For parents of young learners
Action words for kids: 100+ examples
Action words, or verbs, tell us what someone is doing: run, jump, eat, read. Children learn them fastest by doing them. Here are lists sorted by type, sentences, the past forms children need in Class 2, and games to play at home.
By the Eloqova team · Updated 26 October 2026
An action word tells us what someone or something does. For example: run, eat, sing, sleep. In "The boy kicks the ball", kicks is the action word.
Action words for the body
- run
- walk
- jump
- hop
- skip
- clap
- wave
- kick
- throw
- catch
- sit
- stand
- sleep
- wake
- smile
- laugh
- cry
- shout
- whisper
- sing
- dance
- swim
- climb
- crawl
- push
- pull
- touch
- hold
- bend
- stretch
Action words at home
- eat
- drink
- cook
- wash
- clean
- sweep
- brush
- bathe
- comb
- dress
- open
- close
- sit
- sleep
- help
- watch
- listen
- call
- carry
- fold
- pour
- cut
- water
- feed
- tidy
Action words at school
- read
- write
- draw
- colour
- paint
- count
- spell
- speak
- answer
- ask
- learn
- teach
- think
- share
- play
- line up
- raise (your hand)
- copy
- match
- circle
- paste
- cut
- listen
- sing
- pray
Action words in play
- play
- kick
- bat
- bowl
- swing
- slide
- ride
- fly (a kite)
- build
- hide
- seek
- chase
- race
- bounce
- roll
- spin
- skate
- dig
- splash
- win
Action words: now and yesterday
In Class 2, children start using the past form. Most add -ed, but some change completely.
| Today | Yesterday |
|---|---|
| walk | walked |
| jump | jumped |
| play | played |
| cook | cooked |
| eat | ate |
| drink | drank |
| run | ran |
| go | went |
| see | saw |
| write | wrote |
| sing | sang |
| swim | swam |
| sleep | slept |
| sit | sat |
| come | came |
| read | read (said like red) |
How to practise at home
- Play "Simon says" with action words: "Simon says hop!"
- Act out a word and let your child guess it, then swap.
- At dinner, ask "What did you do today?" and help your child answer with three action words in the past form.
- Make a picture diary: one drawing and one action sentence a day.
Questions parents ask
What is an action word for kids?
An action word tells what someone or something does, such as run, eat, read or sleep. In grammar it is called a verb.
What are 10 action words?
Run, jump, eat, drink, read, write, sing, dance, sleep and play.
How do I teach action words to a 5-year-old?
Through movement. Say a word, do the action together, then use it in a short sentence: "I can jump." Games like Simon says work very well.