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Top 200 Vocabulary Words for Kindergarten

Choose words for everyday use

Choose useful words from these 200 numbered vocabulary entries covering home, relationships, classroom life and early learning. The first bank contains 193 distinct written forms: teacher, friend, brush, library, fish, orange and star each appear in two groups. Some revisit a familiar meaning; others introduce another meaning or grammatical use, such as a brush and the action brush, or orange as a fruit and a colour. Use the group headings to make the context clear. For age-based guides and sentence-building routes, visit the Children’s Vocabulary Ages 1–12 series hub.

Top 200 Kindergarten Vocabulary Words (Singapore Context)

1. School & Classroom (40 words)

  1. teacher
  2. friend
  3. class
  4. school
  5. lesson
  6. homework
  7. desk
  8. chair
  9. table
  10. book
  11. pencil
  12. crayon
  13. marker
  14. eraser
  15. sharpener
  16. paper
  17. bag
  18. board
  19. whiteboard
  20. clock
  21. floor
  22. wall
  23. door
  24. window
  25. light
  26. fan
  27. computer
  28. screen
  29. toys
  30. blocks
  31. puzzle
  32. paint
  33. brush
  34. glue
  35. scissors
  36. worksheet
  37. story
  38. library
  39. uniform
  40. shoes

2. People & Relationships (20 words)

  1. mummy
  2. daddy
  3. brother
  4. sister
  5. grandma
  6. grandpa
  7. auntie
  8. uncle
  9. cousin
  10. teacher
  11. principal
  12. friend
  13. buddy
  14. classmate
  15. neighbour
  16. helper
  17. nurse
  18. doctor
  19. coach
  20. cleaner

3. Daily Routines (30 words)

  1. wake
  2. sleep
  3. eat
  4. drink
  5. wash
  6. brush
  7. shower
  8. change
  9. wear
  10. play
  11. read
  12. write
  13. draw
  14. colour
  15. cut
  16. paste
  17. sing
  18. dance
  19. run
  20. jump
  21. walk
  22. sit
  23. stand
  24. pack
  25. open
  26. close
  27. line-up
  28. listen
  29. talk
  30. share

4. Feelings & Behaviour (20 words)

  1. happy
  2. sad
  3. angry
  4. tired
  5. excited
  6. scared
  7. shy
  8. proud
  9. hungry
  10. thirsty
  11. kind
  12. helpful
  13. careful
  14. quiet
  15. noisy
  16. friendly
  17. patient
  18. honest
  19. polite
  20. sorry

5. Food & Drinks (20 words)

  1. rice
  2. noodles
  3. bread
  4. porridge
  5. soup
  6. egg
  7. chicken
  8. fish
  9. meat
  10. fruit
  11. apple
  12. banana
  13. orange
  14. watermelon
  15. grape
  16. milk
  17. juice
  18. water
  19. biscuit
  20. snack

6. Places (20 words)

  1. classroom
  2. canteen
  3. toilet
  4. hall
  5. playground
  6. park
  7. garden
  8. road
  9. bus
  10. car
  11. MRT
  12. shop
  13. market
  14. supermarket
  15. library
  16. swimming pool
  17. field
  18. stage
  19. clinic
  20. zoo

7. Colours, Numbers & Shapes (30 words)

  1. red
  2. blue
  3. yellow
  4. green
  5. orange
  6. purple
  7. pink
  8. black
  9. white
  10. brown
  11. grey
  12. one
  13. two
  14. three
  15. four
  16. five
  17. six
  18. seven
  19. eight
  20. nine
  21. ten
  22. circle
  23. square
  24. triangle
  25. rectangle
  26. oval
  27. star
  28. heart
  29. diamond
  30. cube

8. Nature & Animals (20 words)

  1. sun
  2. moon
  3. star
  4. cloud
  5. rain
  6. tree
  7. flower
  8. leaf
  9. bird
  10. cat
  11. dog
  12. fish
  13. rabbit
  14. frog
  15. butterfly
  16. ant
  17. bee
  18. lion
  19. elephant
  20. monkey

✅ This 200-word list gives a strong vocabulary foundation for kindergarten children in Singapore — covering school life, daily routines, relationships, feelings, food, places, numbers, shapes, nature, and animals.

