Baby Animals

Eight new words about the smallest, softest creatures in town.

Meet each word one at a time, then take the quiz to lock them in.

1. 1 kitten noun
2. 2 puppy noun
3. 3 hop verb
4. 4 munch verb
5. 5 fluffy adjective
6. 6 chubby adjective
7. 7 kindly adverb
8. 8 sweetly adverb

Nelson's word

noun

Kitten. A noun, and one of the smallest ones I file. A kitten is a baby cat: little paws, a little tail, and a purr that is bigger than the whole animal. A grown cat is a cat, but when it is small and new, we call it a kitten. I file it under baby-animals, right next to puppy. State it precisely, and you will always know which one you mean: a cat is grown, a kitten is small and new.

The tiny kitten curled up in a warm lap.

Nelson's word

noun

Puppy. A noun, and a busy one. A puppy is a baby dog: soft ears, big feet it has not grown into yet, and a tail that never stops wagging. A grown dog is a dog, but a young one, small and new, is a puppy. I file it right beside kitten, both of them under baby-animals. State it precisely: a dog is grown, a puppy is small and new.

The puppy chased its own tail around the yard.

Vinny's word

verb

Hop! Now THAT is a verb, and a bouncy one. To hop is to jump up on your feet, up and down, quick and light: the rabbits hop across the grass, the frogs hop from stone to stone, you hop on one foot at recess. It is a doing word, and it never sits still. But keep your eyes open, because this word can wear a second hat, and we will catch it wearing it later.

The little rabbits hop across the grass.

Vinny's word

verb

Munch! A verb you can HEAR. To munch is to chew food with a big crunchy sound: the bunnies munch on carrots, the puppy munches its crunchy treat, you munch an apple on the walk home. It is a doing word, and it is a loud, happy one. If you can hear the crunch, somebody is munching, and that somebody is doing a verb of mine.

The bunnies munch on crunchy carrots.

Jake's word

adjective

Fluffy. Oh, magnifique, and it is mine, because it describes. Fluffy means soft and puffy, light and airy to touch: a fluffy kitten, a fluffy cloud, a fluffy blanket you never want to leave. Its Smile is soft, which means almost the same thing, and its Frown is prickly, which is the sharp, poky opposite. Could we be more specific than saying an animal is nice? We could. We could say it is fluffy.

The fluffy kitten felt like a warm cloud.

Jake's word

adjective

Chubby. I love this one, and it is mine, because it describes. Chubby means round and a little plump, soft and full in a sweet way: a chubby puppy, a chubby baby's cheeks, a chubby little hamster. Its Smile is plump, which means almost the same thing. Could we be more specific than saying a puppy is cute? We could. We could say it is chubby, round and soft and just right to hug.

The chubby puppy wobbled on its short legs.

Benny's word

adverb

Kindly. That is an adverb, and I own it the way Nelson owns his nouns. Kindly means in a kind way, and it tells you HOW someone does a thing: she kindly shares her snack, he kindly holds the door, they kindly pet the puppy. Here is the coach's tip worth keeping. Take the word kind and add -ly to the back, and you get kindly, the how of being kind. Make your sentences sharper: do not just say she helped, say she kindly helped. You can do better, and that is how.

She kindly shared her snack with the new kitten.

Benny's word

adverb

Sweetly. Another adverb of mine, and a gentle one. Sweetly means in a sweet, gentle way, and it tells you HOW someone does a thing: the kitten sweetly purrs, she sweetly sings to the puppy, he sweetly says thank you. Just like kindly, it is built from a word plus -ly: sweet plus -ly makes sweetly. Make it sharper, team. Do not just say the kitten purred, say it sweetly purred, and now your reader can feel it.

The puppy sweetly rested its head on my knee.