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Understanding and following simple commands is a milestone in receptive language development. By about 15 to 18 months, most children start to grasp and act on simple instructions like “give me the ball” or “come here,” especially when the command is one step and tied to a familiar action. This shows growing comprehension of words and the ability to connect language to actions. Earlier, around 6 to 9 months, kids mainly respond to sounds and routines rather than verbal instructions. At 12 to 14 months, some can follow a single command, often with a gesture. By 24 to 30 months, children typically handle more complex, two-step commands. So the 15–18 month window best reflects when most children begin to follow simple commands.