plan for practising speech with your child at home: how to pick a sound, the four levels to work through, and the habit to break.
• GuideSpeech therapy exercises for kidsTwelve speech exercises to do with your child at home, grouped by what they fix, plus the popular one that research says does nothing and when to stop and call.