Speech sounds by age
Children learn speech sounds in a fairly predictable order. This chart shows the ages by which most children produce each sound clearly. Every child is different, so treat it as a guide, not a deadline. If a sound is well past its typical age, a speech-language pathologist can help. Tap any sound to practice it with picture cards and audio.
By age 3: the earliest sounds
Most children produce these clearly by their third birthday, along with vowels.
Ages 3 to 4
Back sounds and a few fricatives come in around this age.
Ages 4 to 5
Trickier fricatives and affricates settle in during the preschool years.
Ages 5 to 6 and beyond
The latest sounds. It is normal for these to still be developing in kindergarten.
Frequently asked questions
- When should my child say the R sound?
- Many children are still working on R up to age 6 or even 7. It is normal for R to lag behind other sounds. Norms vary between children and between sources, so treat this as a rough guide, not a deadline. If you have concerns, an SLP can assess.
- When should my child say the S sound?
- Most children produce S clearly between ages 4 and 5. Norms vary between children and between sources, so treat this as a rough guide, not a deadline. If you have concerns, an SLP can assess.
- When should my child say the L sound?
- Most children produce L clearly between ages 4 and 6. A common early swap is W for L (saying 'wight' for 'light'). Norms vary between children and between sources, so treat this as a rough guide, not a deadline. If you have concerns, an SLP can assess.
- When should my child say the Voiceless TH sound?
- Most children produce voiceless TH clearly between ages 4 and a half and 6. Norms vary between children and between sources, so treat this as a rough guide, not a deadline. If you have concerns, an SLP can assess.
Looking for a specific sound? Browse the full list of speech sounds.