Boosting Vocabulary: 5 Strategies to Help Kids Expand Their Word Power

Aug 23

Reading Time: 1 mins, 45 secs

two young boys sitting at table and flipping through book together

One of the best ways to ensure your child becomes an effective communicator is to continually help bolster their vocabulary. Why? Because a strong vocabulary directly correlates to efficiency in reading, writing, and speaking — and research suggests it also impacts how well your kid performs in school.

Here are five ways to help your child boost their vocabulary.

Read more.
The best way for your child to learn new words is to just read. Encourage them to build a daily reading habit — independently or with you. Reading will introduce your child to new words they are not familiar with, giving them the opportunity to look them up and learn their meanings.

Label everything.
This one might sound simple but it’s very effective. Use sticky notes or labels to put a name on every worthwhile object — from the dehumidifier to the ottoman to the creaky door. You’d be surprised how many good vocabulary words you can find in your home!

Feature new words every day.
Word of the Day calendars or games are fun ways to teach your child new words. Make a designated WOTD corner in your house or display it on the fridge. By doing this, you can build up a bank of new words and definitions to challenge your child with every day. You can use your WOTD bank to describe things around the house, make up stories, or journal about everyday activities.

Use synonyms.
Help your kid improve their vocabulary by challenging yourself to mix it up when speaking. Since children learn habits from us, we can help them increase their word power by using different words to describe familiar things. Are you feeling happiness? You can seize the opportunity to describe your “delight” or “exuberance” and take a stab at describing the nuanced difference between the words.

Practice anywhere and everywhere.
Remember: vocabulary words are all around us. You can transform any situation — whether it be a car ride, doctor’s appointment, or trip to the grocery store — into a vocabulary lesson. While you are out and about, make a game out of words and practice describing things in different ways.

Consider playing games like “I Spy” with creative descriptions, inventing a rhyming game where you see how many rhymes you can find to any word you encounter, and be sure to identify words that are also unfamiliar to you. Make a list of new words to define with your child and spend time looking things up together. By modeling lifelong habits and showing your child that you yourself are also working on improving your vocabulary, you will likely inspire them to want to increase their word power, too.

Want more ideas on how to improve vocabulary? Check out our blog post on creating a word wall.