At what age would you expect a typically developing toddler to combine words or words with gestures?

Typically developing toddlers generally start combining words or pairing words with gestures around the age of 24 months. At this stage of development, children usually begin to express more complex ideas and convey their needs more effectively. The combination of words, such as "more juice" or "want cookie," showcases their expanding vocabulary and understanding of syntax, as well as their ability to use gestures to enhance communication.

By 24 months, many children have a vocabulary of about 50 words and are starting to form two-to-three-word phrases, demonstrating their growing cognitive and social skills in communication. This milestone is key in the transitional phase from single words to more complex language use, which is fundamental in fostering further language development.

Prior to 24 months, language development is primarily single words, and while children may use gestures, the combination of words specifically becomes more evident around this age.