Learning a new language when you are an adult can be a challenge. If English is not your first language, you could need lessons in order to be able to speak it fluently. Thankfully, there are many resources out there for you to use.
When you have children, the challenge can be two-fold. Teaching yourself and your children at the same time may sound difficult, but really, it’s as easy as ABC!
It’s a well-known fact that children learn languages easily. They pick the sounds and words up from everyone around them – their parents, of course, as well as their friends, teachers and even the television programmes they watch and music they hear.
Immersing yourself in a language is by far the best way to learn it and children do just that from the moment they are born.
Singing is an easy habit
Learning English through songs is ideal for babies and small children. Tiny ones will enjoy clapping along to the tunes, while older children will love to join in, not realising that they are learning words as they sing. It really is a pleasure to see. If you are trying to teach your child English as well as their own first (or native) language, there is one way that is guaranteed to be a pleasure, as well as being very effective –singing. All children love songs – even if you’re not very good at singing, they love to hear the sound of your voice and enjoy the melodies and rhythms in the songs so much that they will want to hear them again and again. Using English songs to teach yourself and your children the language is a recognised and effective method – and it’s great fun too.
Looking for a fun way to learn a language?
Thankfully, there are plenty of places to go to find songs and nursery rhymes for kids if you don’t already know any. The internet is a fantastic resource and it’s mostly free. Try looking for nursery rhymes or children’s singalongs on YouTube – producers such as Flickbox and Super Simple Songs are fabulous.
You’ll find there’s plenty to choose from, including lots of well-known and traditional songs such as ‘The Wheels on the Bus’, ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ and ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’. You’re singing them already, aren’t you?
Very young kids will love modern songs such as ‘The Phonics Song’, ‘Five Little Monkeys’ and ‘The Alphabet Song’. They are great for introducing both words and numbers to a child’s vocabulary and ideal for singing in the car or on a quiet afternoon after some active time. The trick to making this work is simply finding songs that both you and your kids will enjoy singing!
