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The Nouns Game™

by Babs Hadjusiewicz June 24, 2015

What is a Noun?

Nouns are words that name those tangible or real things you’ll help your child see and touch today. You can use this rhyme with your child to teach them the meaning of a noun:

A noun names a PERSON, or a PLACE, or a THING.

So my name is a noun. So is school. So is ring.

And my city is a noun. It's the PLACE where I live.

And a present is a noun. It's a THING that I give.

What is The Nouns Game™?

The Nouns Game™ is a talking game that you can play with your child of any age today. It's a great way to build your child's oral language or storehouse of vocabulary and knowledge. You can even talk this activity with an infant! And it's another free activity you can do with your child anywhere you are.

Research and experience tell us that oral language development prepares children for later success as readers, writers, and learners. When you model for your child the naming of words as nouns that name people, places, and things, your child gains all that vocabulary and knowledge for later use in reading and writing.

How to play with your child

As you say a sentence such as “We'll take the dog with us,” just emphasize the word “dog” that names an animal, a thing. Specific nouns and sentences you model depends on your child's age and interests and on the activity the two or you are doing in the moment.

As you play The Nouns Game™, you can model added vocabulary and knowledge by occasionally saying this sentence: "Nouns name some tangible or real things we can see and touch.”

Here are some sentences you might say with your infant or toddler today:

Here is your teddy.

I'll get a diaper.

Here's your spoon.

I will open the door.

Here's your cup.

Wow! Imagine the hundreds of nouns you can model for your child today!

The Nouns Game™ can easily entice kids of all ages. Try sentences like these with your toddler or preschooler:

What's your favorite book?

Where might we put your toy while we eat?

Oh, what a mess I have made!

Would you like to help me make some cookies?

Let's check to be sure we have all the ingredients.

Can you get the measuring cup?

We will need to find the recipe.

Yes! And even high schoolers easily get pulled into such word games. The difference lies in the kinds of words the two of you throw out there, and in the challenge you present to one another to see just how long you can keep the game going.

Additional Nouns Activities

In Little Books of Nouns, you’ll find helpful rhymes and songs about nouns. There are accompanying talking activities. And as the book’s title suggests, you’ll find little books that you and your child can cut out, staple, and write in. Here are some of those noun rhymes and songs. Introduce and repeat each one until your child is saying it with you. Then add another rhyme or song. Soon, just like with the "ABC Song" or "Happy Birthday,” you’ll notice that your child chooses familiar rhymes and songs about nouns to entertain herself . . . and others!

These next rhymes can be sung to the "Twinkle, Twinkle" tune:

Nouns Name People

Nouns are words I use to say

the names of people every day.

my mom, my aunt, my sister Jill

my dad, my friend, my Uncle Bill

Nouns are words I use to say

the names of people every day.

Nouns Name Places

Nouns are words I use to say

the names of places every day.

backyard, playground, classroom, hall

office, lunchroom, street, and wall

Nouns are words I use to say

the names of places every day.

Nouns Name Things

Nouns are words I use to say

the names of things I see each day.

bus and car and books and clothes

spoon and fork and eyes and nose

Nouns are words I use to say

the names of things I see each day.

To keep the fun going, check out a host of poetic play products and books on the Babsy B Website at babsyb.com

The Nouns Game is a trademark of Babsy B.

Babs Hadjusiewicz

Author

Hey, thanks for stopping by. Check out our digital downloads right here in my store at www.babsyb.com. You'll also find many of my publications in my Bee with Babsy B store on Teachers Pay Teachers' site. Come back often!