Vocabulary is very important for toddlers as they develop their skills. When they reach infant age, and then onto secondary school or senior school they will know a lot more about themselves and what words they can use in conversations. These skills will take them through a lot of their school life, hence why it is very important for children to be continually developing.
With that in mind, we all have a responsibility to help our children develop their vocabulary. Here are some ways you can help out.
Pick a small number of new words your child can learn
Don’t overload your child with too much information at once. It won’t be easily remembered this way and you want your child to remember everything they are taught! Instead, pick out a few different words that relate to similar areas so that they can be used in a sentence. Use these same words in a few different ways and have a bit of fun with it – see what your child learns.
Repetition is key
Repeating these new words and phrases will help your child learn to pick them up and use them on a regular basis. It will also be more likely to stick in their mind once they’ve gotten used to the sounds and pronunciation of each word. Keep repeating the words in different scenarios as well, to help them with their understanding of where they can use these words.
See, say, write
This private nursery in Cobham has recommended to parents that they adopt this method when teaching their children new words. When your child sees something new and asks what it is, describe it to them and then write the word down for them, even when you’re on the go. When you return home or when the need arises, you can show them where they can use this word to help them remember.
There’s a lot to learn in vocabulary development, and children will need to learn new words all of the time. Have a look at a range of activities and exercises to see which ones help your child the most.