Compound Word Puzzles for Preschoolers
Affiliate Disclosure: “This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using those links.”
One of the things I found more difficult to teach to preschoolers is compound words. I’ve noticed that, even when they might understand and recognize words separately, it is more difficult for them to combine and divide compound words into the two words that form them. Most of the time children will try to put together words that combined don’t make sense until they begin to understand what is a real compound word.
This post contains a FREE Compound Word Puzzle set, which you can download at the end of this post. These puzzles include the compound words twelve compound words in four different versions. You just have to print them out in white cardstock, cut them apart, and laminate them.
What is a Compound Word?
A compound word is the combination of two small words. However, just putting two random words together does not form a compound word. A compound word has to make sense and have real meaning.
In other words, a compound word is formed by two words that have individual meanings, but when they are combined, they formed a third word that also has meaning on its own, as it’s used for communication.
Some examples of compound words are:
- Tooth + brush = toothbrush.
- Sea + shell = seashell.
- Fire + fighter = firefighter.
How to Teach Compound Words to Preschoolers
Since not all children learn the same way or have the same kind of learning abilities, it is our responsibility to provide different ways for them to grasp and understand the concepts we are trying to teach them. Compound words are no different. However, a common denominator in the way we teach preschoolers is that regardless of their differences, all of them need a variety of hands-on activities and repetition for them to learn.
In the case of compound words, they are some fun ways to teach and help them understand and learn. These are:
Compound Word Puzzles
When of the most effective ways to teach preschoolers anything is by using hands-on activities to help them learn what you are trying to teach them easier, such as compound words. One of these types of activities children love and are super effective in is the use of puzzles, not only to teach them different concepts, but also to help them practice their reasoning, hand-eye coordination, one-to-one correspondence, and fine motor skills.
Since children might be at a different level of development, and the idea is to make them feel successful, not frustrated, in the FREE Compound Word Puzzles set I included one set with pictures only and a second set with pictures and words.
Making Crafts
This is a very effective method. When children do crafts, they are using multiple senses and they are also having fun, which helps them learn and retain words. You can have them make crafts to represent the compound words you want them to remember.
Using Picture Cards or Flashcards
Since most children are visual learners, showing them images of the compound words, you want them to learn is more effective. In the case of preschoolers, you don’t even have to use words, at least at the beginning. You can turn the picture cards into matching games. You can use two picture cards is just the picture of the words that form the compound word to start; then you can move to use three picture cards, one that includes the image of the compound word and the other two with images of the two words that form the compound word.
That is something you will have to decide, depending on the developmental level of your children. Remember you don’t want to make them feel confused or frustrated.
Clapping
You can make the teaching fun by asking the children to clap one time when they see one word, then clap again when they see the second word, and finally clap two times when they see the compound word. Once they practice by just looking at the pictures, then you can ask them to say the first word and clap, then the second word and clap, and finally say the name of the compound word and clap two times.
Adding and Taking Out
This activity is very effective to review the compound words you already taught them, by just using your fists. To give you an example let’s use the word sunflower, and do this:
- “Sun” (bringing the left fist to the front).
- “Flower” (bring the right fist to the front).
- “When you put it together to have sunflower”.
- “If you take sun out you have flower” (putting your left fist to your back).
- “You put it back together with flower and you have sunflower” (bringing your fist to the front).
- “If you take flower out you have sun” ((putting your left fist to your back).
- “You put it back together with sub and you have sunflower” (bringing your fist to the front).
Once you show your children how to do the activity, then you can let them complete the sentences.
Small Toys and Manipulatives
This idea is a little more complicated because you might not be able to find all the toys and manipulatives to represent the compound words you want to teach, but, if you do, this is a better alternative than using pictures, because is something tangible that children can touch and play with, besides just looking at it. It will help them grasp the concept better.
Compound Words You Can Use With Preschoolers
I would recommend using simple familiar words, at least at the beginning. It is easier for young children to grasp the concept if they know the words you are using. Once they understand what compound words are about, then you can introduce more complicated words.
These are some examples of words you can use with these young learners:
- Sun + flower = sunflower.
- Sea + shell = seashell.
- Cup + cake = cupcake.
- Cat + fish = catfish.
- Cow + boy = cowboy.
- Star + fish = starfish.
- Fire + truck = firetruck.
- Snow + ball = snowball.
- Rain + bow = rainbow.
- Fire + fly = firefly.
- Basket + ball = basketball.
- Horse + shoe = horseshoe.
- Fire + fighter = firefighter.
- Tooth = brush = toothbrush.
- Foot + ball = football.
- Sail + boat = sailboat.
- Apple + sauce = applesauce.
- Light + house = lighthouse.
Pin It
I know life can be complicated and you might not have the time to finish this article or download your freebie. If that’s the case, just pin it to one of your Pinterest boards for later.
I hope you find these ideas and the puzzles useful. They have worked for me, and maybe they will help you and your preschoolers as well. To get your FREE Compound Word Puzzles set click on the link below and type your information, to download it.
Be happy, safe, and creative. I wish you well.
Love,
P.S. Your feedback is really important to me because my goal is to always create things that you will find useful. Please let me know if you like the activity, or if you think I have to change something.
