Understanding and using words — building a rich word bank through conversation, reading, and everyday experiences.
Vocabulary is all about words — how many your child knows (breadth) and how deeply they understand them (depth). There's a difference between receptive vocabulary (words they understand when they hear or read them) and expressive vocabulary (words they actually use when speaking or writing). Most children understand far more words than they use.
There's also an important distinction between oral vocabulary (words a child knows from conversation and listening) and reading vocabulary (words they encounter in text). In the early years, oral vocabulary is way ahead of reading vocabulary. But as children get older, reading becomes the primary way they learn new words — which is why children who read widely tend to have richer vocabularies.
This is what researchers call the "Matthew Effect" — children who know more words find reading easier, so they read more, so they learn even more words. And children who start behind in vocabulary can fall further behind over time unless we step in with targeted support.
Why it matters: Vocabulary is one of the strongest predictors of reading comprehension. A child can't understand what they read if they don't know the words. If your child can decode words perfectly but still doesn't understand what they've read, vocabulary may be the missing piece.
These are general guides based on Australian developmental norms. Every child develops at their own pace — but these milestones give you a sense of what's typical.
Every child develops at their own pace — but some signs are worth paying attention to. You might want to seek support if your child:
The best vocabulary teaching happens in everyday life — through conversation, reading, and exploring the world together. Click any card to see the details.
Ages: Preschool–Year 6
Use rich, descriptive language in everyday conversation. Instead of "Look at that dog," try "Look at that enormous golden retriever — he's absolutely drenched!" Children absorb vocabulary from the language around them. The more words they hear used naturally, the more they learn.
Tap to flip backAges: Preschool–Year 3
When you read together, pause at interesting words. "Treacherous — that means really dangerous. The path was treacherous because it was slippery and steep." Don't quiz — just explain naturally and keep reading. Brief, conversational explanations work best.
Tap to flip backAges: Year 2–6
Pick a new word and create a word map together — write the word in the middle, then add: what it means, a sentence using it, synonyms, antonyms, and a picture. This deepens understanding beyond just a definition. Great for homework vocabulary lists too.
Tap to flip backAges: Year 1–6
Choose a "word of the week" as a family. Write it on the fridge or a whiteboard. Everyone tries to use it in conversation as many times as possible. Keep score if you like! It's silly, fun, and genuinely effective at building vocabulary.
Tap to flip backAges: Year 2–5
Play quick-fire games: "What's another word for happy? Sad? Enormous?" Or try the opposite game: "What's the opposite of brave? Quiet? Ancient?" Make it competitive or cooperative — either way, it stretches vocabulary in a fun, low-pressure way.
Tap to flip backAges: Year 4–6
Teach your child to be a word detective. When they meet an unfamiliar word, look for clues: "Un-break-able — 'un' means not, 'break' we know, 'able' means can be done. So unbreakable means… can't be broken!" Understanding prefixes, suffixes, and roots unlocks thousands of words.
Tap to flip backVocabulary is assessed in different ways depending on the context. Speech pathologists use standardised assessments to compare your child's vocabulary to age-matched peers, while teachers often assess vocabulary through classroom activities and observations.
What clinicians look for:
Common assessments used in Australia:
If your child's vocabulary seems limited for their age, or if they're struggling to understand what they read despite being able to decode the words, a speech pathologist can assess their vocabulary in detail and recommend strategies to build their word knowledge.