Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“What's a new word you learned recently that you really want to start using more?”
What to listen for
A kid who lights up sharing a new word, even a silly or slightly wrong one, is showing you they're proud of their own growing mind, and that pride is worth celebrating loudly. Notice if the word is a "big feeling" word (like frustrated, disappointed, proud) versus a fun word (like flabbergasted, ridiculous), feeling words show emotional growth, fun words show love of language itself.
If they use the word incorrectly, resist correcting it in the moment, let the pride stay intact and gently model it correctly another time.
If they say "I don't know," ask about a word a teacher or book used that sounded interesting, sometimes it's there, just not labeled as "new."
What this tells you
Their excitement over a new word shows how much they currently enjoy discovering and owning their own growth.