Make Learning a Language Fun for Your Child
Play with German Language using Off- and Online Activities
May 19, 2009
Children can pick up new languages easily. You actually can start to teach them as soon as they are born. This is why children of parents with different nationalities can learn to speak two different languages at the same time – if the parents are consistently talking their native language to the child.
Most children identify one language as their mother's language, the other one as their father's language. Occasionally they try to communicate with every woman they meet in their mothe's language, until they grow old enough to understand the concept of being bilingual.
Practice Consistently
Other parents talk their native tongue at home, whereas the language of the country they live in is spoken outside. There are many different ways to help a child to distinguish between two different languages. All it takes to help the child succeed in learning two languages fluently is consistency, which later branches out into reading and writing training in the other language.
But even if your child is already older and hasn’t grown up bilingually, you can use the concept of different environments to make learning another language fun and effective. Start with something your child is really interested in, like animals or even a certain cartoon character. To help you with your search, here are some ideas to get started.
Translations of Favorite Characters
- Spongebob Squarepants – Spongebob Schwammkopf
- Carebears – Glücksbärchis
- Bob the builder – Bob der Baumeister
- Little Bear – Der kleine Bär
- Backyardigans – Die Hinterhofzwerge
Favorite German Cartoon Characters
- Wickie
- Die Biene Maja
- Es war einmal der Mensch
- Die Sendung mit der Maus
- Der kleine rote Traktor
- Asterix und Obelix
- Tim und Struppi
- Lucky Luke
German Language Websites for Kids
- Nickjr.de
- Nick.de
- Wdrmaus.de
- Kindernetz.de
Get a Pictionary (Pdictionary is a simple online version) and look up some of the words you need. Than combine learning the new vocabulary with a trip to the zoo or watching parts of your child’s favorite movie on Youtube.com. First just look for certain words, and use those over and over again.
Designate Certain Times and Situations
Of course you might need to get some kind of instruction if you are not familiar with the German language yourself. But you and your child will have more fun learning a foreign language if you start to designate certain periods of the day to using it.
If your child has learned about clothes, let him describe what he wants to wear in the morning, or let him tell you what you should dress like. After a lesson about food, go to the supermarket and buy groceries you both can name in German, than prepare the "German food“ together.
Incorporate Role Games
The more you learn, the more role-games you can incorporate into your daily routine. After a while it will become second nature to use German when getting dressed or when you go out shopping.
Also use the foreign language to develop some kind of secret language, just you and your children will understand. Of course, you can come up with your own playful ways to immerse your child into the foreign language. Be sure to make it fun and to find topics your child is really interested in. After you started to use German with certain activities stay consistent. Find a native conversation partner online, and look for German sources on the internet to spike the fun factor!
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