List of descriptive adjectives for kids
A Helpful Guide And List
While introducing your child to various language concepts, you might ask yourself why adjectives for kids are so important.
Words like “beautiful,” “fast,” “happy,” and “messy” are common adjectives your child might already know. But what makes them essential for language development? To answer this question, we must understand what role adjectives play.
Adjectives are words that add flavor to our sentences. They help make sentences more meaningful, they help us express the different qualities of an object or person, and, without them, our speech would be bland and boring.
In fact, adjectives are so important that children start using them from early in their language development (think “that’s good” and “that’s bad” and “I am sad…or happy”) and continue to expand on their understanding of them for years to come.
If you want to help your child make a richer use of adjectives in their talking and later their writing but don’t know where to begin, you’ve come to the right place. Our HOMER learning experts know a thing or two about teaching kids adjectives.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through all you need to know about adjectives and some of the most effective strategies for helping your child understand them.
What Are Adjectives?
What are some words you would use to describe yourself? Are you tall, short, funny, smart, or fast? These words are all adjectives.
However, adjectives don’t just describe people. They also help us describe animals, objects, and thoughts. In addition, we can express what something feels like to taste, touch, or smell because of adjectives.
By learning these types of words, children can create vivid images of what they are describing and give distinctions and comparisons. This is beneficial for building vocabulary and helping children clearly express their thoughts and feelings.
When Should Kids Learn About Adjectives?
Children’s use of adjectives changes over different stages of their language development.
Here’s a closer look at what you can expect during early childhood.
2 – 3 Years
By the time a child reaches the toddler stage, their language skills have developed at an incredible rate. Children at this stage understand simple adjectives, like:
- Small
- Big
- Messy
- Soft
- Sticky
- Tiny
4 – 6 Years
When a child enters preschool and then kindergarten, they will continue developing their vocabulary as they interact with other kids and their teachers and are exposed to more books.
A significant part of their vocabulary will include adjectives. At this stage, children are likely to understand more descriptive adjectives, like:
- Scratchy
- Gentle
- Polite
- Shocking
- Terrified
- Clever
- Damp
- Impossible
- Interesting
It’s important to note that there is no wrong or right time for children to start learning about adjectives.
Since these words form a part of our everyday vocabulary, as your child starts speaking, they will naturally pick up on them and start using them in their own speech.
When it comes to adjectives for kids, they may not always understand what each word means. That’s why it’s important to help your child not only know these words but also understand their meanings so they can use them appropriately.
How To Practice Adjectives For Kids
Helping your child improve their understanding of adjectives doesn’t have to be boring! Here are a few fun activities you can try at home.
1) Play Adjectives Charades
This is a fun activity that gets the whole family involved. Simply write adjectives on separate pieces of paper and take turns choosing a piece of paper and acting out the word on it.
If you have very young children, remember to use simple adjectives — weak, strong, nice, mean, angry, etc. And for children who haven’t yet learned how to read, you can read the words for them as needed.
Acting out adjectives is one of the best ways to help your child understand and remember the meaning of the words.
2) Describe A Person, Place, Or Thing
Since adjectives help us describe a person, place, or thing, why not create an activity centered around this concept?
To get started, make a list of six categories of nouns you can describe with an adjective.
For example, your categories can include a person, tree, cat or dog, couch, ice cream, and music.
Once you have your categories, it’s time to roll your dice. The concept is simple — the number you roll will match a category, and you will need to come up with adjectives to describe that person, place, or thing.
For instance, if you roll a four and your fourth category is “couch,” you will need to come up with words to describe a couch (comfy, big, soft, etc.).
With younger children, you might come up with a single adjective, but as children’s vocabulary grows, you can make the game aim higher — up to six adjectives for each noun.
To make it more interesting for older kids, you can give them 30 seconds to come up with the adjectives. Each word earns them one point, and the adult would need to get twice as many points as the child to win the game.
3) Have Fun With Adjectives In Your Speech
Sometimes you don’t need to create complicated games to practice adjectives for kids.
Since adjectives are a part of our everyday vocabulary, you can easily create moments throughout the day when you intentionally use descriptive words in conversation.
For example, instead of saying, “Have some strawberries,” you might say, “Have some juicy, bright-red strawberries.”
Or, instead of saying, “Cuddle in your blanket,” it’s more effective to say, “Cuddle in your soft, cozy, fluffy blanket.”
This simple activity can help your child significantly improve their vocabulary as well.
4) Play The Adjective Switch Game
Another fun way to help your child practice adjectives is by playing the adjective switch game.
For this activity, name an animal — a bear, for example — and then use an adjective to describe it. Your child would then act out the adjectives.
For example, you could say:
- Hungry bear
- Unhappy bear
- Angry bear
- Silly bear
- Sleepy bear
To make the game even more fun, you might go really fast from one adjective to the other as your child tries to keep up.
