# Category Gateway Vocabulary: Layer 2 Practice

Little Wheels Talk & Listen's second practice layer uses Category Gateways—themed vocabulary worlds delivered by specific vehicles. Each gateway provides 10-20 minutes of focused practice on real first-words categories.

## How Category Gateways Work

### The Basic Flow
1. From the Toy Room, select a category vehicle
2. Gateway screen shows the hero vehicle
3. Vehicle "delivers" 3 themed word cards
4. Practice each word with call-and-response
5. Complete the trio to receive next delivery
6. Finish entire category to earn a badge
7. Badge unlocks special celebration

### Why "Deliveries" of 3 Words
- Manageable chunks for toddlers
- Sense of progress with each delivery
- Builds anticipation for next set
- Completion feels achievable

## Vehicle Word Worlds — Health & Home

### Ambulance → Body Helpers (15 words)
head, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hands, feet, tummy, knee, teeth, hurt, owie, better, all better, help me

### Food Truck → Snack Shop (20 words)
apple, banana, cookie, milk, juice, bread, cheese, pizza, water, egg, soup, fish, hot, cold, yummy, eat, drink, more please, all done, thank you

### Car → Home Words (20 words)
bed, chair, table, door, window, bath, potty, cup, spoon, book, ball, light, phone, keys, in, on, under, open, close, clean

### Limousine → Clothing Closet (15 words)
shirt, pants, shoes, socks, hat, coat, dress, jacket, boots, mittens, pajamas, diaper, put on, take off, zip

### Tractor → Farm Friends (20 words)
cow, pig, horse, chicken, dog, cat, duck, sheep, goat, bunny, barn, hay, mud, fence, moo, oink, neigh, baa, run, jump

## Vehicle Word Worlds — Play & Routines

### Excavator → Build Zone (20 words)
in, out, on, off, up, down, under, over, behind, through, around, dig, dump, push, pull, lift, move, put, take, build

### Passenger Train → Feelings Journey (15 words)
happy, sad, mad, scared, silly, tired, hungry, excited, okay, brave, cold, hot, I love you, it's okay, big hug

### School Bus → Daily Routines (20 words)
wake up, brush teeth, wash hands, get dressed, eat breakfast, go to sleep, take a bath, potty time, hi, bye bye, please, thank you, sorry, yes, no, my turn, your turn, help, share, wait

### Race Car → Fast Talk (20 words)
yes, no, hi, bye, please, help, more, look, wait, ready, go, stop, good, thank you, my turn, your turn, all done, this, that, there

### Steam Locomotive → Number World (18 words)
one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, first, next, last, before, after, again, more, all done

## Total Word Coverage

10 Category Gateways × 15-20 words each = **180+ themed first words**

Combined with 100+ vehicle names and phoneme word banks, Talk & Listen provides **300+ words** organized for speech development.

## Badge System

### Earning Badges
- Complete all words in a category
- Badge appears on category vehicle
- Unlocks special celebration animation

### Badge Benefits
- Visual progress tracking
- Sense of accomplishment
- Motivation to complete categories
- Parent can see progress at a glance

## Best Use Cases

### Vocabulary Building
- Expands beyond vehicle words to real first-words categories
- Builds thematic word groups SLPs actually target
- Connects words to real-life contexts

### Longer Practice Sessions
- 10-20 minutes of focused practice
- Good for dedicated speech time
- Deeper engagement than Layer 1

### Themed Learning
- Match to daily activities (Food Truck before meals)
- Connect to experiences (Ambulance after doctor visit)
- Reinforce real-world vocabulary

### SLP Home Practice
- Targets specific vocabulary categories
- Structured progression
- Trackable through badges

## Progression from Layer 1

### Signs Child is Ready
- Completes Layer 1 vehicle cards easily
- Wants longer practice sessions
- Shows interest in themed content
- Ready for more vocabulary

### Combining Layers
- Start with Layer 1 warm-up
- Move to Layer 2 for main practice
- Return to Layer 1 for cool-down

## Parent Tips

### Follow Interests
- If child loves food, start with Food Truck
- If child had doctor visit, try Ambulance
- Connect to their current experiences

### Celebrate Badges
- Make badge earning special
- Show badges to family members
- Build pride in accomplishments

### Don't Rush
- Let child set the pace
- Okay to stop mid-category
- Return to continue later

## Related Resources
- Vehicle Card Word Families (Layer 1): littlewheels.app/llm/vehicle-card-word-families.txt
- Phoneme Practice (Layer 3): littlewheels.app/llm/phoneme-practice-early-sounds.txt
- Three Practice Layers overview: littlewheels.app/llm/three-practice-layers.txt
- Talk & Listen app: littlewheels.app/apps/talk-listen

## About Little Wheels
Little Wheels Talk & Listen provides 300+ words across 10 vocabulary themes plus 100+ vehicles. Layer 2 Category Gateways build themed vocabulary through engaging delivery mechanics. One-time $4.99, 100% offline.