The Best Dictionary for Kindergarten through 2nd Grade

I’m frequently asked what my favorite ______ is for homeschooling.

You can insert the word pencil, printer, curriculum, file folders, read-alouds, or any other item we homeschool mamas frequently ponder over.

So today I’m sharing what I have found to be the best dictionary for Kindergarten – 2nd Grade.

Dictionary for Kindergarten – 2nd Grade

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I am now on my 3rd Kindergartner!  When we started homeschooling 5 years ago and I was on my first Kindergartner, I searched high and low for the best dictionary.

Yes, I realize we are in the age of Google where we can easily search the meaning of words, but I want my children to know how to use books to research as well as online tools.

In an effort to find the most user-friendly dictionary for my young learners with a reasonable price tag, I researched our local library’s selection and pored over dictionaries online.

The result?

Merriam-Webster’s Elementary Dictionary.

In addition to the simple things – easy-to-read text, syllable helps, clean layout – this dictionary has several types of “extras.”

Word Roots

Word Roots are so interesting!  It’s neat to see the roots and their meanings and then brainstorm other words with similar roots.

Knowing about word roots also helps my young learners realize that English is not the only spoken language in the world, which piques their interest about other cultures.

Word History

Along the same lines as word roots come word history.

If you have a kid that gets lost reading the dictionary (my oldest!), he will love this section!

Synonyms

When my children are in the very early elementary years, I only introduce them to synonyms, antonyms, and the like.

The synonym section in the Merriam-Webster Elementary Dictionary not only lists the most popular synonyms, but presents them in context in a sentence.  Love that!

Excellent Pictures!

Excellent pictures are sprinkled throughout the pages of this dictionary.

There are enough pictures to aid in learning, but not so many that the pages are cluttered.  One of the numerous things I love about this particular dictionary are the clutter-free, clean lines of each page.

So what is your favorite dictionary to use in your homeschool?  Do you use this one?

Lauren Hill

Lauren Hill is a Christian mom to 5, ages 19 to 7. She homeschools her children in the classical education tradition and is currently in her 15th year of homeschool. She creates engaging worksheets and hands-on printable activities for Preschool and Elementary age children to supplement their daily studies.

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