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Compound Words for Kids: The Essential Guide with 200+ Examples

Help new readers tackle longer words while building skills and confidence.

Compound Words for Kids: The Essential Guide with 200+ Examples

Compound words can help kids become better readers. Compound words for kids are often easier to read than other multi-syllable words. Kids can typically recognize the smaller word components of compound words.

Kids enjoy learning about compound words because there are many fun strategies teachers and parents can use. Below we’ll do a deep dive with plenty of examples and hands-on activities. We also include a list of compound words and two free worksheets to help you teach compound words. 

What Are Compound Words?

Compound words are two or more complete words that can be put together to form a new word. All compound words are made up of at least two syllables.

Learning compound words is an essential part of learning to read. Kids often grasp short, one-syllable words quickly but struggle with longer words. Compound words can help build students’ reading confidence, as they’re slightly easier to read than other longer words.

Compound words can be almost any part of speech. While most are nouns, some are verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

Types of Compound Words 

There are three types of compound words. Students will likely be familiar with closed compound words, but open and hyphenated may be new concepts for them. They will need instruction in identifying compound words.

1. Closed Compound Words 

Closed compound words are the most common. They’re made of two separate words put together with no space between them. 

Examples of closed compound words:

  • pancake
  • doghouse
  • highchair
  • notebook

2. Open Compound Words

Open compound words have a space between the two words making up the compound. The two separate words work together to represent one word. Many open compound words are made up of an adjective and nouns. The adjective doesn’t just modify the noun but creates a new meaning.

Open compound words may be more challenging to spot than closed compound words.  

Examples of open compound words: 

  • ice cream
  • fire truck
  • living room
  • peanut butter

3. Hyphenated Compound Words 

Hyphenated compound words have a hyphen between each word. Some are compound nouns, such as sister-in-law and merry-go-round.

Most hyphenated compound words are adjectives. When the words come before the adjective, you add hyphens. When it’s after the adjective, you don’t add hyphens.

Example:

Many students signed up for the off-campus class.

Students were allowed to take the class off campus.

Examples of hyphenated compound words:

  • cold-blooded
  • deep-fried
  • father-in-law
  • self-esteem

Is It a Compound Word?

Kids in kindergarten and first grade often have difficulty deciding if a word is a compound word. Younger kids may think that all longer words are compound words.

For closed compound words, teach kids to split the word into two parts. If they can find two words within the word, it’s a compound word. They may have to split it in a few different ways until they find the two words.

Open compound words are trickier. When students find a pair of words that they suspect may be compound, then they’ll need to analyze the word to be sure.

Teach students to consider the meaning of the words together and individually. If the meaning of the words changes when put together, then it’s likely a compound word. 

Compound Words vs. Portmanteau Words 

Some people confuse compound words with portmanteau words. Both involve using two words to make a new word with a different meaning. A compound word is made of two complete words that are put together with no other change to the words’ spellings.

Lewis Carrol (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland) coined the term “portmanteau word.” It’s a word that is made up of parts of two other words. 

Examples include: 

  • smog (smoke + fog) 
  • brunch (breakfast + lunch)
  • dramedy (drama + comedy)

Portmanteau words shouldn’t be taught until kids are in later elementary or middle school. They’re fun words to learn but may be too confusing for kids who are just developing an understanding of compound words. However, some kids may mistake a portmanteau for a compound word, so be prepared to explain the difference.

Strategies for Teaching Compound Words 

Below are some fun, hands-on ways to teach compound words. These activities are great for use in a center after you’ve introduced the concept.

1. Compound Word Puzzles 

Write compound words on index cards and cut them apart into two words. Shuffle the words. Students will sort through the words and make compound words. 

2. Compound Word Drawings 

Students will create illustrations to help them visualize sight words. For example, at the top of their paper, they will write the compound word “doghouse.” They will draw a dog and a house under the appropriate components.

Next, they will draw a picture of the compound word. You can put these together in a notebook or on the classroom wall for students to review. 

3. Compound Word Memory 

Students can use the split compound word cards to play this game. Shuffle the cards and lay them upside down. Students take turns drawing two cards until they get a match.

4. Made-Up Compound Words 

Students will make up their own compound words to share with the class. While this activity doesn’t familiarize them with actual compound words, it does help them better understand the concept. This skill can help them recognize compound words. 

5. Compound Words Worksheets 

We’ve included two printable worksheets to help you teach compound words to kids. The first printable is for younger children and uses picture cues. Students figure out the two smaller words and combine them to form a compound word.

The second printable is for older children. It gives them the first part of a compound word. They write the second word to create a new word. Many of the words have more than one option to form a compound word. 

making compound words - worksheet A
making compound words - worksheet B
compound words worksheet 2

200+ Examples of Compound Words for Kids

afternoonairplaneairport
anybodyanywayarmchair
arrowheadbabysitterbackbone
backfirebackstageballpark
baseballbasketballbedbug
bedroombellhopbirthday
blackberryblackbirdblueberry
bluebirdboardwalkbookmark
bookwormbrainstormbrainwash
butterflycampfirecaretaker
carpoolcartwheelcaveman
cell phonecheesecakecoffee mug
cookbookcountdowncowboy
cupcakedaredevildaydream
deep-frieddinner tabledishwasher
doorbelldragonflydriveway
drumstickdump truckearring
earthwormeggplanteggshell
everythingeyeballfirearm
firecrackerfirefighter firefly
fire truckfishbowlflashflight
footballfootprintforever
friendshipfull moongrandchild
grapefruitgrasshoppergraveyard
greenhousegumballhaircut
handbookhandmadeheadlight
heartbeathighchairhigh school
high-speedhomesickhomework
honeybeehorseshoehot dog
houseboatice creaminchworm
jawbonejawbreakerjellybean
jellyfishjump shotkeepsake
keyboardkeyholeladybug
landslidelawsuitleapfrog
left-handedlifeguardlifesaver
lighthouseliving roomlong-term
matchboxmerry-go-roundmilkshake
moonlightmoonwalkmother-in-law
motorcyclenewbornnewspaper
nightfallnoisemakernotebook
nutcrackeroutdooroverboard
overflowpancakepart-time
peanut butterpassportpeppermint
pineapplepinwheelplayground
ponytailpopcornpost office
quicksandrailroadrainbow
raincoatrainfallrattlesnake
riverbankrunwaysailboat
sandboxscarecrowschool bus
seashellshipwreckshoelace
shortcakesidekickskateboard
skyscrapersleeping bagsnowball
snowmansoftballsomewhere
soundproofspacesuitspeedboat
starfishstoplightstopwatch
sunbathesunflowersuperhero
superstarsweatshirtsweetheart
swordfishtablespoontailspin
teacuptennis courtthunderstorm
toolboxtoothbrushtoothpick
touchdowntreehousetugboat
underdogundergroundupright
upstreamup-to-datevideo game
wallflowerwallpaperwatchtower
waterfallwatermelonwater park
waterslideweekendwheelchair
wildcatworldwideyardstick

Compound Words Build Strong Readers

Compound words are highly motivating for kids. It’s a fun topic for kids to learn and practice. These words also build their confidence as readers, helping them to easily read longer words. Once students have a solid foundation in compound words, they’ll be ready to move on to more complicated words.

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About Lisa

Lisa Holliman has been teaching and writing curriculum for 12 years at an innovative private school in MS. She has two small boys who love to learn and try new things.

More articles by Lisa

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