Research has demonstrated that delays in social development and academic development tend to correlate in the teenage years. In light of this, the present study aimed to explore the nature of the relationship between social development and language development in a sample of children in their second and third years at school. It also aimed to determine whether this correlation was large enough to suggest that children who present with delayed language development should also be screened for delays in social development and vice versa. The vocabulary development of 71 children was assessed using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, while their teachers also completed the Canterbury Social Development Scale as a measure of social development. Only small correlations were found. It was concluded that social development and language development are largely independent aspects of child development during the early school years. The implications of this result, including the need for a combination of early identification and early intervention for children presenting with language and/or behavioural difficulties, are discussed.