• It’s important for your child to hear many different kinds of words, so don’t limit yourself to just simple words – go ahead and share more sophisticated words with your child, too! It can help him to build a stronger vocabulary and become a better communicator.
  • For example, once your child has learned that the animal in the story you are reading is not really a “turtle”, but a “tortoise”, make sure to add the word “tortoise” to his vocabulary by using that word in conversation from time to time.
  • Don’t be afraid to expose your child to more sophisticated words like:
    • “perhaps” in addition to “maybe”,
    • “comforter” in addition to “blanket”,
    • “kitten” in place of “baby cat”,
    • “frustrated” in place of “sad” or “mad”,
    • “Jeep”, “van”, “pickup truck”, “taxi”, and “SUV”, in addition to “car”.
  • The more language your child is exposed to, the better.

Tip #14: The Bottom Line:
Don’t limit yourself to using only simple words when you talk with your child. Use a variety of words!