Many children struggle to remember English words when they are not in class. It’s because the words don’t mean anything to them… yet. But you can help your children learn important English vocabulary words. They’ll gain in confidence, and also get more benefit from their English lessons.
Remember, you can find fun English classes for children here.
Read on to discover some great English vocabulary games for kids to do at home, that will help them improve their English vocabulary..
How to make English vocabulary topics fun for your kids
Many children have trouble memorising a long list of English words. It is because the words don’t mean anything to them – yet. Help your kids remember words they learned in class, by associating each word with an activity or story:
- Read a short story in English, or tell a funny anecdote or joke in English. Use vocabulary words they need to learn in your story. You can exaggerate or emphasise the vocabulary or ask your child to repeat the words.
- Play memory games. Try asking your child to match pictures to vocabulary words. You can find free English vocabulary activities on the British Council website.
- Sing songs or chants that contain English vocabulary words. Your children can repeat what you say out loud, to improve their pronunciation. Find free and popular songs for kids on LearnEnglish Kids , or listen to the fun rapper MC Fluency .
Try to include these vocabulary activities in your daily routines. For example, you can play English word games for ten minutes before your children do their homework. This will help them remember the words better when they do their homework exercises.
Let’s say your primary school children normally do their homework at the kitchen table. Use this space to play a vocabulary game. You don’t have to use technology — sometimes a ten-minute card game like Snap! can help kids review vocabulary words before they start their homework.
For older primary students, you can try grammar games. Ask them to match English present tense verbs to past verbs, comparative to superlative adjectives and opposites. If you can’t think what game to play, you can use the British Council’s online Learning Hub to review what your child is learning. This helps you match the game to their lessons.
Personalise English vocabulary for your children
People remember words that are important to them. This means your child will learn English words faster when they can connect them to daily life.
So, try asking your child questions about what they enjoy, or see daily. For example, here are questions you can ask your child, to help them build an animal vocabulary in English:
- What animals do you like?
- Which animals did you see today?
- What did the animals look like?
- Were these animals real or imaginary?
- What pets do your friends have?
- Which animal is your favourite and why?
The best English vocabulary apps and activities for kids
Let’s not forget about technology! Most children are pretty tech-savvy. You may like to let them spend ten minutes a day with an English app. They can add a fun element to learning and your child is encouraged to repeat English vocabulary.
Here are good English vocabulary apps and activities for kids:
Kids can try something new on this app or repeat one of their favourite games. LearnEnglish Kids: Playtime app from the British Council has over 500 activities and games to keep your children entertained, and help them learn English vocabulary and grammar at the same time.
- Quizlet
You can encourage kids to show off their IT skills by creating their own digital English vocabulary cards. Why not print off the flashcards your child has made and use them in the memory games you play together? This can motivate children to learn because they feel in charge.