October 2, 2026
First Words
Body Parts Vocabulary
This week I reflected on the 25 First Words list, which I originally learned about from Laura Mize. I use this list frequently to give families a road map for modeling different vocabulary. Two of the words on the list are “eye” and “nose”. Why is it, that out of all early vocabulary choices, body parts are some of our first words?
A fascinating study by Seidl, Tincoff, Baker and Cristia (2014) researched how touch can impact an infant’s word finding. As discussed in the article, it is a challenge to see what information streams when an infant is interested in learning language. As it turns out, infants are very keen to touch and its accompanying words. For example, an infant has their diaper changed multiple times a day. This is an opportunity for a parent to comment while touching an infant’s toes, nose, or eyes.
One such importance to note is that the discussion of an infant’s body teaches them to refer to themselves. They learn that they are separate from their caregivers, and they can then use that vocabulary to separate themselves from others:
‘I can first identify my eyes‘ turns into ‘I can point to your eyes‘ which then prompts them to point out eyes on an animal (like my reference image of a pig).
This week, think about ways you can engage your infant or toddler with body part language. Help them learn about their bodies and, ultimately, about themselves!