Child Development Vocabulary

noun the sound of people talking quickly and in a way that is difficult to understand

verb to talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way

• The professor listened intently as the student began to babble on about their research findings.
• I couldn't understand a word she was babbling about during the meeting.
• Stop babbling nonsense and get to the point!
• The stream babbling through the forest was like nature's own soothing lullaby.

verb to raise a topic for discussion or consideration

adverb used to indicate that something is being brought to a higher position or level

preposition used to indicate the direction in which something is being brought

• During the meeting, I would like to bring up a few important points for discussion.
• Hey, can I bring up something that's been bothering me?
• I don't want to bring up any drama, but I heard some gossip about you.
• The documentary brings up some thought-provoking questions about the future of technology.

noun a feeling of concern or interest towards someone or something

verb to feel concern or interest towards someone or something; to look after or provide for someone or something

• It is important to provide proper care for the elderly in nursing homes.
• Do you think you can care for my plants while I'm on vacation?
• I'll take care of the dishes, no worries.
• He didn't seem to care for her attitude during the meeting.

noun serious attention or consideration applied to doing something correctly or to avoid damage or risk

verb feel concern or interest; attach importance to something

• It is important to provide proper care for the elderly in nursing homes.
• I really care about my friends and always make sure they are doing well.
• I don't give a care about what others think of me.
• She handled the situation with care, like a delicate flower.

noun a state or quality of being childlike or immature

• The childishness displayed by the CEO during the meeting was unprofessional.
• Stop with the childishness and act like an adult for once.
• His constant childishness is really starting to annoy me.
• The childishness of their behavior was like a dark cloud hanging over the group.

adjective describing a person, thing, or action as attractive, endearing, or charming

• The cute puppy was adopted by a loving family.
• That dress you're wearing is so cute!
• I can't get over how cute that cat video was.
• Her smile was as cute as a button.

noun a trick or deception

verb to waste time in aimless or foolish activity

• The musician was accused of diddling the melody in his performance.
• I caught my little brother trying to diddle with my phone.
• Stop diddling around and get to work!
• The company's CEO was caught diddling with the financial records.

noun a diminutive word or name

adjective indicating small size or youth

• The diminutive size of the bonsai tree made it perfect for small spaces.
• I saw a diminutive puppy at the park today, it was so cute!
• She may be diminutive in stature, but she's got a big personality.
• The diminutive amount of effort he put into the project was evident in the final result.

adjective easily managed or handled; gentle and submissive

• The docile nature of the horse made it easy for the trainer to work with.
• My cat is usually pretty docile, but she can get feisty when she's hungry.
• I never expected him to be so docile, he usually has a lot of attitude.
• The docile flow of the river belied its powerful currents underneath.

noun the state of being a father

• Fatherhood is a significant responsibility that requires patience and dedication.
• My friend just entered the world of fatherhood and he's loving every moment of it.
• Dude, fatherhood is no joke - it's a whole new level of adulting.
• Embarking on the journey of fatherhood is like planting a seed and watching it grow into a strong tree.

noun the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group over others

• The company has strict policies in place to prevent any form of favoritism in the workplace.
• I heard rumors of favoritism going on in the office, but I don't know if it's true.
• I can't stand the favoritism that happens in this place, it's so unfair.
• The teacher's favoritism towards certain students was like a dark cloud hanging over the classroom.

noun a word or affix that serves to indicate or express a grammatical feature

adjective relating to or involved in the forming of something; shaping

• The formative years of a child's development are crucial for their future success.
• My formative years were spent living in a small town with my family.
• Dude, those formative times in college were wild!
• Just like a potter molds clay, our experiences shape us during our formative years.

verb to mature or develop in a physical, mental, or emotional way

• It is important to teach children good manners as they grow up.
• When I grow up, I want to be a pilot.
• I can't believe she's still acting like a child, she needs to grow up.
• As time passes, we all grow up and mature in different ways.

adjective showing a reckless lack of care or attention

• The heedless driver caused a serious accident by running a red light.
• She was so heedless with her money that she ended up in debt.
• He's always so heedless, he never thinks before he acts.
• The politician's heedless actions led to a scandal that tarnished his reputation.

noun a task assigned by a teacher to be completed outside of class

• The teacher assigned a substantial amount of homework for the weekend.
• I have a ton of homework to do tonight.
• I'm gonna skip doing my homework and watch Netflix instead.
• Facing the challenges in life is like doing your homework, you have to put in the effort to see results.

adjective excessively or abnormally sensitive

• Individuals with hypersensitive skin may experience adverse reactions to certain skincare products.
• My friend is so hypersensitive that even the smallest comment can hurt their feelings.
• Some people are just hypersensitive and need to chill out.
• The artist was hypersensitive to criticism, taking every negative comment to heart.

adjective An adjective describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'ill-tempered' describes someone who is easily irritated or quick to anger.

