Building Vocabulary

Most of us cannot remember exactly how we built our vocabulary. How did we jump from just knowing a few hundred words as children to knowing thousands of words as adults? We can draw insight from second language learning. How might you try to learn a second language? You could watch TV or listen to the radio in the language of your interest. You could jump at opportunities to practice speaking with a native speaker. Maybe you are more drawn to studying and reading books about the language. Regardless of the method, it involved some aspects of speaking, listening, and reading. When children first develop language, this is how children build their vocabulary as well: through speaking, listening, and reading.  

Children often learn vocabulary starting with the names of objects (nouns), then action words (verbs) and then description words (e.g., basic concepts). 

We can help children learn the names of objects by labelling things. Instead of using ‘this’ or ‘that’, try to be specific in what you see around you! If your child says ‘mine’ while reaching for a toy car, you could say ‘my car’ to teach the word ‘car’.  If your child says ‘please’ while reaching for a cup of water, you could say ‘water please’ to teach the word ‘water’.  

We can help children learn action words by making actions and gestures as we use words. Imagine playing charades – you need to use actions to convey meaning. Teaching or modelling language is very similar! By using actions, we can help children build understanding of new action words. We can also add action words into their play. Talk about your child’s play using action words corresponding to what they are doing. For example, if they are jumping, you could say ‘jump, jump, ready set jump’. Lastly, we can help children learn action words by adding a word to their language. If they say ‘car’ we could say ‘go car’. If they say ‘apple’, we could say ‘eat apple’.  

In the same way, we can help children learn description words by adding a word. If they say, ‘plane’ we could say ‘big plane’ or ‘red plane’. Description words are often related to basic concepts, fundamental words children learn as they build language skills. Basic concepts are essential to understanding and using language in everyday activities and academic contexts. Understanding basic concepts influences how children interpret language in conversations, directions, mathematical equations, and reading/writing. Many concepts are developed by age 4 and more complex concepts may develop until age 6.  Examples of basic concepts include: 

• Description words: big, little, same, different, colours, soft, rough
• Position or location words: up, down, next to, behind
• Time-based words: first, then, last, before, after, soon, later, yesterday, today, tomorrow
• Quantity words: more, less, all, a lot, none, empty, full 
• Comparing words: bigger, smaller, loudest, softest 

Home practice 

You can practice names of objects, action words, and basic concepts at home through fun activities including the examples below! The focus of these activities is to teach your child basic concepts through interactive activities and give your child opportunities to develop their understanding. 

• Talk about things around the room. Talk about colours, shapes, and textures.
• Expand on the description and action words your child uses.
  • For example, if they say ‘little’, you could say ‘tiny’ or ‘short’. If your child says ‘up’ while reaching their arms up, you could say ‘go up’.  
• Respond to ‘where is __’ questions with location words such as ‘behind’ and ‘under’. 
  • Ask your child ‘where’ questions as well. If they respond with ‘here’ and ‘there’, share the location word with them.
• Have a basket full of toys and ask your child to put them away using different concept words. 
  • or hide toys and ask your child to tell you where they found them using location words. 
• Place some objects in a bag or bucket (e.g., toothbrush, car, cup, block) and take turns taking an item out to: 
  • Guess the item before pulling it out by how it feels.  
  • or Describe characteristics. (color, shape, use, texture).  
  • or Answer questions about the object. (Can you eat it? Is it round?) 
• Play ‘I Spy’ with more descriptors or actions than colours.
  • For example: “I spy something in the room that you can eat.” “I spy something that is round.” “I spy something that is sharp.”
• Talk about how objects are the same or different.
  • For example, dogs and fish are both animals – that’s what makes them the same. But fish live in water and dogs don’t — that’s what makes them different.
• Put items together and talk about what group/category they belong to.
  • For example:
    • 1) utensils -fork, spoon, knife
    • 2) drinks/beverages-milk, water, juice
• Name a category and have your child name objects in that category (How many pets can you name? What are some things found on the road) OR name items and have your child guess the category.
• Play Simon Says and give your child a turn to give directions as well.
• Ask your child to explain the steps to complete a familiar task – if asked while they complete the task, explaining it will be easier (e.g., brushing your teeth, making cereal, getting ready for bed/school).
• Put items together and talk about their functions.
  • For example, ‘is a book for reading or sleeping’, ‘what can you use a pillow for’

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