Localised Top 200 Vocabulary Words for Kindergarten

200 Singapore cultural vocabulary entries: words, names and phrases

Food & Cuisine

  1. Satay
  2. Rendang
  3. Nasi Lemak
  4. Roti Prata
  5. Dosa
  6. Thosai
  7. Curry Puff
  8. Laksa
  9. Mee Rebus
  10. Mee Siam
  11. Rojak
  12. Chendol
  13. Ice Kachang
  14. Bandung (drink)
  15. Teh Tarik
  16. Kopi
  17. Milo Dinosaur
  18. Kaya Toast
  19. Otah
  20. Fish Head Curry

Festivals & Celebrations

  1. Chinese New Year
  2. Hari Raya Puasa
  3. Hari Raya Haji
  4. Deepavali
  5. Thaipusam
  6. Vesak Day
  7. Mid-Autumn Festival
  8. Lantern Festival
  9. Dragon Boat Festival
  10. Hungry Ghost Festival
  11. Christmas
  12. Good Friday
  13. National Day
  14. Racial Harmony Day
  15. Pongal
  16. Qing Ming
  17. Chap Goh Mei
  18. Nine Emperor Gods Festival
  19. Geylang Serai Bazaar
  20. Chingay Parade

Clothing & Cultural Items

  1. Cheongsam
  2. Samfu
  3. Qipao
  4. Hanfu
  5. Baju Kurung
  6. Baju Kebaya
  7. Tudung
  8. Songkok
  9. Sarong
  10. Sari
  11. Salwar Kameez
  12. Dhoti
  13. Kurta
  14. Sherwani
  15. Batik
  16. Kebaya Nyonya
  17. Peranakan Beads
  18. Orchid Garland
  19. Jasmine Flowers
  20. Henna

Places & Landmarks

  1. Chinatown
  2. Little India
  3. Kampong Glam
  4. Geylang Serai
  5. Bugis
  6. Tekka Market
  7. Maxwell Hawker Centre
  8. Lau Pa Sat
  9. East Coast Park
  10. Marina Bay Sands
  11. Esplanade
  12. Clarke Quay
  13. Boat Quay
  14. Gardens by the Bay
  15. Jurong Bird Park
  16. Singapore Zoo
  17. Night Safari
  18. Sentosa
  19. Pulau Ubin
  20. Haw Par Villa

Ethnic Groups & Languages

  1. Chinese
  2. Malay
  3. Indian
  4. Eurasian
  5. Peranakan
  6. Baba (Peranakan Male)
  7. Nyonya (Peranakan Female)
  8. Hokkien
  9. Teochew
  10. Cantonese
  11. Hakka
  12. Hainanese
  13. Tamil
  14. Punjabi
  15. Gujarati
  16. Malay Language
  17. Mandarin
  18. English
  19. Singlish
  20. Dialect

Daily Life & Traditions

  1. Hawker Centre
  2. Kopitiam
  3. Wet Market
  4. Kampong
  5. Longkang (drain)
  6. Void Deck
  7. Mahjong
  8. Chinese Chess
  9. Wayang (Chinese Opera)
  10. Lion Dance
  11. Dragon Dance
  12. Wushu
  13. Silat
  14. Bharatanatyam
  15. Kathakali
  16. Bollywood Dance
  17. Gamelan
  18. Angklung
  19. Kompang
  20. Dikir Barat

Religious & Cultural Places

  1. Temple
  2. Mosque
  3. Church
  4. Hindu Temple
  5. Sri Mariamman Temple
  6. Sultan Mosque
  7. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
  8. Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple
  9. St Andrew’s Cathedral
  10. Armenian Church
  11. Hindu Gopuram (Temple Tower)
  12. Prayer Beads
  13. Oil Lamp
  14. Joss Sticks
  15. Altar
  16. Kolam (Rangoli)
  17. Lotus Flower
  18. Holy Water
  19. Crescent Moon
  20. Cross

