An excellent vocabulary is beneficial to your child in countless ways, and vocabulary must be built deliberately. In the summer, we have a word of the day. Someone chooses a letter of the alphabet, and I open the dictionary to that letter and look for a word that none of the kids know, but that is within their comprehension. Then, the kids earn points for using the word that day and in future days. Points may eventually be traded for Barnes and Noble gift cards, in keeping with the theme. Added bonus: when SATs roll around, my kids won't have to sweat it!