Third stage: 12 to 24 months

The third stage commonly occurs between 12-24 months. The toddler enjoys verbal interaction with adults, though this interation is not quite conversation. He/she is pleased with an increasing ability to name objects, actions and desires. She/he can follow very short narratives and brief instructions, and can often make short sentences. Sharing books is a participatory pleasure in which the child likes to predict what happens next, repeat familiar refrains, and play with sounds. This stage is usually physically hard on the books, so sturdy board and cloth books are a boon. Vocabulary expands from 30-50 words, up toward 1000 as the child approaches the fourth stage.