Learning foreign languages is an activity all parents like to enroll their children to because it can prove to be beneficial for their development as well as their future. But learning a new language should also be fun. We can make it fun for them with these 5 activities!
According to research children can benefit from learning foreign languages. It is however crucial to keep all activities, especially in early ages, fun as children are proven to be great learners when they play and enjoy themselves.
Foreign language centres like Worldculture-kids learn to every child how to speak any language foreign or native, from an early age in a playful way. But parents can also help from home! This is the reason why we have gathered some foreign language activities that your children will definitely enjoy and it will not feel like learning but more like having a nice time instead.
Here are the top 5:
- Movies
All children like to watch movies and cartoons. “Take advantage” of that and sit with them to watch a favorite movie in another language. You should always begin with movies or cartoons they have already seen so they can keep up with the plot even if they miss some of the dialogues. Another smart trick is to add subtitles of your language at first and then gradually switch them to the language spoken in the film, as children get older and learn the language better.
- Songs & lyrics
Songs are great for learning everything. Rhythm and rhyme helps us remember easier so singing songs can prove to be really helpful especially for younger children and toddlers. This way they can learn the alphabet, numbers and a lot more, both in their native and in a foreign language.
- Books with pictures
Books and storytelling is an amazing activity for all children as it enhances their imagination and enriches their vocabulary. If your children are younger pick books with many pictures and a few words. Like in movies you can also pick books in foreign languages with familiar stories they have already read in their native language so that it is not hard to understand the story.
- Games
We all parents should accept that games are the most favorite activity of children. Experts say we should let our children play a lot each day as it can help them grow. So, while learning a new language we can pick some games that will help them in that direction as well like a classic Scramble (foreign language edition) or one of many online games available. Check out Influent, a great online game for introducing beginners to a new language with over sixteen different languages!
- Travelling
We all learn a new language better when we are forced to speak and communicate with it and what better way to do this than travelling? If you want your children to feel motivated in taking on a new language you can always plan a family trip to that country for the holiday’s season. This way they can look forward to it all year and feel like they have a goal to accomplish. Moreover, it will really be beneficial for them to have the experience of travelling to a foreign country and get to meet a new culture.
Keep in mind that the key is to keep it fun and not force children into unwanted situations. They should be given choices to decide for themselves as this way they will ultimately learn better.
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