You can then turn the tables and let your child have a chance while you act out the adjectives they use to describe the bear.
List Of Adjectives For Kids
Now that you have a few fun activities to help your child continue practicing adjectives, you probably want to get started creating these right away.
But which adjectives can you include? Here’s a list of relevant describing words you can add to games. (Remember: Some of these may be challenging for younger children. Choose adjectives based on your child.)
Colors
- Bright
- Beaming
- Bold
- Dark
- Radiant
- Colorful
- Glistening
- Glowing
- Radiant
- Vibrant
Numbers
- One
- All
- Many
- Every
- First
- Second
- Third
- Double
- Few
- Each
Shapes
- Curvy
- Straight
- Circular
- Triangular
- Flat
- Hollow
- Deep
- Square
- Narrow
- Sizes
- Big
- Average
- Buff
- Tall
- Short
- Petite
- Skinny
- Slim
- Fit
- Broad
Emotions
- Angry
- Furious
- Upset
- Disappointed
- Content
- Joyful
- Frustrated
- Exhausted
- Cranky
- Jolly
Weather
- Sunny
- Cloudy
- Wet
- Dry
- Foggy
- Humid
- Windy
- Clear
- Breezy
- Rainy
Textures
- Smooth
- Rough
- Soft
- Furry
- Bumpy
- Coarse
- Dry
- Fleecy
- Hairy
- Mushy
Since there are so many adjectives in the English language, it’s essential to take your time introducing your child to them.
It’s also important to note that simply expanding your child’s vocabulary bank shouldn’t be the focal point. While it can be great to hear your child reciting the many words they’ve learned, a problem may arise when they know the words themselves but don’t understand their meanings.
Instead, as you introduce adjectives to your child, focus on helping them understand the words. An improvement in your child’s vocabulary will be a natural byproduct of that.
It’s Time To Describe!
Adjectives are words that help us describe people, places, or things. Without them, it would be difficult to distinguish between a red and green apple or a stormy and sunny day. This is why we’re passionate about adjectives for kids!
As much as we may use these describing words in our everyday language, it’s not always so simple to help our children understand them. But with the right plan, it’s definitely possible, and the above activities can help you introduce adjectives for kids in a fun and engaging way.
Whether you choose to act things out, be extra descriptive in your everyday language, create a fun word game, or all the above, remember to focus on helping your child understand the meaning behind the words.
Language development is a significant part of early childhood education. Check out the HOMER Learn & Grow app for more information on how to help your child thrive!
Author
A Giant List of Adjectives to Describe Kids
ByLauren @ Simply-Well-Balanced
- Facebook213
Words are powerful. This is especially true when you consider the words that you choose to describe your child – or children you work with. Today we are sharing a huge list of adjectives about kids to increase self-confidence and esteem in children.
Adjectives About Kids: Using the Power of Words to Increase Confidence
What's Inside:
As a teacher and parent, I know first hand how true that quote is.
I have seen behaviors, attitudes and self-esteem completely transformed in my classroom just by carefully choosing words to describe kids in a positive light.
You see, if a child repeatedly hears someone describe them using positive words, eventually they start to believe what they are hearing.
Because I have seen how powerful words can be, I have become more intentional with the words I use to describe the behavior, actions and personalities of my own children – and I encourage you to do the same.
Adjectives are describing words and you can pretty much guarantee that the words kids grow up hearing are the same words they will end up using to describe themselves as adults.
How to Use Adjectives to Describe Kids
Adjectives about kids can be used in a variety of ways:
- As a parent trying to improve the self-esteem of your own child.
- As a teacher looking for descriptions to include in report cards or progress reports.
- As a coach or counselor trying to find words to describe the positive personality traits you see in the kids you’re working with.
No matter why you are looking for adjectives to describe children, it’s helpful to understand why being as specific as possible is very important.
Oftentimes we get in the habit of using the same generic phrases like “cute” or “smart” on repeat.
When children hear these same terms repeated over and over they actually become meaningless.
Here are some tips on using adjectives to describe kids:
- Use phrases that are as unique and individualized as possible.
- Avoid focusing on appearance for compliments. You don’t want a child’s self-worth to be connected to the way they look.
- Consider characteristics that set them apart from others.
- Try to rephrase challenging aspects of their personality in a positive way that highlights how they can use them as strengths (ie instead of stubborn, describe them as determined).
- Use these words and phrases in everyday conversation so they frequently hear themselves being described using positive words.
- Write the words on post-it notes and leave them for your child to find in their room, on the bathroom mirror or inside their favorite book.
- Utilize them as part of a daily affirmation routine.
- Be genuine – kids can tell when you’re not being authentic. Be sure that the words you use accurately describe your child and how you feel about them – even if it’s just some of the time.
- Have your child (or students) choose words from this list of adjectives for describing kids to make a poster or collage about themselves.
