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Original poster

To be shocked that not even one y4 child knew the meaning of the word velvet?

646 replies

Utterlybananas333 · 01/01/2026 17:09

My sister is a teacher in a South London primary school, she is a year four teacher of around 30 8 to 9-year-olds. She was recently describing her disbelief over the fact that not a single child knew what velvet meant? There were some crazy guesses, and lots of children who thought it was cake (probably relating to red velvet). Is it just the fact that children and adults don't talk anymore? That nobody reads anymore? Or even watches educational TV programs? Would your child know?

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August1980 · 02/01/2026 19:42

I don’t these children would know brocade either but this would have more to do with being outdated fabric and being very difficult in this and age to work into a sentence!

Sharptonguedwoman · 02/01/2026 19:40

Cyclingmummy1 · 01/01/2026 17:13

One of my (fee paying) year 3 class asked what a handkerchief was last year and it turned out that no one knew the word so no, it doesn't surprise me at all.

One child didn't know what a hedgehog was.

How strange that they don’t make the connection with paper hankies-perhaps the word tissue is more used.

Sharptonguedwoman · 02/01/2026 19:34

Daisymay8 · 01/01/2026 17:20

Different generations -I’m 70 -does everyone know what gabardine or cavalry twill is?

Yes I do but I don’t think Dd would.

CanadianJohn2 · 02/01/2026 19:15

Previous poster "Earlier today we were telling dd20 and her friends about corporate punishment and dh getting hit with a ruler and they were so shocked and laughing hysterically (I don’t thing they believed us!) it’s just different generations."

Corporate punishment?? Great typo. Reminds me of a former boss: about the only thing he DIDN'T do was hit us with a stick.

ColourThief · 02/01/2026 19:10

Utterlybananas333 · 01/01/2026 17:09

My sister is a teacher in a South London primary school, she is a year four teacher of around 30 8 to 9-year-olds. She was recently describing her disbelief over the fact that not a single child knew what velvet meant? There were some crazy guesses, and lots of children who thought it was cake (probably relating to red velvet). Is it just the fact that children and adults don't talk anymore? That nobody reads anymore? Or even watches educational TV programs? Would your child know?

To quote Roy from the I.T crowd..

I’m sorry, are you from the past?

Who tf cares if some young kids know the word velvet?
What is it about this word that makes you think people aren’t talking to their kids anymore?

Velvet. Handkerchief.
I swear mumsnet thinks we are still raising little Victorian children.

What an odd thing to get your knickers in a twist over.

dynamiccactus · 02/01/2026 19:05

None of them have a Hotel Chocolat velvetiser then ;)

(I don't, I don't like hot chocolate!)

Contrarymary30 · 02/01/2026 19:04

Daisymay8 · 01/01/2026 17:20

Different generations -I’m 70 -does everyone know what gabardine or cavalry twill is?

Me ! But I'm 74 😀

MusicMakesItAllBetter · 02/01/2026 18:59

Cyclingmummy1 · 01/01/2026 17:13

One of my (fee paying) year 3 class asked what a handkerchief was last year and it turned out that no one knew the word so no, it doesn't surprise me at all.

One child didn't know what a hedgehog was.

My 11 yr old DS asked me what a handkerchief was yesterday.
If children have never come across it, how will they know what it is?
Doesn't make him dim.
We don't use them in our lives 🤷🏼‍♂️

Threeboystwocatsandadog · 02/01/2026 18:56

I asked for a serviette in a restaurant and was met with a blank stare. I suppose if a word’s not commonly used now children won’t be hearing it.

I now have teens and young adults and would disagree that general knowledge is lacking, at least in this age group. We were doing a quiz at Christmas with six 17 - 28 year olds and I was amazed at some of the things then knew in a huge range of subjects. Far more than me and I’m not particularly thick!

RebeccaRedhat · 02/01/2026 18:54

My yr 5 said it's a cake 🤣🤣
She did laugh and say it was also a material.

PrincessofWells · 02/01/2026 18:52

Daisymay8 · 01/01/2026 17:20

Different generations -I’m 70 -does everyone know what gabardine or cavalry twill is?

Yes! Have you noticed though, that designers have forgotten what darts are for?

Popadomorbread · 02/01/2026 18:49

Times change. I bet most of them know more about coding than most adults do!

