Have you heard of learning through the senses?
If you bring up the idea of learning a foreign language to a child, they may not seem excited at first. But what if you told them the process involves eating amazing new foods, dancing and singing, and watching funny movies? The truth is, learning a new language is as enjoyable and interactive as you want it to be.
Learning through... taste
What’s more fun than trying new foods? This is especially exciting for kids who have never heard of a certain food from another country before. If you’re teaching or learning Hindi, for example, curry dishes with naan are a wonderful introduction to Indian culture. We have several food-themed books to help along the journey. When it comes to combining taste with learning new languages, everything is customizable for your situation.
Learning through... smell
Using your nose to smell different foods is a wonderful experience that can be combined with tasting. However, there are also other ways to use scent. What different smells do you experience at home, on walks, or at the store? If you’re at the bakery, you might mention that the bread smells fresh. If you’re making a dessert, you can comment that it smells sweet. Make it a game with the kids to keep track of all the new smells you notice throughout the day.
Learning through... sight
You don’t need to be in a language’s country of origin to use the sense of sight to learn. You can use simple terms like names of colors to explore the world around you using new words. For example, you could go on a neighborhood walk with the kids and describe the trees and houses using the language you're learning. You can also watch entertaining movies and shows in the language of your choice as a fun way to educate. The possibilities are endless!
Learning through... sound
This is one of our favorite ways to learn new languages! Music is magical and changes the whole mood of a room. Not only will new songs get your family up and dancing, but catchy tunes will also get stuck in your head— so these phrases and words will be ingrained in your memory! Check out our selection of CDs in several languages.
Learning through... touch
Tactile descriptions such as ‘soft,’ ‘heavy,’ ‘warm,’ and ‘cold’ are useful words that you can implement in everyday conversations. When petting the dog, use the word for soft to describe him. When it’s snowing outside, you can use say ‘Hace frio’ for ‘It’s cold’ when you're learning Spanish. The combination of sensory experiences and introducing new words makes learning languages a fun, interactive experience!