Vanessa’s Chinese is going to be far more superior to mine within 2 years.  Miraculously, she is able to read Chinese characters of numbers, small, big, person, fire, moon, day and other simple words.  She can sing songs in both Mandarin and Cantonese (although I don’t think she can distinguish which language she is using) and she can flip flop between English and Cantonese with amazing speed.  Yes, she probably speaks the hybrid Chinglish, but her Chinese spoken vocabulary is already far more superior than mine.  Tsk tsk on me.

My goal?  To learn with her.  Below are a list of activities you can do to enable language learning for your child (and yourself).  I didn’t realize how fast children pick up on learning languages through activities until my daughter went through it - the key though, is to practice it - forever.  I speak on experience for this.  When I was young, my mother enrolled me in Italian and at the age of 6-7, I was pretty fluent in Italian for a youngling.  Ask me now what I can say in Italian and I will tell you swear words and naughty phrases that my Italian cousins taught me (like “your head is full of air”). 

So a few things to kick start diversifying your child’s language palatte.  It’s never too young to start and truthfully, language is a skill that will definitely have a use at one point or another (even Yidish, I am sure). 

Singing Songs

As funny as it sounds, singing songs is one of the easiest ways to remember a new language.  A majority of common children’s songs are translated in multiple languages. Singing a song that your child is familiar with in their native tongue and then again in another language, can help them better learn their second and third languages. You can find songs such as “London Bridge”, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in a multitude of languages. Although their meanings may not be the same, these tunes are common enough that other cultures have adapted them. CDs and the Internet are your best resources.

Multi-Cultural Play Dates

It’s probably easier in a country with multi-cultural diversity.  I’d love to have a French playdate for my kids, but it’s not so easy in Hong Kong.   I will settle for English and Cantonese play dates though - and kids can communicate with other kids regardless of language.  Vanessa has a score of Japanese buddies at school and they manage to play happily even though their mother tongues vary.  As long as you’re giving them the exposure, it helps.

Flash Cards & Posters

The easiest way to approach a new language - flash cards!  I don’t think it’s so easy that you just flash them to you child once, but continually enforce the new word in everyday life.  Flash cards help because they usually have pictures and words together, so it’s both a visual and vocal activity.  You can even make your own flash cards and have your child colour it in.

Visual & Audio Aids

Oh, this is probably easier than flash cards because you just play it!  The one reason I do let my children watch television sometimes is because of the language they learn through programs.  Dora is a great example of learning Spanish and surprisingly, Vanessa can count to 10 in Spanish.  Other programs will enforce the English, which I like (because their Chinese seems to be surpassing their English).  Audio books also help, but the best is the parent.  I sound like a broken recorder when I speak to my children by saying it once in Cantonese and then repeating in English and repeating in English some more….over and over and over…

Bilingual Parents (or Caregivers)

I love the fact that the grandparents speak Cantonese.  By default, this means I speak English to my children (more often than not).  My helper speaks Indonesian and sometimes we use Indonesian words as well.  Why not take advantage of this skill?  If you’re hiring nannies or caregivers, encourage the caregiver to speak to your child in their mother tongue - it’s actually a bonus.

Practice Practice Practice

There’s nothing like enforcing a skill by practicing it repeatedly.  Again, the broken recorder scenario plays in my head - but it really does work.  I’ve also taken to introducing larger vocabulary when I speak (to Vanessa) - like by saying “You’re such an independent girl” - independent, big word there.  Or “You have to perservere and keep trying” - I learned the word perservere in grade 7.  Maybe you think I’m being an over achieving mother in this regard, but I don’t see how using my regular vocabularly with my children has any negative impact.  To a certain extent, reading and writing (semi-professionally) will always enhance your vocabulary, so it’s a good thing!

Anyways, a few tips and tricks I use on how to introduce a new language to my children.  If you  have more, please do share.  I have also published a similar article on brighthub - here.  We are living in international times and exposure to languages always has an upside.  I very much regret my inability to read/write Chinese like a local and although I can survive, it’s a struggle.  Yes, speaking English (fluently) is extremely beneficial, but for Chinese characters, it’s either you know it or you don’t - there’s no inbetween.  Truly, there are only 26 English letters in the alphabet and with phonics, you’re able to sound it out even if you don’t know the word.  In Chinese, there is no sounding out, it’s pure memorization.  Definitely a challenge, but one I will partake with my child.