• The ill-tempered customer demanded to speak to the manager.
• Don't approach him when he's in an ill-tempered mood.
• She can be so grumpy and ill-tempered when she's hungry.
• The storm clouds gathered, mirroring his ill-tempered mood.

verb to pass the tongue over something, typically to taste, moisten, or clean it

• The dog licked the ice cream off the child's hand.
• The cat licked the milk off the floor.
• I licked the plate clean after dinner.
• His words licked at her heart, leaving a trail of pain.

adjective noisy and difficult to control

• The obstreperous behavior of the protesters led to their arrest.
• The obstreperous kids were causing a ruckus in the playground.
• I can't stand that obstreperous guy at the party, he's so annoying.
• The storm outside was obstreperous, with thunder and lightning filling the sky.

verb to grow too large or mature for something; to surpass or exceed in growth or development

• Children often outgrow their clothes as they continue to grow taller.
• I used to love that band, but I think I've outgrown their music now.
• I used to be really into video games, but I've outgrown them now.
• As we mature, we outgrow certain behaviors and attitudes that no longer serve us.

noun the fact or state of being a parent, ancestry or lineage

• The child's parentage was confirmed through DNA testing.
• Everyone knew about her parentage because she looked just like her mother.
• Her parentage is legit, she comes from a long line of successful entrepreneurs.
• His parentage in the music industry helped open doors for his career.

noun a game played with young children, typically involving a hiding and sudden reappearance of the face

interjection used to attract a child's attention or to incite laughter during the game of peekaboo

• The children played a game of peekaboo in the nursery.
• I love playing peekaboo with my baby cousin, it always makes him giggle.
• Let's have a quick game of peekaboo before dinner.
• The artist's use of light and shadow created a peekaboo effect in the painting.

verb to bother or annoy persistently

adjective causing annoyance or irritation through persistent bothering

• The customer kept pestering the sales representative for a discount.
• Stop pestering me with your constant questions!
• Quit pestering me, dude!
• Negative thoughts kept pestering her mind like a persistent fly.

noun the quality of being light-hearted and full of fun

adjective playful

• The children's book was praised for its use of playfulness in engaging young readers.
• I love your playfulness when you joke around with your friends.
• Her playfulness really shines through in her TikTok videos.
• The artist's use of color and shape created a sense of playfulness in the painting.

noun a small house for children to play in, typically resembling a real house

• The children spent hours playing in the well-built playhouse in the backyard.
• We should have a playdate at the playhouse next weekend.
• Let's hang out at the playhouse and chill.
• The theater was his playhouse, where he could escape reality and become someone else.

noun a small container, typically with a handle, used for a child's urine or feces

adjective relating to or suitable for using a potty

• The toddler is learning to use the potty for toilet training.
• I need to remind my child to use the potty before bedtime.
• I gotta go potty real quick, be right back!
• She has a potty mouth and needs to watch her language.

noun a person born before the usual time

adjective occurring or done before the usual or proper time; too early

• The premature announcement of the new product caused confusion among investors.
• She made a premature decision to leave the party early.
• Don't be so premature in jumping to conclusions.
• The premature end of their relationship left them both heartbroken.

noun an act of pretending

verb to act as if something is true when it is not

• She had to pretend to enjoy the opera even though she found it boring.
• Let's pretend we're on a tropical island for the day.
• Stop pretending to be someone you're not.
• He tried to pretend that everything was fine, but deep down he was struggling.

noun an institution for educating children or young people

verb Not Applicable

adjective Not Applicable

adverb Not Applicable

pronoun Not Applicable

preposition Not Applicable

conjunction Not Applicable

interjection Not Applicable

article Not Applicable

• The school is implementing a new curriculum to enhance student learning.
• I heard the school is getting a new playground next month.
• I can't wait to ditch school and hang out with my friends.
• Life is a school where we constantly learn and grow.

noun the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university

• Proper schooling is essential for a well-rounded education.
• I really enjoyed my schooling years at that high school.
• I'm so over this schooling stuff, can't wait to graduate.
• Life's challenges can be considered as part of the schooling we receive from the world.

noun a feeling of having respect for yourself and your abilities

• Improving one's self-esteem is essential for overall mental well-being.
• You should work on boosting your self-esteem to feel better about yourself.
• Dude, you gotta stop putting yourself down and start building up that self-esteem.
• Like a shield, self-esteem protects you from negative thoughts and criticism.

noun saliva or liquid running from one's mouth; drool or slobber

verb to let saliva or liquid run from one's mouth; to drool or slobber

• The child was told to stop slabbering and speak clearly.
• Why are you slabbering all over your shirt?
• She was slabbering about her new crush to her friends.
• The politician continued to slabber on about his achievements during the speech.

noun a type of sleep disorder characterized by walking or performing other complex behaviors while asleep

verb not applicable

adjective not applicable

adverb not applicable

pronoun not applicable

preposition not applicable

conjunction not applicable

interjection not applicable

article not applicable

• Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is a sleep disorder characterized by walking or performing other complex behaviors while asleep.
• My brother has a habit of sleepwalking at night and always ends up in the kitchen looking for snacks.
• I heard that some people have been sleepwalking after taking that new medication.
• Sometimes I feel like I'm sleepwalking through life, just going through the motions without really being present.

