Compound Word Games

Compound words begin the step in a child's literacy journey, as they increase their morphological knowledge. Learning to combine two or more words to create a richer meaning in a single word enhances their ability to create words and understand more complex texts. In addition, it helps the child grasp utility in the world, as often the compound word designates usage; for example, a trashcan is a can where trash goes. Once kids have mastered one-syllable words, they will be ready to move on to compound words. As they learn to manipulate the language, compound words open up a new range of possibility for description in their lexicon.

The compound word games practice all three forms: open, closed, and hyphenated. They often present a fun and humorous way for children to increase their vocabulary. Creating riddles like, "What is a house where a bird lives? A birdhouse!", or "Where is a place where we build a fire? A fireplace!" can be a fun way to expand both understanding and vocabulary. Deletion of compound words is also an important skill to grasp, as in "If a sunflower doesn't have sun, it is a (flower)." This helps the students to understand the solitary meanings of the individual words and see how they combine for a new meaning. Hyphenated words are often adjectives, so learning how compound words function as a part of speech aids language ability as well.

Compound word online games like those on TurtleDiary.com can help to increase cognition while expanding the student's vocabulary in a fun way. Not only do our games help kids master this tricky concept, but we also add other concepts with them, like synonyms and antonyms. Indicated by grade level, our compound word online games take students step by step through the process of learning compound words and increase in difficulty with each new game. This keeps learning engaging and fun while they practice their new skills.