Your child’s introduction to English can be done from birth. The earlier your child becomes familiar with the language, the better he or she will be able to understand it later. More particularly, from the age of 3 months and up to 6 years , a child discerns intonations that will escape him later: it is precisely this ability that will allow him to speak a language perfectly without an accent later on!
Introducing your toddler to English: when to start?
If it is a question of familiarizing your child with English as early as possible, it is not a question of doing it anyhow. Indeed, as long as your child has not yet mastered French perfectly, it is important to separate the two languages and not mix them up. We therefore advise you to reserve specific times to converse in English so that your little one can make the distinction. For example, at the beginning of learning, you can limit the times to certain gestures of daily life, such as during the bath or even when going to bed.
It’s also important not to overwhelm them with new vocabulary words . Use short sentences and small words of congratulations such as: “go to your bedroom please” or “well done!” »
What advantages?
Teaching English to your child from an early age undoubtedly has many advantages . Here is our top 5 :
Auditory plasticity : children, and especially infants under 12 months, have an extraordinary capacity for learning. Due to their cerebral malleability, babies are able to recognize and memorize certain intonations intuitively. Develop learning mechanisms : by learning a foreign language like English, your child will be able to develop various learning techniques on a daily basis without even realizing it. These methods will be useful to him in many activities and school subjects.
Stimulate their curiosity : through English, the child will be able to be confronted with various points of view and cultures from an early age, which will allow him to be more curious about the world and the people who visit him. surrounded.
Develop their creativity : Having the possibility of naming the same object with different words from different languages, your child will develop their creative thinking, which will become more flexible.
Useful learning for your future life : learning English at a young age is a real long-term investment. Whether in the academic, professional or personal environment, mastering English will be a skill that will serve him forever and in many situations.
Why not start familiarizing your child with English through cartoons in their original version? An ideal way to learn English in a fun and entertaining way!
You can also opt for Pili Pop , a platform whose method is based on immersion and interactive learning. Their application allows children from 5 to 10 years old to learn while having fun, whatever their level. To keep your child motivated, the application immerses your child in a colorful universe around many themes: pirates, aliens, robots… There’s something for everyone!
Finally, there is no need to stay on the screens for your child to become familiar with English: you can also have him learn in song! The Speak and Play English site, for example, offers many nursery rhymes in English, all accompanied by a brief description and a grammatical and phonological analysis. You can also download educational material for free, including flashcards , crosswords for the oldest, and various games…
Children’s books
Far from the great classics written by Jane Austin or William Shakespeare, many fun and easy-to-read books are at your disposal! Around the age of 5 or 6 , books are an ideal way to learn English in a more academic way. Your child will also be able to become more familiar with the spelling and writing of words.
Here is our selection of the most suitable and recommended English books for children:
To teach your child English, nothing is more accessible than the web! Indeed, the internet is full of many fun and entertaining resources in English!
iEducational : on this site, you can access many games for free according to your child’s school level. From kindergarten to CM2!
Jacquote : Ideal for learning new vocabulary words on everyday life! Fruits and vegetables, the weather, the human body… There are many themes!
ESL Games plus : board games, crosswords, puzzles, math games… You will find games for all ages!
Many YouTube channels offer a variety of content to learn English for young and old! Here are the ones that caught our attention:
Sesame Street in English : Sesame Street is undoubtedly one of the most popular American educational television series! A great classic that makes learning English fun and entertaining!
HooplaKidz : ideal for a child between 2 and 8 years old. This channel offers in songs and rhymes in English – simple and accessible. Your child could even lend themselves to the game and push the song!
Super Simple Songs : For slightly younger children, between 1 and 6 years old, these elaborate animations accompanied by songs cover a variety of themes!
National Geographic Kids : for children with a more advanced level in English (from about 6 years old), this channel is perfect for the curious. Its eager for new knowledge on nature, science, history, animals, and much more to discover!
Tips for children to learn English more easily
Here are our tips and advice to allow your child to optimize his learning gently :
Use these centers of interest to stimulate his desire to learn: Does your child particularly like animals, or cooking? Find books, songs or cartoons in English that correspond to the universe he likes!
Don’t point out every mistake : To help your child learn, don’t constantly point out mistakes. On the contrary, reward his efforts to encourage him more!
Having an English-speaking babysitter : what could be better than immersing your child in the English language also when you are not there? For this, nothing better than a babysitter who communicates in English with your child on a daily basis. Continuous repetition of words and expressions will undoubtedly allow your child to progress quickly in English.
Language stays for children: from the age of 6, many organizations offer junior language stays all over the world. In parallel with English lessons, these stays generally offer leisure activities such as dancing, horse riding or football. Ideal for making friends while learning about English culture and improving your vocabulary.
