Vocabulary is the number of words known or used by a person. Children’s vocabulary takes the form of words that they can understand when they hear them and words that they can use to express themselves. Generally, children understand more words than they use. The average preschooler knows about 5,000 words, and by the end of high school, most children will know about 60,000 words.
Children’s vocabularies gradually grow over time and improve with practice. You can help expand their vocabulary by talking with them. Be patient if they stumble a bit. Gently help them with the meaning and pronunciation of words that they don’t know. Here are some ways to help children learn new words:
• Teach children new words.
• Talk with them about daily events.
• Read different types of books.
• Ask about the pictures in a book. Say the word for the picture if they don’t know it.
• Search for new words in books, and talk about the meaning of those words.
• Look up words with them in a children’s dictionary.
For more information on how to help children build their vocabularies, take a look at the Better Kid Care America page on Helping Young Children Learn New Words.
