When my son was around 5 or 6 years old he didn't know how to describe the visible steam we make when we exhale on a really cold day, so he'd refer to it as "ice breathe."

“Look, dad,” he’d say to me before pursing his lips and blowing his breath out, “I have ice breathe.”

I remember being both amused and astounded. I’d never looked at it that way, but yeah. I still refer to it that way to this day.

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Kids don’t always know the words they’re looking for, but they seem to find clever, humorous ways to get across what they mean.

We asked parents what hilarious alternate word or term their little one made up for a real word they didn't know, and here are some of the best replies from parents who shared the funny substitute words their child came up with to get their point across.

'Little Looking' and 'Leg Elbows'

Sandra Tellez
When my son was young and would play hide & seek with his sister and catch her peeking he’d get upset and say “Mom she is little looking”

Brenna Escarciga
My 4 year old calls the foggy mountains in the morning "hot-canos."

Ann Liebscher
when I made toast my daughter would say "no wood Mom" the wood being the crust.

Alexa
My daughter would call corn dogs ‘weenie lollipops’

saeed karimi on Unsplash/Canva
saeed karimi on Unsplash/Canva
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Christy
My son calls tv episodes “chapter movies”

Ashley Burress
My youngest son used to call his knees his leg elbows.

Tina Soto Alcantar
My 3 year old calls marshmallows “marshpillows

Alanna Hildebrant
My son calls his big toe his “thumb toe”

22 Texas Words That Don't Exist But Just Make Sense