So if your 5 yr old asks to learn French where do you start?

[Piffle]

I know I know
but she said it!!!
Ds1 is 14 and she likes him speaking it, plus her reception teacher was French and she wants to continue to be able to speak it properly apparently.
I can do basic sure enough but with 15 mth old Titan (ds2) demanding all but the night time I would struggle.
Where do you go?
Or should I tell her to play in the sandpit some more?

I'm looking for something to teach my dd at home too, there are dvd's but i just want the basics, I guess you just hold up a picture and say the word. I'm not sure of the best approach for a 5 year old.

she can read really well, but is visually impaired so need to consider that
I wonder if there is a group or sing song thing in french anywhere

I did say I could help with Russian or Japanese if she preferred but she said no French and Spanish please!

Enrol her in a French club with lots of homework. That will soon cure her of any desire to "learn French"!!

(My 6-y-o DS has asked to go to Eton, having read an article about it in the Telegraph. Methinks that might just be a phase...)

might have a look at amazon then...
loads of her friends have buggered off to private school where french is taught, she is jealous I think...
will buy small book and test her love... LOL

How about starting with a picture dictionary? I think they do a Spanish one too.

La Jolie Ronde also specialise in teaching French and Spanish to children, and have local classes in many areas, and in nurseries. Hang on I'll see if I can find a link. Here

Rather more sensibly, I used to be a languages teacher, and have found that nothing really works bar spending time in the particular country. If you took your DD to France for a reasonably prolonged period, she'd become a fantastic French girl! However, 'artificial' attempts to teach a child another language if it's not the mother tongue of one of the parents really doesn't achieve much, unfortunately.

"Rather more sensibly" was aimed at myself, lest anyone wonder!

DwayneD - the native suggestion is a good one.

My DS goes to one of the prep schools where French is taught, and you can tell your DD that she isn't missing much!!

there are local classes I have found have you googled french for children in your area?

dd1 was keen to learn French at that age. We got her a cd rom - Kidspeak. It was very good and fun, she could juts do it herself, don't know if you can still get it.

However, she soon outgrew that overly keen stage

the bbc primary french website is pretty good too. I've used that for a French club.

ds started learning French in a school club in yr 1, then he went to classes with La Jolie Ronde which were brilliant- I see midnightexpress has linked to it...ds loved it and learned a lot (he has sadly forgotten much of it now but hope it kicks in again at secondary school)

nearest jokie ronde is 35 miles (semi rural sth lincs)
the prep school that the other kids moved to does jolie ronde...
Right I'm off to google a dvd cd and book
she has first dictionary and is pretty fluent with numbers and basic French words and introductory phrases... thanks to her native French recpetion teacher fairly immersing them in French songs from day dot!
My ds1 spends a lot of time in France with his natural father and regularly converses on t'internet with a friend in Paris...
Agree immersion ideal but sadly not an option...

DD (5) has a French course for children (2 videos and a book) called "Bonjour les amies" given to her by her French grandmother which she loves and which covers the basics pretty well for that age. Not sure if you can still get it though, I think it's pretty old.

quite a lot of the DVDs have "francais" as an option. DD1 is always watching them in french - backyardigans, mickey mouse clubhouse, brainy baby etc. It drives DD2 mad.
She did la jolie ronde at nursery from age 2 and really learnt quite a lot. It was incredible.
She' s off to school in sept, no french club until they are in year 3. such a shame.

she is 4 btw.

the Pouisson Rouge site is excellent

voila

Just had a look at Poisson Rouge site - it looks very good in content and voices, but not error-free (Vocabulaire francaise anyone?).

My DS loves 'Muzzy'.

my 5 year old asked to learn french when he started school. He had a french child in his class and wanted to make them feel happier.

Our school had a french club for older pupils but let my DC and someothers go as they was so keen.
He also uses www.educationcity.co.uk because he enjoys the french and spanish games on there. You do need to subscribe but it also covers English, Maths, Science, German, Spanish and french.

If you do want to subscribe you feel free to quote my "tell a friend" number: F7E55G5E and we both get 3 months free
They do a free 10 day trial too.

Activity Village has some language activities too