How many words does a child typically have in their vocabulary by age 3?

By age 3, children typically have a vocabulary that encompasses several hundred words. At this stage of development, they not only recognize and understand a variety of words but can also express themselves using many of them in simple sentences. The vocabulary of a 3-year-old is characterized by significant growth as they are exposed to more social interactions, playtime, and caregivers who engage them in conversation.

This period marks a crucial time for language development, where children start to combine words into phrases and demonstrate an understanding of basic grammar. Their ability to express needs, desires, and ideas in words is expanding rapidly, allowing for increased communication. It is common for a child to have anywhere from around 200 to 1,000 words in their active vocabulary by this age, although several hundred is generally the expected norm. This range illustrates the diversity in language development across different children but reinforces that a substantial vocabulary is indeed present. Thus, stating that a child has several hundred words in their vocabulary by age 3 accurately reflects typical developmental milestones.