Teaching vocabulary words can be one of the driest activities ever. However, by tapping into that connection between cognition and action, we can solidify those relationships and move the learning function from rote memorization on disembodied terms to memorable experiences that last a lifetime.

Find something that tickles their brain and gets them to a point where they start asking the questions rather than just answering them.
Create an experiential activity that teaches children the following terms: penguin, carrot, gerbil. Be sure to engage the child in an experience and not just a memorization task.
Extra kudos for having the activity suggest subsequent activities and scaffolded events.