You Don’t Need Flashcards to Grow Your Child’s Vocabulary
When we think about building vocabulary, many parents picture flashcards, word lists, or drilling new words or phrases.
But research tells us something surprising and reassuring:
“Children don’t learn words best by memorising them.
They learn words by living them.”
How Vocabulary Really Develops
Vocabulary growth happens most effectively through meaningful exposure, not repetition drills.
According to decades of language development research, children acquire new words when they:
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Hear them used naturally and repeatedly
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Encounter them in real contexts
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Can connect the word to an experience, object, or feeling
Studies show that children often need to hear a new word multiple times across different situations before it becomes part of their usable vocabulary (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015). This is why drilling isolated words rarely leads to long-term retention or confident use.
Why Flashcards Alone Don’t Work
Flashcards teach children to recognise words not to understand or use them.
Without context:
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Words don’t carry meaning
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Children may remember them briefly but struggle to use them in speech or writing
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Learning feels mechanical rather than purposeful
In contrast, contextual learning strengthens both comprehension and expressive language, which are essential for reading, writing, and oral communication later on.
How Parents Can Support Vocabulary Growth at Home
The good news?
You’re already surrounded by powerful learning moments! No special materials required.
1. Use Rich Language During Daily Routines
Everyday activities are perfect opportunities to introduce new words.
For example, during baking…
Instead of:
“Look, it changed.”
Try:
“Let’s observe how the dough transforms when we knead it.”
Children learn best when adults model slightly more advanced language than what the child already uses, a concept known as “scaffolded language input”.
2. Read Aloud Every Day
Reading aloud is one of the strongest predictors of vocabulary growth.
Books expose children to:
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Words not commonly used in daily conversation
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More complex sentence structures
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Descriptive and emotional language
Research shows that children who are read to regularly hear millions more words by the time they enter school compared to those who are not (Hart & Risley, 1995).
3. Replace Simple Words with Richer Ones
You don’t need to correct your child, just model richer vocabulary.
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“Big” → gigantic, enormous
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“Happy” → delighted, thrilled
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“Scared” → anxious, nervous
Children naturally absorb these words over time and begin to use them independently.
4. Talk About Feelings and Thoughts
Vocabulary isn’t just about objects. It’s also about ideas and emotions.
Discussing feelings helps children build abstract vocabulary, which is crucial for:
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Reading comprehension
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Writing development
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Oral expression
Try questions like:
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“How did that make you feel?”
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“What were you thinking when that happened?”
5. Learn Through Play and Exploration
Nature walks, cooking, pretend play, and free play all offer rich language opportunities.
You can:
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Name textures, colours, sounds, and actions
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Describe changes and processes
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Ask open-ended questions that invite thinking
These experiences help children connect words to real meaning, making them easier to remember and use.
In Summary:
Vocabulary doesn’t grow through pressure or drilling.
It grows through connection, curiosity, and conversation.
When children are surrounded by rich language in meaningful contexts, they don’t just learn more words,
they learn how to think, express, and communicate confidently.
And that is the foundation of strong literacy.
