health
February 12, 2026
Susie Dent's tips and tricks to add muscle to a child's vocabulary
To combat the impact of screen-time creep, the Countdown word supremo has a few suggestions
TL;DR
- Children's vocabulary is shrinking due to increased screen time, replacing reading.
- Lexicographer Susie Dent suggests reading, listening to audiobooks, and playing word games to boost language development.
- Families should engage in conversations, explore word origins, and encourage children to invent words.
- Ten 'magical' words, including 'kerfuffle,' 'mellifluous,' and 'apricity,' are highlighted as inspirational.
- Dent partnered with Soreen malt loaf for a campaign to improve children's vocabulary during snack time.
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