It is always a good idea to take your children on a trip. They will learn a lot about other cultures, and they will also be able to improve their language skills by listening to foreign music, watching public television, and playing soccer together. They are just like this – they don’t think about grammar or spelling and copy what they hear.
Begin learning a foreign language together with your children by exploring and creating as many foreign media and entertainment as possible. You must supervise and manage their learning environment as there may be times when they won’t be able make mental connections with other people. It is important to teach children a foreign language in the home environment. This is how they learn, regardless of whether they are abroad or at home.
5 Tips to Improve Your Child’s Language Skills While You Travel
1. Discover Local Traditions and Culture.
Explore local traditions before you go. It is a great way to learn foreign words and teach your children. Simple examples such as “water”, bread, “how much is it?”, “Where’s your mom?” and similar phrases are acceptable. You can create a list of phrases with your children to help them feel motivated to learn new words. You can practice them together and have competitions about how much you know and how far your child has come. For better language learning, you can use role-playing games in foreign languages.
2. Use Passive Learning Methods.
This means you should listen to local songs and allow children to explore foreign language almost everywhere. You can play with local children on the bus to the beach, by playing in the water or kicking the ball. Although it may seem difficult to you, the children will soon adapt to foreign cultures. The same applies to them as when they learn about your job responsibilities and approach you with mature subjects. They can learn without ever leaving their house or even browsing the internet. Even if it takes a week to travel, your children will be able to learn foreign phonetics and connect certain phrases to specific actions.
3. Travel Destinations Together.
It is important to work together to plan your travel adventures. Ask your children what they want to see. Let your child see all the advantages of traveling if you have the money and the opportunity. Sometimes, it appears that your child might have incorrect information about the Maya people and dinos who live in Africa. This is a great reason to allow them to speak up and ask questions, so that they don’t feel disappointed. Spend less time at the hotel and instead explore the places you could visit.
4. Challenge Your Youngsters.
Even though younger children might be able to learn foreign languages quickly, even little ones still need adult approval and confidence. You should show your children that you trust them. Ask for their opinions and advice. Don’t let your child feel powerless. Always do your best for them. You should also challenge your child by going to a restaurant with them and discussing the menu issues. Ask your children for help, even if the menu is in English. Your children will be able to communicate with foreigners and they will help you. You can also play word guessing games with your children to make them enjoy every moment of their foreign trip.
5. Make friends with the locals.
This is a crucial part of making friends, even though it may not be possible at times. Children can communicate with anyone, regardless of whether they are from the Netherlands, Poland, Greece, Sweden or the Netherlands. This is especially true if they’re young. While older children may learn English or another language at school, they will still learn something new. Get to know your neighbors and keep your children interested in learning.
