Nouns for Kids

What Are Nouns? (for Kids)

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Nouns are the words we use to name people, places, or things.

In each of these six example sentences, there is a noun in bold. Decide whether the noun names a person, place, or thing.

More Examples of Nouns

People: girl, pirate, criminal

Places: city, continent, planet

Things. This includes:

Objects: apple, book, table

Animals: aardvark, rat, elephant

Ideas: happiness, bravery, secrecy

It's Your Go!

Select the noun in each sentence:

Useful Fact about the Word "Noun"

nouns mon nom
("Mon nom" means my name. It is a palindrome.)

The word "noun" comes from "non," which is the old French word for name. (In modern French, the word for name is "nom.")

Nouns are often called "naming words," which makes sense because the word "noun" means name.

Nouns Can Be Plural

Most nouns can be singular or plural.

nouns can be singular or plural (one pirate)

nouns can be singular or plural (two pirates)

People: girl, pirate, criminalgirls, pirates, criminals

Places: city, continent, planetcities, continents, planets

Things. This includes:

Objects: apple, book, tableapples, books, tables

Animals: aardvark, rat, elephantaardvarks, rats, elephants

Ideas: happiness, bravery, secrecyhappiness, bravery, secrecy

It's Your Go!

Select the plural noun in each sentence:

Common Nouns and Proper Nouns

There are lots of different types of noun, but there are only two noun categories. Every noun can be categorized as either a common noun or a proper noun.