20-month-old speech training?

Supporting speech development with a 20-month-old doesn't have to be hard work — there are small but effective things you can do in your daily routine. At this age, most children use 50–100 words and start making simple two-word sentences. If your baby isn't at this point yet, don't worry — every child develops at their own pace.

Here's what you can do:

• Narrate what you're doing as you do it. Simple, flowing sentences like "Now we're sitting in the high chair, I'm putting on your bib" feed their listening and understanding skills.
• Repeat the sounds and syllables they make and add to them. If they say "ba," you say "Yes, ball. You're getting the ball" to build on what they said.
• Ask questions less often and offer choices instead: "Apple or banana?" makes it easier for them to answer.

When to see a pediatrician: if by 20 months there are no words at all, if they don't respond to sounds or their name, or if they've lost words they used to say. Beyond that, have plenty of face-to-face conversation, and keep screen time limited — that's where they learn to talk, from you.