Shanda5 · 02/01/2026 18:48

Asked my Year 2. She knew. Not sure it it a word children would hear regularly though.

Namechangerage · 02/01/2026 18:47

imabitjealousandembarassed · 02/01/2026 18:45

I wonder if they know what a suit of armour is cos I haven't worn one of them for ages

🤣🤣

Namechangerage · 02/01/2026 18:47

8 year old said “that silky material like our old sofa” 🤣

There can be loads of velvet references - a cushion, a dress, plus those “That’s not my” books often have a velvet patch!

imabitjealousandembarassed · 02/01/2026 18:45

I wonder if they know what a suit of armour is cos I haven't worn one of them for ages

oggie679 · 02/01/2026 18:42

I don't think it is a word that would be used these days has it was previously, I doubt many would know what suede was either.

TheIrritatingGentleman · 02/01/2026 18:39

BeQuaintRubyRobin · 01/01/2026 17:11

None had read the velvetine rabbit. Classic!

I only knew about this book because of Chandler in Friends! I do know what velvet is though...now wondering if my children do?? I don't remember ever talking about anything velvet related or owning anything.

I have just asked my 10 year old. She thought it was a clothing brand...(quick google search shows me it is).

Sometimessmiling · 02/01/2026 18:39

Utterlybananas333 · 01/01/2026 17:09

My sister is a teacher in a South London primary school, she is a year four teacher of around 30 8 to 9-year-olds. She was recently describing her disbelief over the fact that not a single child knew what velvet meant? There were some crazy guesses, and lots of children who thought it was cake (probably relating to red velvet). Is it just the fact that children and adults don't talk anymore? That nobody reads anymore? Or even watches educational TV programs? Would your child know?

Have 2 very gifted children who are now very gifted adults also a teacher. Mine didn't know at that age and wouldn't expect a class of young children to know

Middleagedspreadisreal · 02/01/2026 18:28

Ryej · 01/01/2026 17:20

I don’t think it’s that shocking tbh, I can’t remember the last time I saw anyone wearing velvet. It’s a pretty random thing to know at that age, an obscure fabric.

I wore a velvet dress on xmas day

MaddestGranny · 02/01/2026 18:23

I'd be quite relaxed about a classful of 8yr olds not knowing what velvet was.
I'd be more exercised, however, if they didn't recognise a bluebell or a dandelion or a daffodil or a daisy.
Or a dock leaf or a nettle, while we're on the subject.
And please don't @me with "not everyone is rural". I'm a born, bred, worked, lived, still living Londoner.

Wildefish · 02/01/2026 18:21

Utterlybananas333 · 01/01/2026 17:09

My sister is a teacher in a South London primary school, she is a year four teacher of around 30 8 to 9-year-olds. She was recently describing her disbelief over the fact that not a single child knew what velvet meant? There were some crazy guesses, and lots of children who thought it was cake (probably relating to red velvet). Is it just the fact that children and adults don't talk anymore? That nobody reads anymore? Or even watches educational TV programs? Would your child know?

To be fair do children even wear velvet any more. In our day girls had a velvet dress or bow for special occasions. Also the dirt if tv watched now is more about what children do now and velvet doesn’t really come into it. I shall try it out on my 6 year old grandson when I see him. He’s very knowledgable about random things😂

Dawnb19 · 02/01/2026 18:18

Are you on about the fabric? I don't think me or my children have any clothes with that fabric anymore. I thought it was old-fashioned. Then again, the last time I was child free (I've a 1 & 4 year old) was 10 months ago so what do I know about what people wear on a night out. 🫣 And the only time the kids go to parties is at preschool or mums and tots and they wore Christmas clothes for that.

HilaryThorpe · 02/01/2026 18:06

TheMoth · 02/01/2026 11:24

We had quilts until I was about 10, so i wouldn't have heard the word duvet until about 1990. Think my parents were quite old fashioned though. I remember the excitement at a duvet because it meant we could change the covers on it!

We bought our first duvets in 1973 in the British Home Stores. 😂

HorseyGal · 02/01/2026 18:05

My twins (age 9) both knew what it was. I just asked them and they said "yeh a really soft fabric, why?" - so that's put a smile on my face! I'm sure they know other things that I didn't know at 9 too...

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