For young children, learning often begins with what is seen and felt. Using “pictures” as a tool in Teaching English to children Therefore, it is effective because it helps children remember vocabulary easily and understand the meaning clearly, whether learning colors, shapes or numbers. Seeing pictures makes children immediately connect vocabulary with things around them. It also helps develop thinking skills and strengthens memory. For parents who want to build a foundation of English for their children, learning with pictures is a fun and stress-free method. And if added withEnglish courses for young childrenWith inlingua's diverse English learning materials, children will be able to absorb the language confidently and naturally from the very beginning.
Teaching Color with Pictures: 10 Basic Colors
One of the best English vocabulary words for children to start with is "color," as young children tend to remember things around them through their eyes. Using pictures or real objects, such as toys, fruits, or household items, to help teach English visually will make it easier for children to understand and remember.
The basic colors that should be taught are Red, Blue, Yellow (primary colors), followed by Green, Orange, Purple (mixed colors), and supplemented with Black, White, Brown, and Pink to familiarize children with vocabulary commonly used in everyday life.
Activities that help include:
- Color Hunt: Have your child find the object of the given color, for example, “Find something red!”
- Color Sorting: Group toys by color
- Color Matching: Match objects of the same color.
💡Tip: Start with your child's favorite color, such as a red toy, and say, "This is a red car." This teaching method is consistent with inlingua's early childhood course, which uses English language learning materials for children to help children memorize vocabulary naturally and have fun.
Teaching Shapes Through Real Objects: 8 Basic Shapes
In addition to colors, learning English shapes is another important foundation that helps children understand the world around them. Using real objects in the home, such as plates, books, or toys, is a learning tool that helps children visualize and remember vocabulary more easily. It is ideal for teaching English with pictures in everyday life.
Basic shapes that should be taught include:
- Circle: Plate, clock, wheel
- Square: Window box
- Triangle: Pyramid hat, triangular food
- Rectangle: Book, telephone, table
- Oval: Egg, oval ball
- Diamond: Diamond shape
- Heart: heart
- Star: five-pointed star
Fun activities that help, such as:
- Shape Detective: Have the children find objects of different shapes around the house.
- Shape Drawing: Practice drawing simple shapes and saying their names in English.
- Shape Building: Use blocks or Lego to create shapes.
💡Tip: At inlingua, we use English vocabulary teaching materials through games and activities, helping children not only remember shape names but also connect them to the world around them.
Teaching numbers 1-20 with pictures
Learning English numbers for children is another basic skill that should be started from a young age. Using pictures or real objects such as toys, fruits, or fingers to count will help children understand the meaning and remember vocabulary more easily. Teaching English with pictures like this makes it fun for children and they don't feel like they are being forced to learn.
A recommended method is to start with numbers 1–5, using your fingers to count while saying “One, two, three, four, five.” Then continue with numbers 6–10 using toys or fruit. Once your child is comfortable with it, gradually add numbers 11–20 through pictures, games, or stickers.
Activities that help include:
- Counting Objects: Count the toys or things around the house.
- Number Songs: Use counting songs like One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.
- Number Games: Number Bingo Game or Number Counting Cards
💡Tip: Start with numbers your child encounters frequently in everyday life, such as “Two shoes” and “Three balls”, to help your child naturally remember numbers and have fun learning.
First Words with Pictures: 50 Words Every Child Should Know
In addition to colors, shapes, and numbers, young children should also begin learning English vocabulary related to everyday life. Using pictures, real objects, or a variety of teaching aids will help children understand and remember vocabulary more easily.
Basic vocabulary categories that you should know, such as:
- Family: Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother, Baby
- Body: Head, Eyes, Nose, Mouth, Hands, Feet, Hair, Ears
- Food: Apple, Banana, Milk, Water, Rice, Bread, Egg, Fish, Meat, Cake
- Toys: Ball, Doll, Car, Book, Puzzle, Block, Teddy bear, Bike
- Animals: Cat, Dog, Bird, Cow, Pig, Duck, Rabbit, Elephant, Lion, Fish
- Household items: Chair, Table, Bed, Door, Window, Cup, Spoon, TV, Phone
An effective teaching method is to use pictures or real objects, say simple sentences like “This is an apple,” and act out the situation or tell a short story.
Pre A1 Starters – Word list picture book By Cambridge English
💡Tip: At inlingua, we use English vocabulary teaching materials combined with fun activities to help children naturally absorb vocabulary and apply it immediately in real life.
Build a strong vocabulary base
Building a foundation for children's English vocabulary from a young age is an important step that will help children learn the language with confidence. Starting with familiar things such as colors, shapes, numbers, and household items through teaching English with pictures makes it easier for children to understand and remember. Parents can start simply by choosing 5-10 words per week and continually reviewing old words along with new words. Children will gradually accumulate a solid vocabulary.
💡 If you're looking for a more focused and fun approach, inlingua offers English courses for children designed with modern English learning materials for children, combining games, songs, and images, making learning natural and extending to real-world language use. Contact us today
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