Action Words To Teach Your Toddler

Before learning to converse, there’s a whole list of action words to teach your 19-month-old toddler. Easy to learn and fun to teach, it’s important for him to combine all of them to expand his vocabulary and know how to form phrases.

A toddler’s introduction to language begins by learning a few basic words and then expanding his vocabulary to form phrases and gradually conversing. The learning starts with basic sounds and words and moves on to names of people, places, and things. To make toddlers eager to learn a language, parents need to create enthusiasm. One of the best ways to do this is to teach action words. Toddlers find it easier to learn if they associate an action with a word. Thus, action words for toddlers are one of the best ways to enhance their vocabulary. In this article, we’ll learn about how to teach action words to toddlers in a simple and easy way.

Why Are Action Words Important?

Action words are important for children’s vocabulary. While growing up, they are fed majorly noun words like apple, chair, table, pen, light, mama, nana, dada, etc., to make them aware of their surroundings. As they grow up and strat moving, they require to learn action words so they can be given instructions that suit well for their age. Action words, such as sit, go, hold, stop, eat, etc., are words that toddlers start performing the actions for. So, it is as important for them to learn those words as they do the action of such words. Learning action words right in toddlerhood will help them learn instructions and rules faster and help with their development. According to a study, young children learn novel words or action words faster when they get to see and hear the words in varied contexts (1). Therefore, it is important to teach action words to children.

How to Teach Action Words to Toddlers in a Few Simple Ways

Action words are basically functional words that help children communicate with their surroundings faster and easier and get them the attention they need. Action words for kindergarten children or toddlers will be easy and common in the beginning and will level up as they grow.  

1. Firm Introduction

Children must be introduced to the word action first. This can be done by showing them how an action is performed, i.e. by doing something. These actions could be simple things like eating, colouring, playing and sitting. Note some easy action words for kids and encourage your child to do them by performing them along with him.

2. Start With Common and Easy-to-Understand Words

Starting with commonly used words like eat, sleep, go, come, stand, close, open, sit, give, drink, take, etc., will help build the foundation. These are the words babies hear every day when you interact with them, so starting with these words will be easy for them to learn and understand.

3. Introduce Groups

It’s a good idea to introduce action words in groups. Compile action words in a group of words and read them aloud. Then, while calling out an item from the list of action words for toddlers, add a few non-action words and see if he can spot them.

4. Draw the Action

Learning a word becomes easier if you ask your child to draw a picture of that particular action word. It will also help in the development of motor skills aside from your toddler’s vocabulary list. This can also be played as a fun game where other kids have to guess what the action is.

5. Sing With Rhymes

A simple way to teach action words is by reciting rhymes that focus on actions. It makes them much easier to remember, too. Some popular rhymes are:

• Row your boat
• Incy wincy spider
• One, two, buckle my shoe
• Rub-a-dub-dub
• Teddy bear, teddy bear
• Hop a little

6. Word Association

Another method of teaching your toddler action words as well as helping him remember different body parts is to associate the two things together. You can tell them the action that each body part does, for example, the eyes wink and blink, and the legs walk and run.

7. Keep Reminding

Make a board of all the action words for toddlers that you want your child to learn. Cut out pictures from magazines and discarded books and put words beside each one for easy teaching.

Common Action Words

Here’s a list of the most common action words that can be used for teaching your toddler:

Teaching and learning become easier if taught in a fun and playful way. The same should also be done with action words.

FAQs

1. How do you use action words daily?

Using action words in daily use with your kiddo is super easy. Here are some examples:

• Let’s go!
• Hug Mommy!
• Clap! Clap!
• Run! Run! Run!
• Mama eats!
• Sit down.

2. Can storytelling help teach children action words?

Yes, absolutely! Storytelling is one of the fantastic ways to teach children action words. Children’s story books are filled with action words like ‘sit,’ ‘sleep,’ ‘clap,’ ‘close your eyes,’ ‘run,’ etc. You can perform these actions while storytelling so they associate the action with the word.

Teaching and learning become easier if taught in a fun and playful way. The same should also be done with action words.

References/Resources:

1. Snape. S, Krott. A; The benefit of simultaneously encountered exemplars and of exemplar variability to verb learning; Journal of Child Language; https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-child-language/article/benefit-of-simultaneously-encountered-exemplars-and-of-exemplar-variability-to-verb-learning/B923FEC529CA2A8E9FE18D347E49201E; May 2018

Also Read:

How Toddlers Learn Words?
Tips To Teach Your Toddler New Words
2 Year (24 Months) Old’s Vocabulary Word List

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