Communication Milestones: 7–8 years
By 7–8 years of age, children have reached their early school years. They are able to have more complex conversations and should be easily understood by strangers almost all of the time.
By 7–8 years of age, children have reached their early school years. They are able to have more complex conversations and should be easily understood by strangers almost all of the time. Language now does a lot of heavy lifting in the classroom.
What you might notice
- Holding detailed conversations and explaining their thinking.
- Understanding jokes, riddles and figurative language.
- Reading and retelling stories, and answering 'why' and 'how' questions.
- Writing organised sentences and short paragraphs.
- Using language to solve problems and negotiate with friends.
💡 Tip
Strong oral language at this age underpins reading comprehension and writing. Talking, reading and storytelling together all help.
If conversations, reading or following instructions feel harder than expected, it's a great time to check in with a speech pathologist.
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