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This article examines the theoretical implications of a conception of language as practice in the field of language acquisition. It presents a critical synthesis of the ways the notion of experience was mobilized in non-nativist approaches to language acquisition. After a brief historical overview of the emergence and development of this notion in the field, we show that, over the decades, linguistic/language experience has been understood with varying degrees of depth: as mere exposure (in terms of time of contact with a language or quantity of words and/or constructions heard), as usage (frequency and function of linguistic constructions), and as socio-discursive practices (language games, discursive genres, activities). The article argues that acquisition cannot be explained solely by passive exposure to linguistic forms, but is the result of the child’s active involvement in social interactions and communicative activities. Through two examples drawn from family interactions and childcare settings, the article illustrates how children appropriate linguistic forms and their pragmatic values in social and dialogical contexts. The article also highlights the necessity of integrating cultural diversity and the interactional configurations of social environments into the discussion. Experience thus emerges as a key notion for understanding the diversity of developmental trajectories. In conclusion, linguistic/language experience cannot be understood independently of its communicational dimension, which entails that language is acquired through use and through interactions embedded in social practices.