Creating original materials was one of my favorite parts of Montessori training. One material I created is within the Blue Series and involves one of my favorite concepts to teach kids – Compound Words.
Compound Words Activity for Preschoolers
Compound words can be a lot of fun for kids. Think about it. My five-year-old giggles when he puts two words like “butter” and “fly” together to make “butterfly.”
“Mom, how can “butter” “fly”?”
Jokes are a big hit with kids this age, and compound words play right into that love!
Putting two words together like “butter” and “fly” is more than simply fun, the exercise is a great one for reading comprehension and writing. Children will learn a great deal from having fun. Isn’t that the way it should be?
What is a Compound Word?
So, we have established that kids have a blast learning compound words. Wordplay, in general, is always a big hit. I love introducing this blue series lesson to kids.
How exciting to learn that when you combine two words not only do you have a NEW word, but you have a word with a COMPLETELY different meaning!
Mind blow, right?
There are three types of compound words. First, we have open compound words, such as school bus, then a closed compound word, such as applesauce, and finally, a hyphenated compound word, such as well-being.
Compound Words List
I put together this list of compound word examples. And, you know? It was a blast gathering these examples for kids!
- airplane
- airport
- antfarm
- applesauce
- armpit
- arrowhead
- babysitter
- backbone
- backpack
- ballpark
- ballfield
- ballgame
- barefoot
- barnyard
- baseball
- basketball
- bathtub
- beachball
- bedroom
- blackberry
- blackbird
- blackboard
- blackhole
- blueberry
- bluebird
- bluegrass
- bobcat
- bodyguard
- bookcase
- bookmark
- bookshelf
- bookstore
- bookworm
- bowtie
- boxcar
- brainwash
- bulldog
- bullfrog
- bulldozer
- bunkbed
- buttercup
- butterfly
- buttermilk
- campfire
- campground
- cardboard
- carpool
- cartwheel
- catfish
- caveman
- chalkboard
- cheeseburger
- cheesecake
- chopsticks
- classroom
- clipboard
- copycat
- courthouse
- cowboy
- cowgirl
- crabapple
- daydream
- daybreak
- doghouse
- doorway
- doorknob
- downstairs
- downtown
- dragonfly
- drawbridge
- drawstring
- driveway
- drumstick
- dugout
- dustpan
- dustbunny
- earache
- eardrum
- earring
- earthquake
- earthwarm
- eggnog
- eggshell
- eggplant
- evergreen
- everyone
- everything
- eyeball
- eyebrow
- eyeglasses
- eyelash
- eyelids
- fingernail
- fingerprint
- firecracker
- firefly
- firehose
- firehouse
- fireman
- fireplace
- firepole
- fireproof
- fishbowl
- fishtail
- flagpole
- flashlight
- football
- footstep
- footprint
- golfball
- groundhog
- gumball
- hairband
- hairclip
- haircut
- hammerhead
- handbag
- handcuff
- handshake
- headlight
- headlamp
- homesick
- honeybee
- honeycomb
- honeydew
- honeymoon
- honeycomb
- hotdog
- housefly
- humpback
- iceberg
- junkyard
- laptop
- lapdog
- lightbulb
- lighthouse
- mailbox
- mailman
- matchbox
- milkshake
- moonlight
- notebook
- notecard
- pancake
- pinwheel
- playground
- playhouse
- policeman
- policecar
- ponytail
- quicksand
- railroad
- rainbow
- raincoat
- rattlesnake
- rearend
- rowboat
- sailboat
- skyscraper
- spaceship
- starfish
- starlight
- stoplight
- stopwatch
- sunflower
- sunglasses
- sunshine
- tablespoon
- tailbone
- teacup
- teaspoon
- topgun
- tophat
- tugboat
- turntable
- upstairs
- wallflower
- wallpaper
- watermelon
- wheelbarrow
- wristband
- zookeeper
Compound Words Activity
This language activity is great because pre-readers can participate in the activity by finding the puzzle pieces that fit. Simply download this document, print on card stock, and cut. Laminate before cutting for safe keeping.
Invite the child to the activity. Place one word (or one-half of the compound word) on the left side of a mat or table. You can create a column to the left. The other puzzle pieces can be left in a pile for the child to access to find a match.
Materials
- Blue Cardstock
- Printer & Printer Paper
- Laminator
- Scissors
- Images from Computer (or elsewhere)
- Compound Words
Images are on one side (for control of error and younger children) and words (for older children) on the other side of the card.
Approach
- Search for images that create compound words (Consider this step done. Here is my compound word images printable)
- Type or write the words that match the images
- Print out
- Cut cardstock into cards sized to your liking
- Cut words and images out
- Glue words on one side of the card and images on the other side
- Laminate
- Cut the cards in half in various “puzzle” patterns with one image/word on one side and one image/word on the other
- Introduce to your child
The control of error is the puzzle piece. I created each compound word to fit together with two puzzle pieces.
Use Concrete Objects & Images
My goal initially is to use these cards with concrete objects. I tried to choose compound words that would lend to matching with objects like “butterfly.” I can find a “butter” object and a “fly” object to use initially.
Compound Word Activity Extensions
There are many possibilities with this activity. Here are a few ideas for you to explore with your kids!
- Create an artwork using one (or more) of the compound words
- Illustrate and write a story using the words
- Trace the words
- Write the words
- Match the words with the image
- Match the words with objects
- Give a child a bag of halves and strategically place the other halves around the classroom or home.
- Go on a Compound Words Hunt
Resources Mentioned in this Post
Thanks for reading!
Marnie