If you’re a parent or teacher supporting a child who isn’t communicating with words yet — or is just getting started — a core vocabulary board can open up a whole new way to connect. Core words are the small set of words that make up most of what we say every day: go, stop, more, help, want, all, in, on. They’re not tied to one topic, which means the same board works whether a child is at the dinner table, on the playground, or in the classroom.
We built Core Vocabulary Board Builder to make putting one of these boards together simple, free, and ready in minutes.
Here’s how it works: choose from 48 research-based core words, organized into categories like People, Actions, Describing Words, and Question Words. Check the ones that fit your child or student right now — there’s no wrong number to start with. Watch the board build itself in a live preview as you go, then either print it (great for laminating, a binder, or a spot on the fridge) or use the page right on a tablet, where tapping a word reads it aloud.
The word bank itself is grounded in real research — it’s based on the Universal Core Vocabulary developed by the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at UNC Chapel Hill, with a handful of early-childhood words added on top for younger communicators.
A few things worth knowing before you start:
- Start small. Six to twelve words is plenty for a first board — you can always build a second one later as your child grows into it.
- Model the words yourself first. Point to or tap a word as you say it during real moments, rather than asking a child to produce it on command.
- This isn’t just for toddlers. The same 48 words support a first board for a young child and a more advanced board for an older student — what changes is how many words you pick, not which words exist.
This tool is meant to support communication at home or in the classroom — it isn’t a replacement for an evaluation or a personalized plan from a speech-language pathologist. If you have concerns about a child’s communication development, we’d always encourage talking with a pediatrician or an SLP.
It’s free, no sign-up required, and nothing you select is ever saved or sent anywhere — the board and the PDF are built entirely in your own browser.
Try it: Core Vocabulary Board Builder on Educatedly
