How to Integrate a Second Language at Home
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Guest Post: Studycat
As anyone who speaks two languages can tell you, being bilingual is so much more than just learning another language. After all, language goes beyond just understanding grammar and vocabulary—it’s how we interact with our environment and other people, how we learn about cultures and understand the world around us.
Language is an integral part of how we live our daily lives, so learning more than one language can help us expand our world even more.
Learning a new language (like learning anything new) comes most naturally to kids when it is fun, engaging, and meaningful to them. Most of all, kids learn through social interaction and genuine connection. And because language is inherently social, it’s no wonder that learning a new language together is one of the most effective and authentic ways to learn.
We’ve created a list of activities that you and your child can do together to help support their language learning goals. Whether it’s just the two of you, or you get the whole neighborhood involved, remember that the best kind of learning is fun for everyone—grown-ups included!
Here are 11 fun ways to practice language learning with your child…
1. Retell your favorite stories.
Many kids have books and stories that they already know and love (and read over and over again). Using familiar stories is a great way to practice some more complex language skills!
Try retelling your favorite storybooks together in your child’s new language. Since they already know what’s supposed to happen in the story, it’s easier for kids to focus on the words and how to put them together in a way that makes sense.
If they get stuck or aren’t sure how to translate certain parts, that’s okay! Use that as a starting point for their next goals. Pretty soon, they’ll be able to tell a whole story in another language—and that’s really something to be proud of.
2. Go for a language walk.
Feel like getting outside for some fresh air? Try going on a language walk!
As you walk around the neighborhood (or wherever you are), find ways to practice using your new language together. You can:
Count how many cars or trees you see
Look for certain shapes or colors you know
Name objects, plants, and animals that are in your vocabulary
Ask questions or make statements about your surroundings
3. Make a picture dictionary.
Track your child’s language learning progress and get crafty at the same time with a homemade picture dictionary!
Spend some time creating a beautiful book cover and plenty of blank inside pages for your dictionary. Then draw, print, or cut out pictures that match the words they already know, and add them to the book.
As their vocabulary expands, you can keep celebrating their success by adding to the dictionary. They’ll love to see all of the progress that they’ve made, and adding new pages is a fun way to reward all of their hard work..
4. Check out bilingual library books.
Going to the library is always a fun activity to do together. Next time you’re there, encourage your child to explore the books written in another language, and even choose a few to take home with you!
Some classic favorites are available in multiple languages, so you can check out both and compare the differences. This is also a great way to explore new stories from other cultures. Even if they can’t read all of the words, your child can use the illustrations to understand the story, and look for words they know in the text.
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
Ask your librarian! Many local libraries are happy to order books by request or borrow from other library branches. And if your librarian can’t find what you need, they’re always willing to help find something else you’ll love instead.
5. Play bilingual “I Spy”.
You know the classic game—now try putting a bilingual twist on it!
If your child is learning Spanish, for example, you can say: “I spy with my little eye… something azul!” If they’re familiar with the names of the colors in Spanish, they’ll know to look for something blue. If it’s still new to them, they can keep guessing until they get it right—and then they’ll know that the blue item they found is azul.
You can use “I Spy” to practice naming colors, shapes, or descriptive words in their new language. Bonus points if they can also name the object after they find it!
6. Turn your home into a 3-D dictionary.
This activity is well-loved in many language classrooms for two reasons. First, it’s super fun. And second, it really helps expand students’ vocabularies!
Using sticky notes, a label maker, or just paper and tape, label as many objects as you can in your home with words in your child’s new language. (Make sure the labels are easy to read and won’t fall down.)
Start with words they already know, but don’t stop there—use the Internet or a language dictionary to look up as many words as you can find. Then, keep the labels up; they’ll help your child (and your whole family!) remember all those vocabulary words, because they’re living in their very own 3-D dictionary.
Tip: If this activity seems daunting at first, try breaking it down into smaller “games.”
You can try:
labeling everything in one room before moving to the next room
going from the largest objects to the smallest, or vice versa
starting with prompts such as “label everything we can sit on” or “label everything you use in the morning”
7. Have a bilingual Movie Night.
Watching movies and TV in another language is a tried-and-true way to help support language learning. Many streaming services now offer the option to change languages or add subtitles that you can read as you watch.
Depending on your child and their language level, it might be easier to start with a movie they’ve already seen before so they don’t get lost trying to follow the story. Don’t be afraid to pause and talk about it, either—slowing things down and taking time to understand them is all part of the language learning process.
If you have time, you can even make it a double feature: watch the movie in their native language first, and then watch it again in the new language. See how many new words they learn in the process!
8. Reinvent a classic game.
Try playing word games like hangman, Scrabble, or Pictionary using only words from your new language. (For beginning language learners, it might help to have a list of vocabulary nearby.)
Or, if you’re feeling extra creative, choose a game that has nothing to do with words—and reinvent the rules to make your own brand-new language learning game! Think: what could we add to this game that would help us practice using another language?
For example: “Parts of Speech” Twister:
Assign parts of speech to each color (red for nouns, blue for adjectives, etc.). Play the game as usual, but in addition to the movements, have players say a word that matches the part of speech for that color. If they fall, they should say a complete sentence using all of the parts of speech!
9. Cook a dish from another culture.
One of the best ways to help kids connect with their new language is to immerse them in different cultures where that language is spoken. And one of the best ways to understand a culture is through their food!
Spend some time with your child learning about the different places where people speak the language your child is learning. Together, choose a meal that sounds especially interesting, and make it for the whole family!
Try to involve your child in as much of the process as possible. If you can, find authentic ingredients, and encourage your child to try reading the packaging to make sure you have everything you need for your meal.
10. Bring online games to life
With a little imagination, many digital language-learning games can be transformed into real-life fun! If your child has an app or game they use to learn a new language, try practicing those skills in similar ways around your home.
For example, if your child is learning the names of colors, numbers, or animals in their online lessons, try to find fun ways to reinforce those same skills in real life.
Not sure where to start? Studycat can help!
Many of the games in our language apps can be supplemented with real-life practice. Make your own memory cards out of construction paper to match our Memory Card game, or practice sorting items into the right rooms just like they do in the game.
And if you notice your child going back to a specific game again and again, take note of ways you can replicate it in real life!
11. Create your own “foreign film”
Learning through story and dramatic play is one of the best ways to keep kids engaged. Together, make a skit, short film, or puppet show that tells a complete story in their new language.
You can adapt a familiar story or write a brand new one of your own. Either way, the act of putting a story together and practicing the words for a performance is a great way to help kids with their grammar, pronunciation, and so much more.
And if they’re really proud of their work, you can always record the final take—and watch it together as a family!
There are so many ways you can help your child succeed as they learn a new language. These activities are a great place to start, and you can always invite your child to come up with new ideas of their own.
Just remember that connection plays a huge role in how effectively kids are able to learn, so having fun together isn’t just an afterthought—it’s the driving force behind all of your child’s motivation and learning.
Studycat creates active language learning apps for kids. It is award-winning and has inspiring language adventures.