When used consistently these words will become a natural part of your daily routine and your child will become accustomed to hearing themselves in a positive light every day.
Now let’s get on to the list!
150 Positive Adjectives About Kids
Adjectives to Describe a Child’s Strengths
- Determined
- Motivated
- Positive
- Trustworthy
- Artistic
- Brave
- Creative
- Diligent
- Friendly
- Forgiving
- Imaginative
- Inventive
- Motivated
- Observant
- Persistent
- Reliable
- Resourceful
- Understanding
- Unique
- Hard-working
- Involved
- Self-starting
- Flexible
- Organized
- Structured
- Efficient
- Adaptable
- Articulate
- Clever
- Persistent
- Leader
- Self-reliant
- Detail oriented
- Tough
- Open-minded
- Industrious
- Tenacious
- Communicative
- Talented
- Skilled
- Willing to try
- Knowledgeable
- Confident
- Ambitious
- Authentic
- Original
- Enterprising
- Fierce
- Gifted
- Believable
- Meticulous
Adjectives to Describe a Kid’s Personality
- Compassionate
- Loyal
- Adventurous
- Charming
- Faithful
- Cautious
- Polite
- Magnetic
- Dynamic
- Nurturing
- Cheerful
- Practical
- Selective
- Enchanting
- Selective
- Logical
- Endearing
- Understanding
- Entertaining
- Sensitive
- Aware
- Tolerant
- Spontaneous
- Charismatic
- Attentive
- Opinionated
- Courageous
- Approachable
- Affectionate
- Easy-going
- Accepting
- Effervescent
- Funny
- Honest
- Reflective
- Hopeful
- Methodical
- Inquisitive
- Talkative
- Devoted
- Steadfast
- Patient
- Contemplative
- Insightful
- Joyful
- Loving
- Optimistic
- Passionate
- Mindful
- Aware
- Calm
- Resilient
- Self-Confident
- Witty
- Independent
- Hilarious
- Philosophical
- Logical
- Realistic
- Unconventional
- Delightful
- Modest
Words to Describe A Child’s Behavior
- Consistent
- Responsible
- Kind
- Daring
- Considerate
- Energetic
- Fearless
- Generous
- Gentle
- Courteous
- Helpful
- Playful
- Fiery
- Social
- Spirited
- Zestful
- Thoughtful
- Confident
- Cooperative
- Spunky
- Reserved
- Exuberant
- Expressive
- Supportive
- Animated
- Focused
- Expressive
- Eager
- Intense
- Assertive
- Respectful
- Bold
- Gutsy
Conclusion
Overtime, your child will begin to integrate the words they hear you use to describe them into their own sense of self worth.
Those words and phrases will become a part of their identity and form a foundation of self-confidence and strength.
Lauren @ Simply-Well-Balanced
Hi, I'm Lauren Tingley; a working, teacher-mom of two who tried to "do it all" and ended up losing myself in the process. Determined to find joy in modern motherhood I discovered simplifying was the answer. Now I share tips for fun family activities, minimalist homemaking and simple parenting advice on Simply Well Balanced for families looking to create more balance in their homes. My ideas and advice has been shared by Parents Magazine, Good Housekeeping and Women's First.Read more about me! Or follow me on Pinterest or Instagram
Children's Descriptive Adjective List
Children's Descriptive Adjective List can help students understand this part of speech and improve their writing. Describing words for children should focus on adjectives that children have heard or words that are easy for them to pronounce and spell.
What are descriptive adjectives and words?
Words that describe people, places, and things, or nouns, are called adjectives. You can remember this by thinking, "the adjective adds something."
- A descriptive adjective is one of the three main types of adjectives.
- Descriptive adjectives or descriptive words give detailed information about a subject.
- Descriptive adjectives can help you understand what something looks like, how many it is, what size it is, or what it's made of.
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Examples of descriptive adjectives for children
Having an extensive list of descriptive adjectives handy can help children improve their vocabulary. You can look at the list of adjectives to see how some describe the words and how others tell you different details about the noun.
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Appearance adjectives
If you need an adjective to describe a child or adult, you can use words that describe their appearance, size, or age in detail. Whenever possible, try to use positive words that describe the person.
Adjectives to describe emotions and feelings
Children have a lot of emotions and they often have very big feelings. Different emotion words can help you express exactly how you feel.
| Angry | Baby | Content | capricious |
| Burely enjoyed | upset | exhausted |
Look for creative ways to share adjective examples to make the most of these grammar lessons. 
Each descriptive adjective means something very specific, and children can study lists of words to find the correct adjective to use at the moment. Being able to describe things using the right details will help kids improve their communication skills and have fun with English. 
They refer to the description of appearance and are not related to the description of personality, character, behavior). 
, and not in the meaning of "carelessly dressed") not about religion, but about fidelity) 
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