Archive for September, 2008
Disney’s Junior Adventurers Website: Make a Gargoyle and Learn French Body Parts
I’m a huge Disney fan—from Mickey Mouse to Cinderella to Epcot Center, I just love it all. And now I’m loving Disney’s oh-so-global Junior Adventurers website for kids. You’ll find fantastic online culture and language games that prepare kids for an international Disney Adventure family tour. Don’t even get me started about how much I [...]
Brillante Blog Award
Merci, Heathen Homeschoolers, for bestowing this coveted award upon Foreign Language Fun I’d like to accept the Brillante and join in the fun. Here are the rules: 1. Put the logo on your blog. 2. Add a link to the person who awarded you. 3. Nominate at least five other blogs. 4. Add links to [...]
Babies Learning Foreign Languages
Wondering when you should start introducing your child to foreign languages? Try BIRTH! British linguistic psychologists at Bristol University recently discovered that babies who hear foreign speech will find it easier to acquire foreign languages later in life. The study indicates that the first nine months of life are beneficial for language learning, as the [...]
Preschool Game to Learn Family Members in French
When teaching preschoolers, I find that the simplest, most repetitive activities are often the best. Here’s a simple French game that was a hit with my 2-6 year old students. First, create individual pictures of these family members: un frère – a brother une soeur – a sister Maman – Mom Papa – [...]
How to Reprimand Your Child in Italian–Just for the Fun of it!
I was looking through an excellent resource guide for introducing Italian to kids. The book, by Therese Slevin Pirz, is called Kids Stuff Italian (Chou-Chou Press, 1998.) It contains a vast listing of vocabulary and phrases arranged by topics such as Mealtime, Playing, At the Beach, Time, Toys, Endearments, Helping at Home, Animals . . . [...]
Learn Chinese Colors and Animals with Bao-Bei the Panda
I just discovered the cutest DVD to introduce my boys to Mandarin Chinese. It’s called Early Start Mandarin Chinese with Bao Bei the Panda. Ni Hao Productions, LLC, offers a series of Chinese DVD’s recommended for children ages 1 to 5. The host of the show is a panda puppet with a child’s voice named [...]
First Day of School—German Style
kin·der·gar·ten a school or class for young children between the ages of four and six years. [Origin: 1850–55; German: lit., children's garden, equiv. to Kinder children (see kind) +Garten garden] from Dictionary.com A few weeks ago, I wrote about a German first day of school tradition. Parents or grandparents prepare a school cone, called a Schultüte, and fill it with [...]
