- Movies or Shows – This might seem like an obvious option for motivating your children into practicing a new language. However, it is SUPER important to pick the right type of movie and/or show without compromising the entertainment value, while also supporting language comprehension. We recommend starting with a shorter movie and/or show that are relevant to the topics being taught at school. Pick familiar content that children might have already watched in their native language with captions in the target language. Make it fun and engaging with popcorn and guidance from an adult.
- Fun with Cooking – Bring your children into the kitchen and cook some of their classic favorites like chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or pasta in the target language. Start by practicing the ingredients, followed by action verbs used during the preparation. Repeat this several times a week with similar recipes to reinforce the learning.
- Language Exchange Playdates – Conversation is key to learning a new language. Setting up playdates with other children, speaking the language your child wants to practice and vice versa is a great way to introduce a bilingual exchange. Encourage language exchange through familiar games like “Freeze”, “Red Light Green Light”, or “Simons Says”. Make sure to spend some time in one language before switching to the other to ensure sufficient language processing.
- Digital playtime – Make language learning fun and educational at the same time! Check out Smile and Learn, a 360° digital platform designed by educators for bilingual learning in Spanish and English. Built with a thematic approach, children learn intuitively with over 7,500 interactive activities in games, videos, and stories that will not only support language learning, but also develop cognitive and problem solving skills.
