How to build your child’s vocabulary
Discover effective strategies to enhance your child’s vocabulary development. Explore practical tips and activities on How to build your child’s vocabulary & enrich their language skills from an early age
1. Make conversation a priority
Young children are like sponges, so it’s important to immerse them in language right from the start.
The number of words children learn in the early years is closely related to their future success.
‘The quality of parent-child interactions is one of the biggest factors influencing vocabulary, so it’s vital to talk to your child and expose them to different words.
‘Try naming objects, using number words, and introducing words that explain emotions: the more words they understand, the more they will be able to use.
2. Read together
It’s important to make reading a routine, with a regular slot everyday.
Keep reading aloud to your child, even once they’re able to read independently: Kids love to hear stories, and you can build their vocabulary by choosing books that would be too difficult for them to read themselves.
Don’t just stick to stories: reading non-fiction books, children’s newspapers and comics will expose your child to a wider range of words.
3. Play word games
From I Spy to Scrabble and Bananagrams, there’s a huge range of word games that will help your child learn new words.
4. Use words in sentences
There’s no point in your child learning new words if they don’t know how to use them. Getting them to use a word in a spoken or written sentence will help them understand its meaning and context.
If your child gets weekly spellings from school, get them to write a sentence that includes each word, encouraging them to look it up in a dictionary if they’re unsure of its meaning.
5. Introduce a word of the day
Introducing a new word each day will boost your child’s vocabulary by 365 words every year, and is an activity that the whole family can get involved with.
You could use a word-a-day calendar or a website or app to suggest new words, or pick them out of a dictionary.
Make sure your child knows the meaning of the word, as they’ll then be able to use it in their own speaking and writing.