Vocabulary Development
Children are not truly reading until they can comprehend what they are reading. Often young readers struggle with comprehension because they do not have a large enough vocabulary to help them understand the text. One way to help your child increase his or her vocabulary is by talking with your child. The more rich conversation your child has been exposed to, the more words he or she will know. Here are some fun ways to encourage vocabulary development at home!
Have a family game night and play Scrabble!
Work on crossword puzzles together!
Work on sentence extension! Start with a short sentence like, "I see a cat." Have each person who is playing add another word or two to the sentence to make it even better. For example, "I see a fat cat." Then, "I see a big fat cat licking his paw."
Watch an educational program together. Choose a few new words from the program and practice using them.
Visit the zoo, local aquarium, nursery, or grocery store. Hunt for words you know and new ones that you are unfamiliar with!
Enjoy looking at family photos together. Ask your child to re-tell a favorite vacation or family memory about the events in the photos. Continue the discussion together.
Make your very own word wall. Decorate a small bulletin board. Use magazines or old catalogs to cut out new words or pictures. Post them on your bulletin board.
Tell a family story. Have one family member begin a story. Then, each family member adds to the story!
Have you got some great ideas for increasing your child's vocabulary? Email them and I will post them on this page!
