If you have decided to get your child to learn Mandarin Chinese, congrats! This means you want to create the path for your kid to join the many Chinese speaking people in the world to become a global citizen, get smarter, and get an early edge in the future job market. But, while there are many benefits to learning Chinese, it can be hard to get your child to become interested in it. Initially, it can be challenging for your kid to adapt to the new language and see the real benefits of learning it. That is why before you have them take chinese language classes, you need to help them develop an interest in the language. Fortunately, there are fun ways to get your child to love learning Chinese.
These include the following:
Let your Child Read Chinese Books and Magazines
These days, the majority of popular books are translated into a lot of languages. Chinese versions of these books will help get your child to learn Mandarin Chinese. Look for the best-sellers, especially series written by children and teens and give them to your child. Once they start reading, they will be caught up in the plot and love to learn more Chinese vocabulary to read faster and understand more.
Introduce your Child to Chinese Songs
Songs are fun and catch that tend to easily get stuck in the head. Chinese songs are quite interesting and entertainment that children will want to learn a few songs to sing in the shower. Plus, music tends to be more memorable than vocabulary sheets and flashcards. Chinese songs have up-to-date language and pop culture. Consider introducing your child to famous Chinese artists.
Cook with your Child
If your child is a cook in the making, take advantage of this to get them interested in learning Chinese. Plan a cooking session with them and print out the recipes and instructions in Chinese. You can also try a Chinese dish to make the activity more interesting. Have them read the recipe while you assemble together the dish. Then teach your child vital verbs and nouns as you go.
Travel with Them
Consider taking a short trip to the nearest Chinatown to try some authentic soup dumpling or have a week-long family vacation to beaches and cities in China. Traveling to a destination where Chinese is the dominant language is an excellent way to get your child to learn Chinese.
