Bethesda Country Day School

Building a strong vocabulary is not only essential for academic success, but also enhances a child’s ability to express themselves effectively and understand the world around them. While traditional methods like reading aloud together are invaluable, integrating creative activities can make the process of learning new words fun and engaging for children. Here are some creative activities you can try with your child at home.

Storytelling Sessions

Encourage your child to create and narrate their own stories. This strengthens their imagination and allows for opportunities to try out new vocabulary. Allow for plenty of silliness and wild ideas! Giving freedom to openly express their ideas will build their speaking confidence. Ask questions to keep their ideas flowing! Tell a story with them. You can begin with “Once upon a time…” and then take turns making up events. 

Playing Guessing Games

Classic games like “I Spy” and “20 Questions” are fun ways to build vocabulary. In “I Spy,” take turns providing clues about an object in the room using descriptive vocabulary. For example, instead of saying “I spy with my little eye… something pink,” you could say “I spy with my little eye… something brightly colored that bees like to land on.”  In “20 Questions,” think of a word and let your child guess it by asking yes or no questions that require descriptive answers. Get them started by narrowing down the topic. “What I’m thinking of is something I use in the kitchen.” 

Reciting Nursery Rhymes

Nursery rhymes introduce children to rhyming words, alliteration, and rhythmic patterns which are all foundational for reading and vocabulary development. Many include words that are not typically in our conversational vocabulary, broadening their horizon. Some of our favorites to recite with your child are “Hey Diddle, Diddle,” “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” and “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.” 

By integrating these creative activities into your child’s daily routine, you can make vocabulary building an enjoyable and enriching experience! Visit our Links to Learning page to learn more about how we integrate vocabulary-building activities into your child’s day.