When should You Start building your child’s vocabulary?

Why Vocabulary Building is Critical

Alright, let’s talk about why it’s so important to help your little one build that word bank!

Research shows that a preschooler’s vocabulary is one of the strongest predictors of how easily they’ll learn to read later on (Rowe, 2012). The more words they hear and use now, the more prepared they’ll be for reading and school.

By age 4, some kids have been exposed to 50 million words, while others have only heard 10 million (Hart & Risley, 1995). That difference dramatically impacts their language skills, confidence, and future reading abilities.

So if you want to make reading easier and set your child up for academic success, it starts with exposing them to a variety of words every day. It doesn’t take fancy programs—just simple, natural conversations and fun vocabulary-building activities.

Let’s take a look at how you can expose your child to more words, at every age.

Start as early as newborns

Surprise! Your newborn is already soaking up language — even if all they’re doing is staring at you with those big, curious eyes.

Babies are like little sponges, and they’re busy learning the rhythm and sounds of your voice. So, even though they aren’t saying words yet (or even babbling), talking to them from day one sets the stage for future language skills.

But here’s the kicker: social interaction is key. Researchers have found that babies prioritize incoming information that is part of a human connection (Kuhl, 2007). That means it’s not just about talking at them while you’re busy washing dishes; it’s about getting on their level, making eye contact, responding to their cues, and engaging with them.

Takeaway: Lock eyes and be fully present when you interact with your baby. Use a rich vocabulary as you describe what’s around you and your daily activities. Even though your baby isn’t responding back to you, treat them as an interaction partner, which sends signals to their brain that what you’re saying is important.

Babies (0-12 Months)

Once you hit that 6-month mark, things get exciting!

You’ll start hearing babbling — those adorable “ba-ba” and “da-da” sounds that make you want to record every moment.

This is when you can really ramp up the vocabulary exposure. Keep it simple. Point out objects, name them (“This is your teddy bear”), and add a little commentary to whatever you’re doing.

Reading books, singing songs, and having back-and-forth “conversations” (even if you’re just replying to their coos) are gold at this stage. Remember, it’s not about getting them to repeat the words right away — it’s about filling their brain with language.

Starting around 10 months, you can start introducing vocabulary-matching activities with photos. Print 2 copies of the same set of photos and show your child how to match them together. You can say the name of the object as you match them to start introducing new words. You can learn exactly how to set up this activity in my free vocabulary-building guide.

Takeaway: Read books together, expose your child to new words with daily interactions and start simple vocabulary matching activities.

Toddlers (12-24 Months)

Now you’re in the big leagues — the toddler stage, where everything suddenly has a name, and they’re eager to learn it.

Toddlers are like mini word detectives, always picking up new vocabulary (whether you’re ready for it or not!). This is when you can start making vocabulary activities a little more intentional.

Picture books with labeled images? Yes, please.

Simple games like pointing to body parts (“Where’s your nose? There it is!”) or identifying objects on a walk are perfect.

Starting around 15 months, you can really ramp up the fun with vocabulary-matching activities. Think about matching pictures to real-life objects — it’s a fantastic way to engage their growing minds.

But here’s the deal: keep it FUN and hands-on! We’re talking no drills or memorization here. Let’s gamify those vocabulary activities! You could try activities like scavenger hunts, DIY memory games, or even simple matching games using everyday items around the house. Remember, toddlers thrive when learning feels like play, not school. Get 14 creative vocabulary-building activities to do with your toddler.

Takeaway: Read picture books with objects labeled, play games like naming their body parts, talk about objects on a walk, and play hands-on vocabulary games.

Preschoolers (2-4 years)

Once your child hits preschool age, their vocabulary takes off like a rocket.

At this point, they’re stringing words together, asking (sometimes too many) questions, and absorbing language like never before.

Here’s where you can introduce more structured activities — think fun games like “I Spy,” storytelling, and more advanced vocabulary card matching activities. But keep it playful!

Use vocabulary in context so it sticks. If you’re baking together, talk about the ingredients and steps. Or during playtime, describe what’s happening (“Oh, the dinosaur is stomping through the forest!”). Preschoolers thrive when learning is part of their world, not just something we sit down and “do.”

Takeaway: Introduce more structured vocab-building activities like “I Spy” or word charades. Create stories together weaving in new vocabulary, and put on puppet shows. Offer more advanced nomenclature card activities like matching labels to pictures for pre-reading practice.

Vocabulary Building Activity Ideas

If you want to make the most of this crucial language growth window for your child, but you’re thinking, “I’m totally new to vocabulary building. Where do I even begin?”—I’ve got you covered you a free guide. 

You’ll learn the basics of the Montessori technique of teaching kids new words, with step-by-step instructions included. Plus, matching activities you can do at every age (and 14 more super creative vocab activity ideas).