Parent tip
Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.
Big Word of the Day
Pick one new word each morning and weave it through the day — building vocabulary through repetition and play.
Activity details
Instructions
- Choose a word in the morning — pick something expressive and fun to say
- Introduce it simply: 'Our big word today is enormous — it means really, really big!'
- Use it naturally throughout the day: 'That's an enormous puddle!'
- Encourage your toddler to spot chances to use it: 'Is that sandwich enormous?'
- At the end of the day, recall it together: 'What was our big word today?'
- Keep a running list on the fridge of all the big words you've learned
- Revisit old words: 'Remember when we learned magnificent?'
What success looks like
A few quiet minutes together without pressure. If your child relaxes even slightly, that’s self-regulation building.
Each morning, choose one interesting word from a picture book or conversation. Introduce it at breakfast: 'Today's big word is delighted — it means really, really happy.' Then use it throughout the day in different contexts: 'The dog looks delighted to see you!' 'Are you delighted with your tower?' See how many times the whole family can use it. By bedtime, your toddler owns a word they didn't know that morning.
From our family
We started this early and still use it now. My son’s vocabulary jumped noticeably once we made it a daily habit. His nursery commented on it. The key is picking words that are fun to say — ‘magnificent’ and ‘enormous’ were early favourites.
Why it helps
Speech and Language UK emphasises that children need to hear words many times before they can understand or use them, making repetition and labelling during play a powerful vocabulary builder. Vocabulary acquisition in toddlers is driven by frequency and context. Hearing a word once is not enough — research shows children need to encounter a word in multiple contexts before it becomes part of their active vocabulary. By weaving one word through an entire day, you provide the repetition and variety that locks it in. The game element adds motivation, and involving the whole family models that learning is something everyone does.
Variations
- Let your toddler choose the word from a picture book — whatever catches their ear.
- Pair the word with a silly action: 'Every time someone says enormous, we stretch our arms wide!'
- At the weekend, review the week's words — 'Can you remember three?'
Safety tips
- Choose words that are fun and positive — avoid anything that could become a weapon ('enormous bum' will be repeated at the worst possible moment).
- Don't correct pronunciation harshly — celebrate the attempt and model the correct form naturally.
- If your toddler isn't interested on a particular day, let it go — forced vocabulary is no fun.
Get weekly activity ideas for your toddler
One email a week with practical toddler activities, behaviour tips, and developmental insights. No spam, unsubscribe any time.