Compound Words for Kids – Interesting List of 200+ Words

When you teach words for kids, remember to teach them compound words for kids too. Compound words are two small words put together to form a word. The compound words are unique because they have their own meaning. Though it has two different meanings, it forms a meaningful word used for communication. Apart from teaching compound words for kids, you can also focus on teaching the definition of compound words for kids.

Download Compound Words For Kids Printable

For instance,

• When two words, sea and shell are put together, it forms seashell, which is a compound word.
• Similarly, when you put sea and shore together, it forms seashore, which is a compound word.

In This Article,
List Of Compound Words For Kids
Which of these words is a compound word?
Types of Compound Words for Kids
Fun ways to teach simple compound words for kids

List Of Compound Words For Kids

We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of compound words to help your little ones master these words easily. 

200+ Examples Of Compound Words For Kids:

Paycheck	Tablespoon	Firework
Newspaper	Superstar	Movie Theater
Catfish	Dress Shoes	Sailboat
Bodyguard	Lighthouse	Waistcoat
Runway	Starfish	Caveman
Lifetime	Moon Rocks	Toothbrush
Uplift	Needle Work	Railroad
Strawberry	Hopscotch	Nobody
Crosswalk	Sunburn	Goldfish
Groundhog	Outer Space	Fisherman
Handshake	Timekeeper	Desktop
Keyboard	Uptown	Rollout
Spearmint	Candlestick	Dropdown
Rainbow	Waterproof	Video Game
Angelfish	Dustbin	Tupperware
Birdhouse	Doorbell	Kickball
Keyhole	Eyeball	Firefighter
Cupcake	Dragonfly	Ponytail
Gingerbread	Skateboard	Moonwalk
Itself	Underground	Spaceship
Airplane	Needlepoint	Schoolwork
Blueberry	Over-The-Counter	Work Boots
Upperclassman	Peppermint	Superman
Fishhook	Snowball	Tadpole
Tugboat	Daydream	Popcorn
Herself	Grasshopper	Hardship
Billboard	Horseman	Downhill
Doghouse	Throwback	Raincoat
Armpit	Mother-In-Law	Snowflake
Wallflower	Laptop	Bookstore
Underestimate	High Heels	Midnight
Goodnight	Car Wash	Armchair
Downstairs	Tailgate	Baseball
Timeshare	Beachball	Nightlight
Mindset	Taxpayer	Teacup
Database	Fingernail	Extracurricular
Airport	Downpour	Hometown
Newborn	Worksheet	Father-In-Law
Stingray	Starlight	Waterboy
Neighbourhood	Solar System	Necktie
Neckline	Bow Tie	Raindrop
Handout	Snowhite	Bathtub
Underwater	Blackhole	Rockband
Takedown	Firefly	Drugstore
Backpack	Brainstorm	Keypoint
Teaspoon	French Fries	Hamburger
Firecracker	Needlework	Mailman
Shoelace	Horseplay	Racquetball
Milkshake	Football	Handbag
Farewell	Earlobe	Earthworm
Grandchild	Busboy	Tailbone
Overestimate	Showoff	Textbook
Kickboxing	Teammate	Softball
Chocolate Chip	Boardwalk	Newsletter
Network	Watermelon	Antfarm
Deadend	Hairband	Rawhide
Cabdriver	Moonlight	Ballpark
Honeydew	Rocketship	Postcard
Pathway	Sunroof	Bike Rack
Redhead	Subway	Headband
Rattlesnake	Supercharge	Hotdog
Earthquake	Cartwheel	Notebook
Rowboat	Handcuff	Crossbow
Takeout	Sunglasses	Fishbowl
Redwood	Homemade	Without
Sunflower	Jellybean	Drawbridge
Peanut	Butterfly	Soundproof
Wheelchair	Tennis Shoes	Namesake
Footstep	Policeman	Chalkboard
Worldwide	Mailbox	Schoolbooks
Forearm	Understand	Daytime
Nosebleed	Ice Cream	Grandparents
Staircase	Thunderstorm	Somewhere
Scarecrow	Eyebrow	Passport

Parents can introduce kids to Kindergarten Sight Words, which is available at Osmo.

As mentioned earlier, to form a compound word, two small words are put together. However, one must know that not all small words can be joined together to form compound words for kids. The compound word has to be a word that makes sense and has real meaning. For instance, one cannot put small words dog and cat together because ‘dogcat’ is not a valid word.

Which of these words is a compound word?

• Glamorous
• Giraffe
• Cupcake

Is glamorous a compound word?

The word glamorous is quite a long word and has three syllables. However, it cannot be broken into two separate words. So, it’s not a compound word.

Is giraffe a compound word?

The word giraffe has two syllables, but it cannot be broken into two separate words. So, giraffe is also not a compound word.

Is cupcake a compound word?

Yes, it is. The word cupcake can be broken into two separate words. Cup + cake = cupcake. So, cupcake is a compound word.

Types of Compound Words for Kids

There are three types of compound words, they are closed compound words, open compound words and hyphenated compound words:

• Closed Compound words for kids: These are the words formed when two different words combine together to form a single new word. For example, snow + ball= snowball, basket + ball = basketball, moon +light = moonlight etc.
• Open Compound words for kids: An open compound word is created when a modifying adjective is added to a noun to create a new word, which is also a noun. For example, ice + cream= ice cream, post + office = post office, store + room=  storeroom etc.
• Hyphenated Compound words for kids: These are words that are joined together by a hyphen in between. For example, sister-in-law, hands-on, long-term, well-known etc. Also, refer to Hard spelling bee words.

Simple Compound Words for Kids

For instance, ‘sun’ and ‘flower’ are two different words. But when you join them, they form sunflower, a completely new word. These words are created by either using the two words as a single term or adding a hyphen. Thus, the spelling of the two words is not necessarily altered when combined, but the meaning is altered.

Fun Ways To Teach Simple Compound Words to Kids

All the kids have different learning styles and patterns. It is not necessary that every kid has the same kind of learning abilities, they do have different grasping and understanding power. So parents and educators need to come up with new ways to make lessons engaging for kids. Here are some fun and interesting ways to teach compound words to the kids. 

• Flashcards:  Most kids are visual learners. So, help them learn compound words for kids by showing them images of the words or flashcards. Once they’ve learnt the words, test their knowledge using a fun match the image and the word to form a compound word game. All you have to do is prepare a set of flashcards with several words on one set of cards and images on another set. Ask the kids to flip the flashcards and match them to form a correct compound word. For example, BLUE and BERRIES make Blueberries. The aim is to find a word and an image to form a compound word. 
• Hands-on Activities: Kids learn easily when they’re taught with the help of activities. So, involve the kids in hands-on learning activities like Pictionary to help them learn compound words for kids. You can use the list above or use Pictionary words for kids. For example, the kids can draw a tree and a house, which makes it a treehouse. The other kids in the team will have to guess the word based on the drawing. 
• Arts and Craft: Word art and craft using compound words are one of the best ways to help kids learn these words. Use the list above for crafting with your kids. For example, you can make your own sunglasses. Crafting helps the kids learn the words and retain them in their memory for a longer period of time. 

Once the children know the basics of compound words, parents and teachers can introduce them to more difficult words. Osmo provides a wide range of child-friendly games, activities and learning materials, which are simple to teach and understand. Make sure to know more by clicking on kids learning.

Frequently Asked Questions on Compound Words for Kids