“My 15-month-old isn’t talking yet — should I be worried?”
It’s completely normal to feel anxious when milestones seem delayed. While some children speak later than others, a lack of spoken words by 15 months can be a sign that your child would benefit from extra support. It doesn’t always mean that something is ‘wrong’, but it could be time to explore early intervention.
At First Bridge Education, we often meet families with similar concerns. We offer personalised, gentle but targeted support that meets your child exactly where they are, whether they’re just starting to babble or showing signs of delay.
Understanding your child’s early developmental milestones is one of the most powerful ways you can support their learning and wellbeing. In this guide for parents, we break down typical communication, play, and learning milestones for babies and toddlers and explain what to do if you have concerns. We’ll also share tips and insights from our expert team of BCBA’s on how you can support your child at home!
0–6 Months: The Foundations of Connection
Typical milestones:
- Turns toward sounds and voices
- Begins to smile in response to others
- Makes eye contact and watches faces
- Cries differently to express different needs
- Enjoys early interactions like singing or gentle games
Communication Building Tip from Joey (BCBA – Clinical Supervisor): “Engage in face-to-face play and copy their sounds to support their early communication pathways.”
6–12 Months: Early Explorers
Typical milestones:
- Babbles with intent (“ba-ba,” “da-da”)
- Looks at what you point to
- Reaches or gestures to communicate
- Responds to name and simple instructions
- Enjoys peek-a-boo and other social games
Development Insight from Christine (BCBA – Clinical Supervisor): “Gestures, joint attention, and imitation are early social-communication foundations. Positively reinforce them as often as you can!”
12–18 Months: First Words and New Worlds
Typical milestones:
- Uses 5–10 clear words
- Follows one-step instructions like “give me the toy”
- Uses gestures to request (pointing, waving, lifting arms)
- Recognises familiar people and routines
- Starts basic pretend play (feeding a doll, brushing hair)
Encouragement Tip from Georgia (BCBA – Clinical Supervisor): “Narrate daily routines to build vocabulary, for example, “We’re putting on your shoes to go outside!” “
18–24 Months: Rapid Communication Growth
Typical milestones:
- Combines two words (e.g. “more milk”)
- Follows two-step instructions
- Points to body parts when named
- Plays next to other children (parallel play)
- Starts showing empathy (e.g. comforting others)
Support Tip from Andreea (BCBA – Clinical Lead): “Offer choices during daily routines to build confidence and motivation for communication, for example “banana or apple?” “
24–36 Months: Imagination and Expression
Typical milestones:
- Uses 200–300 words and short phrases
- Follows three-step instructions
- Enjoys pretend play with characters and stories
- Identifies basic shapes and colours
- Uses language to express wants, needs, and feelings
Learning Insight from Sharon (BCBA): “Encourage storytelling, questions, and simple ‘why’ answers to build critical thinking. Using visuals like picture cards and role play can support developing these skills, too.”
36–48 Months: Independent and Inquisitive
Typical milestones:
- Holds simple conversations with others
- Plays cooperatively with peers
- Understands concepts like “same” and “different”
- Uses imaginative play with roles and narratives
- Asks lots of “what,” “where,” and “why” questions
Encouragement Tip from Mikaela (BCBA – School Principal & Clinical Director): “Use open-ended prompts like ‘What do you think will happen next?’ to spark conversation.”
When to Get Support
At First Bridge Education, we know that every child develops at their own pace. However, you may want to seek guidance if your child:
- Doesn’t babble, gesture, or respond to their name by 12 months
- Has fewer than 10 words by 18 months
- Struggles with eye contact or joint attention
- Shows limited interest in others or play
- Displays intense sensitivity to sound, touch, or routine changes
Why Early, Expert-Led Support Matters
At First Bridge Education, we specialise in personalised early intervention programmes for children aged 12 months to 9 years.
For children aged 12 months to 5 years, we blend the EYFS curriculum with evidence-backed integrated therapeutic support for babies and toddlers to help every child build language, independence, and confidence in a nurturing, structured setting.
What makes The First Bridge approach unique?
You don’t need a diagnosis to access our specialist support.
What sets First Bridge Education apart is our highly personalised, one-to-one support tailored to each child’s unique developmental needs. Our calm, purpose-built Nursery in Chelsea, South West London, is a safe, supportive and engaging environment for learning, with full-time and part-time places available across 46.5 weeks of the year for continuity of care. We also offer practical parent training to support children thriving at home, and no specialist referral is required to begin.
We believe that whether you’re noticing early red flags or simply want to give your child the strongest possible start, it’s never too early to speak to our expert team; we’re here to help.
FREE webinar: “Baby and Toddler Development Milestones: What to Expect from 0–48 Months”.
First Bridge Education is excited to announce our FREE webinar: “Baby and Toddler Development Milestones: What to Expect from 0–48 Months”.
Presented by our School Principal and Clinical Director, Mikeala Green MSc., BCBA, this webinar is perfect for:
- First‑time or seasoned parents curious about developmental norms
- Anyone noticing delays or unusual developmental patterns
- Early-years professionals or childminders refreshing their milestone knowledge
Please register here to join us on Wednesday 16th of July at 6pm!