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Teach your child foreign language color words
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So you want your child to learn a foreign language. There are tons of books, toys and computer programs out there. Which one really works? The truth is that you are your child's most effective language teacher. After all, you have a proven track record. You taught her English, right? Children acquire language through exposure during normal, daily activities. There is simply no substitute for direct parental interaction, especially in the form of play.
But what if you don't speak a foreign language? Is your child doomed to miss out on all of the benefits of early language learning? Hardly. You really only have to stay a few steps ahead of your child linguistically in order to help him learn basic vocabulary. Connecting with your child by learning together through play is education at its most fulfilling.
This is the first in a series of articles that will give you some ideas on how to introduce basic vocabulary in Spanish, German and French. The activities below, modified from Teach Your Child Spanish Through Play will help your child learn color words in the target language.
If you have trouble remembering the words at first, make a little cheat sheet to refer to during each activity until you feel more confident. If you don't know how to say the words, try using Wordreference, which is an online dictionary with an audio function.
Spanish
black = negro
blue = azul
brown = café
green = verde
grey = gris
orange = anaranjada
pink = rosada
purple = morado
red = rojo
white = blanco
yellow = amarillo
French
black = noir
blue = bleu
brown = marron
green = vert
grey = gris
orange = orange
pink = rose
purple = violet
red = rouge
white = blanc
yellow = jaune
German
black = schwarz
blue = blau
brown = braun
green = grün
grey = grau
orange = orange
pink = rosa
purple = lila
red = rot
white = weiß
yellow = gelb
Magic Cookies
Separate a large batch of white icing into four bowls. Add food coloring to make one bowl yellow, one red and one blue. Leave one white. Name the word for each color aloud in the foreign language as you mix the icing. Repeat the words as often as you can and encourage your child to say the words. Now you are ready to experiment with mixing the colors together. What color do you get when you mix blue with yellow? Red with white? Name those colors in the foreign language as well. ?Repetition is key. Spread the icing on a graham cracker to make a "magic cookie." Let your child tell you in the foreign language which color cookie he would like.
Coloring Book
While coloring or drawing with your child, talk about each color that you use. Repeat the name for the color in the foreign language as many times as possible. Ask your child what color should be used for items in the picture. Encourage her to use the foreign language to answer you. If your child is not yet responding in the foreign language, check her understanding by asking a yes or no question (Is this blue?). You might find that your child understands more than he can say. See if he will respond in the target language if you give him a choice between two words (Is this yellow or green?).
Color Scavenger Hunt
A color scavenger hunt is fun to play outdoors, but can also be played indoors. Name a color in the foreign language and then give your child about 5 minutes to return with as many items for that color as possible.
For more information, see Teach Your Child Spanish Through Games and Activities
Teach Your Baby Spanish Ages 0-2
How to Plan Bilingual Play Group Activities
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