English Vocabulary: BABIES & CHILDREN

If you are planning on travelling with a baby or if you want to talk about your child in English, you will need to learn special vocabulary to describe your child’s needs. In this lesson, I will teach you more than 20 useful words to talk about babies and children. You will learn the meaning of words like “nappy”, “wet wipe”, “highchair”, “pram”, “teething”, “rusk”, “tantrum”, and more. I will explain to you the difference between a “nanny” and a “babysitter”, as well as the difference between a “nursery” and a “crèche”. We will also talk about what we call the “Terrible Twos”, which is a phase many babies go through. I’ll give you examples of how to use these words in context, and you’ll get a chance to practise by doing the quiz after watching. https://www.engvid.com/english-vocabu...

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TRANSCRIPT

Hiya. Welcome back to engVid. In today's lesson we are looking at vocabulary to do with babies and other young people. So, watch this video if perhaps you're planning a trip to the UK and you have a little one of your own, or if you're preparing for an IELTS speaking test and you want to be speaking about your children. So, let's get cracking.

Obviously, it's very important that your child is equipped with a "nappy". They're not developed enough yet to go to the toilet of their own accord. "Nappy", keeps things clean and safe.

If we want to change a nappy, you may wish to use a "wet wipe". This is a sanitary product that helps clean.

Next, you might want your child to have some clothes on. Now, a "babygrow" is just that first layer of clothing. So, if you run out of clothes for your baby, you could go into a shop and say: "Excuse me. I will need a babygrow. Do you have any?"

Now, if you are having a time in London with your little one and you go into a restaurant, you might want to ask if they have a "highchair" that your baby can sit in. It'll be less work for you if they're in the chair.

Now, we go for a walk, and of course you're going to push the "pram". Now, a "pram" is typically for slightly younger children, and a "baby stroller" is more one that the child is going to sit upright in and look at the surroundings.

Of course, you may employ a "nanny"/"childminder" or "babysitter". There's a key difference between a nanny and a babysitter. Babysitter tends to work during the evenings, and say you need to go out for supper or you have a social engagement - you'll get someone who's not necessarily a trained expert who will just be at home and make sure that your child is safe; whereas a nanny more typically works during the day if you are, say, at work, then the nanny will be looking after and making sure there's activities for your child. "Childminder", quite similar to a nanny.

Now, if you don't have a nanny or childminder, you may wish for your child to go to a "nursery". A "nursery" is like a school, but for much younger children, and there will be different activities planned and the children will be signed up to be there for a period of time. "Crèche", French word, here. The "crèche", this is a more informal arrangement between you and the person caring for your child. A crèche is sort of a drop-off, like, maybe you want to use it once this week and once the following week, but it's not signing up for a long-term commitment.

Hopefully you don't have to deal with too many of these. "Tantrum" is where your child goes: "Ahhhhh!" Really unhappy. So, "tantrum", that's when your child is not very happy.

If they are not so happy, you may wish to give them a "rusk". A "rusk" is a baby biscuit full of vitamins and minerals to keep your child healthy, and good if they are "teething" - that means growing the teeth. Okay? Teeth coming through, because a rusk they can kind of bite into. So, teething. Right.

"Child-friendly". If you're planning a trip and you've got your baby, you might want to ask if a hotel or restaurant is "child-friendly", that means: Are they okay with you taking your baby there? Most places should be.

You may want to ask someone, for example, a waiter or a friend if you're staying with someone, to "heat some milk up". Always nice, if the baby... If they are having warm milk. "Could you please heat this up?" you might say to someone.

Now, if you're in some sort of café or food place and you've got some... Some food, but it's not very digestible; it's in big bits - you might ask for them to "blend it". So, they get a machine and go: "Bssssssh", and it becomes easier for the baby to eat. So, you could say: "Is there any way that you could blend this, or whiz it up, or mash it up?" to make it easier to eat. […]