1. Create a Mandarin-friendly environment

 

Exposing your child to the language in every aspect of her daily life is the best way to ensure that she picks it up comfortably and easily.

Labelling everyday objects in Chinese characters can help her to associate the former to the latter — such as pencil, table, chair, and even her favourite toy, shares Daphne Low, Principal of Apple Pie Language.

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2. Listen to nursery rhymes

 

Music both excites and relaxes a child. As such, Chinese nursery rhymes enhance her listening skills and improves her pronunciation while keeping environment lively.

 

3.Celebrate traditional Chinese holidays and festivals

 

The easiest way to fall in love with a language is by falling in love with its culture.

Help boost your child’s interest in Mandarin by partaking in celebrations such as the Mid-Autumn Festival.

It is also a good way to spend time together as a family.

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4. Participate in creative learning programs

 

The first step towards creative learning involves special classes such as speech and drama or holiday camps that aim to spark your child’s curiosity, and ignite strong interest in Mandarin.

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5. Take your kid to the library

 

Read aloud Chinese storybooks together as a family – it enables your child to associate characters with voices and emotion.

Let her pick the book to read and she will look forward to every trip.

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6. Encourage DIY storytelling

 

Help stories last by getting your child to act out or draw her favorite characters. All this allows her to express tone and emotion in Mandarin.

What’s fun too: Make finger puppets with her and create a story out of these characters.

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7. Set aside Mandarin-speaking time

 

On the way to the museum or dinner at a mall, challenge your child to speak Mandarin for the next, say, hour.

Communicating with your child in the language motivates her to think of what to say and how to say it, which helps develop speaking ability.

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8. Play a game

 

Fun is a significant aspect of every childhood. Adding a Mandarin twist to games like Snap can double as enriching family bonding time.

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9. Watch her favorite cartoon in Mandarin

 

If Queen Elsa is the Disney character that captures your child’s attention, ask her to watch the music video in Mandarin.

Focus on what your child is interested in, and her love for the language will naturally grow.

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10. Introduce outdoor activities

 

Opting for the Mandarin versions of ‘what time is it, Mr. Wolf?’ and ‘Eagles and Chicks’ (lao ying zhuo xiao ji) during playtime at the park can advance your child’s love for the language.

The physical and verbal aspects of outdoor games develop her ability to associate words with actions, making learning fun and engaging.