Cultural Icons & Heritage

  1. Singapore Sling
  2. Merlion
  3. Orchid
  4. Banyan Tree
  5. Red Packet (Ang Pow)
  6. Ketupat
  7. Lemang
  8. Murukku
  9. Pongal Rice
  10. Banana Leaf Meal
  11. Satay Stick
  12. Bamboo Pole (for clothes drying)
  13. Sarong Kebaya Airline Uniform
  14. Kopi Sock
  15. Milo Van
  16. Dragon Boat
  17. Trishaw
  18. Kampong Spirit
  19. Five Stones (game)
  20. Chapteh (game)

Values & Social Norms

  1. Respect
  2. Harmony
  3. Tolerance
  4. Sharing
  5. Greeting
  6. Bowing
  7. Handshake
  8. Salam (Malay Greeting)
  9. Namaste (Indian Greeting)
  10. Gong Xi Fa Cai
  11. Selamat Hari Raya
  12. Deepavali Valthukkal
  13. Merry Christmas
  14. Happy Vesak Day
  15. National Pledge
  16. Multicultural
  17. Racial Harmony
  18. Singapore Spirit
  19. Unity
  20. Kindness

Modern Cultural Mix

  1. MRT
  2. LRT
  3. Grab (Taxi App)
  4. Hawker Uncle
  5. Auntie (polite address)
  6. Kopi-O
  7. Kopi-C
  8. Teh-O
  9. Teh-C
  10. Milo Gao
  11. Kaya Jar
  12. Pandan Cake
  13. Ice Cream Sandwich
  14. Durian
  15. Mangosteen
  16. Rambutan
  17. Chilli Crab
  18. Black Pepper Crab
  19. White Bee Hoon
  20. Sambal

✅ This list reflects Singapore’s multi-ethnic identity, teaching children the words they need to understand food, festivals, culture, landmarks, and social harmony.

Also, the difference between formal words and home/family words for children:

What is the difference between kindergarten vocabulary and home school vocabulary for children?

🌱 Why Kindergarten Children Should Learn Advanced Words Early

  1. Brain Development Window
    • Between ages 3–7, children experience a “language explosion” phase where their brains are most receptive to acquiring new vocabulary.
    • Introducing advanced words early allows them to build a wider foundation, making later learning easier.
  2. Preparing for Formal Education
    • By Primary 1 in Singapore, students are already expected to read, write, and comprehend full sentences fluently.
    • Exposure to advanced vocabulary helps them understand instructions, questions, and textbooks without struggling.
  3. Bridging Informal and Formal English
    • At home, children may use simplified speech (“mummy, want water”) while school requires structured expression (“May I have a glass of water, please?”).
    • Early exposure ensures smooth transitions between casual home speech and formal classroom communication.
  4. Guarding Against “Slang-Only” Language
    • As children grow, especially into their tween and teen years, Gen Alpha slang (e.g., “rizz,” “sus,” “yeet”) becomes a social norm.
    • While it is natural and healthy for children to use slang with peers, exclusive dependence on it can:
      • Limit vocabulary range.
      • Distort sentence structures.
      • Make formal writing (essays, exams, professional communication) more difficult.
  5. Cultural Balance
    • Slang is part of cohort identity and helps children connect socially.
    • However, children must know that slang is context-specific and not a replacement for standard English.
    • Parents and teachers should model when to use formal English (class, interviews, writing) vs. casual slang(friends, play).
  6. Future Readiness
    • Strong early vocabulary equips children for:
      • Primary School (PSLE preparation)
      • Secondary English Literature and Composition
      • Professional communication later in life
    • The stronger their vocabulary before teen years, the less risk of “linguistic regression” due to peer slang culture.

Some current examples of Gen Alpha slang as of August 2025

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