Globally, 1 in 5 people can communicate fluently in Chinese. With the increased use of Chinese worldwide, a solid mastery of the language has benefits beyond academics.
China is one of the world’s largest marketplaces, with its economy only continuing to expand. Knowing how to communicate effectively in Chinese might offer one an advantage should the opportunity to travel abroad arise. What’s more, studying a second language was made compulsory for all primary school students in 1960 under the bilingualism policy in Singapore. Thus, it is no surprise that many parents would want their children to acquire a strong foundation in Chinese from an early age.
However, while there are benefits aplenty, picking up a new language can be rather challenging, especially for young preschoolers who have shorter attention spans. Some children might not enjoy learning Chinese as they perceive it to be much more complicated than English.
To help you out, here are five creative and engaging ways to encourage your little one to learn and enjoy Chinese.
Play an object-naming game
Games do not always have to involve fancy set-ups and elaborate props to be exciting. Try pointing out various objects and having your child name them in Chinese – from their clothes to the food they are eating. You can also use picture cards to level up the game. By playing this simple object-naming game, you can kill two birds with one stone — engaging your child whilst brushing up on their Chinese vocabulary!
This simple game presents them with a challenge and allows them to feel a sense of accomplishment when they name various objects successfully. Parents should also acknowledge their child’s efforts regardless of if they get the questions right. Positive affirmations serve as an acknowledgement and encouragement of their effort and can boost a child’s confidence significantly. So, when your little one cannot correctly name an object in Chinese, take this as an opportunity to encourage and teach them the correct terms!
Singing Chinese songs
Children are particularly fond of songs and often hum and dance to upbeat tunes! Music is a great tool you can utilise to help your child practise and improve their Chinese. After all, music is said to be a universal language!
Songs typically have repetitive lyrics and catchy tunes, making content stick in your head through a melody. Singing Chinese songs with our children is an effortless way to introduce them to new phrases and terms. It can also help them develop an interest in the language as they will enjoy singing along.
Encourage reading Chinese stories
Studies have shown that children who grow up in households that encourage reading tend to achieve a higher literacy level in adulthood. Encouraging your child to develop a love for reading as early as now can help them become effectively bilingual or even multilingual in the future.
You could consider regularly taking your children to the library or bookstore and introducing them to Chinese storybooks. Reading allows them to familiarise themselves with the Chinese characters and develops their interest in the language through engaging stories. Additionally, you could read these stories to your child every night before bed – this helps with their language development and builds your parent-child bond!
Watching Chinese TV shows
Children generally love watching shows — the moving images of TV shows and movies effectively stimulate their brain and pique their interests.
Besides being fun, watching Chinese TV shows serves as a convenient way to teach your children the language as you can easily hit pause at any point to ask them questions or respond to their queries. You could dedicate a day in the week to watch Chinese shows with your child to provide them with increased exposure to the language.
Integrate the language into everyday life
Learning a language becomes a lot easier when you incorporate real-life situations into the process. Challenge your child and allow them to develop their Chinese skills by conversing with them in Chinese. It would also be beneficial if they have a mentor or peers who can communicate with them in Chinese to allow them to practise regularly.
Enrolling your child into a bilingual immersion preschool in Singapore can provide them with ample opportunities to learn from qualified Chinese teachers and receive feedback to upgrade their skills further.
Conclusion
It can be a struggle to get your child to focus on learning Chinese as a parent. However, teaching your child a new language does not have to be complicated or tedious. You can make learning Chinese fun and exciting for them by trying out these creative methods.
If you are looking for a preschool with an effective bilingual immersion program, Viv’s Schoolhouse is for you. We are an international preschool and childcare in Singapore specialising in educating children between 18 months and six years old. We are all about experiential learning and making lessons engaging in developing our children to become responsible global citizens. Our experienced and dedicated teachers will ensure your precious little one has fun while learning simultaneously! Contact us today, and let’s work together to make learning Chinese fun for your child.