Do you hope that your child will be bi- or trilingual? The best time to start learning a second language, according to researchers at Cornell University, is by three years of age. This is contrary to the long held belief that learning multiple languages early on would cause delayed speech, confusion, and attention issues. In fact, researchers found that learning multiple languages increases a child’s ability to pay attention.
If you’d like for your child to be able to ask you for a snack in not just English but Spanish, Mandarin, or Hindi, there are a few tips to help promote bilingualism, including “exposing children to multilingual settings,” promoting language acquisition as a fun and exciting opportunity, and immersing children in storytelling and other “interactive language-learning environments.” While a language immersion trip to Paris would be lovely for you and your little one, you can also consider language-learning apps a helpful and more accessible resource. Here are a few programs that your child might enjoy.
Gus on the Go
This program is available in thirty languages, from Danish to Hebrew, and offers multiple fun games for your little one to play. The intuitive app is easy for children to use and offers vocabulary lessons throughout the game levels. Follow Gus the owl as he travels the world and learns new words! In addition to the commonly spoken languages offered, such as Spanish and Mandarin, the app developers also partner with native speakers of vulnerable languages, such as the Ingush, to help preserve and promote their language through the power of technology.
Pacca Alpaca
Travel the world with Pacca Alpaca and tour seven languages: English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Chinese, German and Welsh. The lessons include shapes, colors, and numbers; the app is best for children ages 2-6. This Toca Boca app costs $.99 and is only available for iOS devices.
Teach Kids Languages
Learn English, Spanish, Polish, Dutch, or Esperanto with a fun app that takes your little one through vocabulary focused on categories such as the zoo, playgrounds, shapes, and more. This app targets learners ages 2- to 7-years-old and uses puzzles and matching to keep the lessons fun.
Kids Learn Mandarin
Learn over 200 Mandarin words with this app, which provides games, stickers, and a movie to entertain your child. The progressive lessons cover topics such as sports and hobbies, food, games, and nature and outdoors. The game-based app is free and best for children ages four and older.
FunEasyLearn
If you are looking for a less commonly spoken language or want an app with an incredible range of offerings, FunEasyLearn is a wonderful option. The developers offer Swedish, English, Croatian, Portuguese, Hindi, and more, with 6,000+ vocabulary words offered in each. Each download offers seven games to choose from and users can explore the 140 themes available. The app is free to download so your child (and you!) could explore multiple languages easily.
Studycat
Follow along with Studycat and explore five languages: German, Mandarin, Spanish, English, and French! Pick your language and play the 30+ games offered, all while hearing different male and female voices pronounce the words, helping the student understand accent and nuance. The app is $15.99 per language and is best for students ages 3-10 so your little one can continue to use the app as he progresses.
Remember that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends one hour or less of screen time daily until a child is five years, at which point they recommend intentional and specific time limits as makes sense for individual families. However you choose to incorporate screentime, apps can be a helpful resource to add to your student’s language acquisition journey.