noun a responsibility or duty to ensure the well-being of someone or something

verb to look after or protect someone or something

• It is important to take care of your health by eating nutritious food and exercising regularly.
• Make sure to take care of your plants by watering them regularly.
• Don't worry, I'll take care of that for you.
• As a manager, it is your responsibility to take care of your team and ensure their well-being.

noun a small child or toddler

• The total amount of money spent on the project exceeded the budget.
• I can't believe the total bill came out to be so high!
• The party was a total blast!
• His actions were a total betrayal of our trust.

noun a student who stays away from school without permission

adjective being absent or avoiding responsibilities

• The school has a strict policy for dealing with truants.
• The truant was caught skipping class again.
• That truant is always ditching school.
• His wandering mind made him a truant in his own thoughts.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case 'undisciplined' describes a person or behavior lacking discipline

• The undisciplined behavior of the employees led to a decrease in productivity.
• Her undisciplined attitude is causing problems in the team.
• Stop being so undisciplined and get your act together!
• His undisciplined mind wandered aimlessly, unable to focus on the task at hand.

adjective an adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. 'Unfed' describes something that has not been fed.

• The animals remained unfed due to the unexpected closure of the zoo.
• I forgot to feed the fish last night, so they were unfed until this morning.
• My cat was looking at me with sad eyes because she was unfed for hours.
• Her creativity remained unfed until she found inspiration in the most unlikely place.

noun the quality or state of being fractious; unruliness or quarrelsomeness

• The fractiousness among the board members hindered any progress in the meeting.
• The fractiousness between the siblings made family gatherings unbearable.
• The fractiousness at the concert turned into a full-blown brawl.
• The fractiousness of the storm caused widespread damage throughout the town.

adjective describing a word formed by or containing a repeated element, such as 'bye-bye' or 'choo-choo'

• The linguistic term 'reduplicative' refers to a process of forming new words by doubling all or part of a base.
• I find it fascinating how some languages use reduplicative patterns to create emphasis or convey specific meanings.
• That song has a reduplicative chorus that's been stuck in my head all day.
• Her reduplicative efforts to impress her boss only seemed to annoy him further.

noun a sibling who is the child of one's stepparent

adjective related to or being a stepsibling

• The stepsibling is my parent's child from a previous marriage.
• My stepsibling and I get along really well.
• My stepbro is always borrowing my stuff without asking.
• Having a stepsibling is like gaining a built-in best friend.

noun a playful or informal term used to encourage someone to get up or move quickly

adverb used as an exclamation when helping someone to stand up or get up quickly

• The toddler stumbled but quickly got back up with a little help, saying 'upsy-daisy' as she stood.
• Oops, I dropped my pen. Upsy-daisy, there we go!
• I tripped over the curb but managed to recover with an 'upsy-daisy' and a laugh.
• After facing a setback in the project, the team leader encouraged everyone to pick themselves up and say 'upsy-daisy' as they moved forward.

noun the cry of a newborn baby

• The doctor noted the vagitus of the newborn as a sign of healthy lung function.
• The nurse smiled at the vagitus of the baby, knowing it was a good sign.
• I couldn't help but laugh at the little one's vagitus - it was so loud!
• The cacophony of vagitus filled the maternity ward, signaling new life and hope.

noun a person's acceptance and support of another person regardless of their actions or beliefs

• Therapists are trained to provide unconditional positive regard to their clients, regardless of their behavior or thoughts.
• In therapy, it's important for the counselor to show unconditional positive regard towards the client to create a safe space for healing.
• Therapists gotta give that unconditional positive vibes to their clients, no matter what.
• Just like a flower needs sunlight to grow, individuals thrive in an environment of unconditional positive regard.

noun A gender-neutral term for the sibling of one's parent, such as an aunt or uncle.

• The term 'pibling' refers to a person's aunt or uncle, who is not their parent.
• I love visiting my piblings during the holidays, they always have the best stories.
• My pibling is so cool, they always know the latest trends.
• In my family, my piblings are like second parents to me.

noun an extreme or irrational fear or dislike of anything new, novel, or unfamiliar

• Neophobia is the fear of new things or experiences.
• My friend has a bit of neophobia when it comes to trying new foods.
• Some people call neophobia 'being stuck in a rut.'
• Her neophobia towards change often holds her back from new opportunities.

noun a young child or baby

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• The young mother held her babe in arms as she walked through the park.
• She looked so cute with her babe in arms, didn't she?
• I saw a dude with a babe in arms at the mall yesterday.
• The new project was like a babe in arms for the inexperienced team, they had no idea how to handle it.

noun a word that refers to a person, place, thing, event, substance, or quality

• The age and area concept is an important consideration in demographic studies.
• When it comes to understanding population trends, the age and area concept plays a big role.
• You gotta take into account the whole age and area thing when looking at population data.
• Thinking about society as a puzzle, the age and area concept are like two key pieces that need to fit together perfectly.