Introducing foreign language at preschool age

[JustMarriedBecca]

My daughter is 4 but not yet at school (starts September). She can read including blends and recognise the common use words. Numeracy she is able to count (normally and in odds, evens and patterns), add subtract and knows the basic times tables plus 3D shapes etc. etc. She can write and spell out words for literacy too.

We're kind of at a loss at where to go next. Someone on here suggested a language to give her something else to focus on. We started with French and she can count and knows her colours. Does anyone have any recommendations for books or apps to develop french language skills but which are slightly more age appropriate?

I would suggest you get her some childrens books in French. Either French children's books or her favourites in French. She'll be able to use her knowledge of the books to understand the French. Similarly you can often get children's TV in other languages online (or in Gaelic BBC Alba!).

There's lots of French for children videos on you tube.

Just talk to her in French, stop teaching her. Take her to France on holiday and chat with the locals.

Just realised today my DS likes to read the translations of colours on his pencils and the ingredients and warning labels. I have tried to explain to him that these translations aren't always exact as the word order can be different but he just insists it is so I let him enjoy himself.

I teach MFL at nursery and reception age. Too young for books, go with the sounds. Spoken word.....games and songs...counting, colours, animals, fruits. Loads of brilliant videos online.

I loved the Richard scarry books - I had a dictionary thing that had lots of pictures and words in several languages.
It was fab, but my brother has it, as he thinks it was his.
It wasn’t.

Why the need to add in French? Do you speak French?

Why not find her a non academic interest to focus on, like running or cycling, ballet, karate, art, coding, puzzles?

Awww we did Muzzy when DS was little!

Not to be a downer but I could read - and I mean properly - before I started school at 3.5 and was given maths books and sat in the library. I was and always have been spectacularly crap at languages!

Maybe try music and dance/gymnastics, swimming, tennis... too? I find it’s good for children to have a variety of strings to their bows and you never know what may spark her interest. I was at the gymnastics yesterday (yay Simone!) and the number of little children there doing flips and cartwheels outside was amazing! They were so excited and enjoying themselves. Sadly my parents didn’t bother with ‘actvities’.

She does swimming and ballet (too young for Brownies and Rainbows which I think she would enjoy) but she likes to learn. We take her to museums and galleries and she likes art and will sit and colour in and draw for hours (look I drew my science experiment). Likewise we go hiking and she experiences the outdoors.

We'll try videos. I was kind of hoping for an app or something she can do independently as I'm a bit funny about you tube and well, to be honest, we don't want to sit and do everything with her.

Watch Peppa Pig in French, ideally episodes she already knows in English.