Mandarin for toddlers in Paris

[PastMidnightAgain]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a Mandarin programme or club for two 4-year-olds in Paris -- any recommendations, wise MNers? In an ideal situation, I'd like to have the children in a Wednesday afternoon club, after school gets out; something in Belleville would be really convenient (though I have a feeling my options might all end up being on the other side of town). So far the only thing I've found (via Google) is the Chinese Institute, which only has private lessons for this age.

I'd be grateful for any leads, as well as any comments on the Chinese Institute. Thank you!

Why do you want your four year old to learn mandarin? Do you speak mandarin?

ReallyTired Not sure how it's relevant, but yes, I do speak Mandarin, though not incredibly well. I have Chinese-speaking family halfway across the world, and would like the children to be able to keep up the language and keep the door open to that part of their culture.

I have never heard of toddler Mandarin classes in Paris. The Institut Confucius used to give Mandarin classes to children in primary school on Wednesdays but I'm unsure that it still does.

I don't know Paris, but do you have a reasonably local Chinese Supermarket or China Town? Any way of asking around there for anything that people do?

Maybe you need to find some chinese friends who also speak Mandarin rather than classes. It might be worth looking to see if there are any facebook groups that are for chinese parents. The reason I asked is that a child with a mandarin speaking mother has different needs to a child who has no connection with china. A child who is being brought up as bilingual would be way more advanced than a child who can't even say "hello" in the target language.

Thanks for the thoughts.

Bonsoir I'll look into the Institut Confucius, thank you!

addictedtosugar We'll be moving near one of the city's Chinatowns, so I'll plan to ask around for sure. I was just hoping to do a little pre-arrival research -- we don't get to Paris till summer.

ReallyTired Thanks, yes, that's a good idea. I hadn't considered FB groups. I agree -- I think a playgroup sort of setting would be much better for me and the kids than a class, particularly at this age.

Are you a member of Message? Several Chinese members there and there have certainly been threads in the past about Chinese playgroups. www.messageparis.org

BriocheDoree I hadn't heard of Message, but it sounds interesting. I'll check it out -- thank you!

Another option might be to see if there are any native mandarin speaking students at the universities who want to do some tutoring.

If you google "baby speaking" you will find an agency who can supply mandarin speaking nannies and tutors.