Keeping up daughter’s English when we move abroad

[PickwickTea]

Hello,
We're relocating to the Netherlands in the Christmas holidays from the UK with our daughter who is 6. She's currently fluent in both English and Dutch (DH is from NL). We're going to be living in the Amsterdam/Utrecht area (initially at least) and I'm looking for any tips/recommendations for activities to keep up her English.

Many thanks for reading

Bump

What language do you speak?

You don’t have to do anything special except talk to her and read with her. Perhaps encourage her to write letters to your relatives in England. My kids have never lived in England and only have me as an example and have two other languages in the mix but they do fine.

I would speak English at home. I'm assuming your DH is also fluent in English as most Dutch people are?

She will get Dutch in school.

Just ensure that the home language is English.

Speak english at home and insist she replies in english. Make sure she has her favourite shows/books available to her in english as well. Tbh I doubt you will have a problem.

DS was born in NL and has never lived in the UK but speaks perfect English.
We use English in the home and watch UK television. English language books and magazines are freely available in the Netherlands, including in (junior) school libraries. They also start learning English at school from around age 7. Everyone, teachers, students, staff at the day care will all want to chat to her in English. She'll be fine!

Does she have any friends from school that she will keep in touch with? Facetiming them is a good way to keep up her English as she will speak to them in English.

Also watch UK and American TV programmes as they will be in English.

My mother tongue is English but I speak Dutch at B2 level and we’ve spoken it at home since DD was 1. DH speaks English at C2.

Sorry Berlinlover, my reply above was in response to your question (still working out how Mumsnet works!)

In that case you’ll be speaking English to your daughter anyway so she’ll be fine.

To be honest, based on the Dutch people I know, she would be speaking perfect English very soon even if she didn't have it at home so I really wouldn't worry about it! If you were trying to keep up Dutch in the UK I see why you'd want enrichment activities, but English there (or indeed probably anywhere in Europe) - piece of cake.

In that case I would switch to English at home when you move and try and make it a space where English dominates by putting the radio in English etc.

you speak to her in English, English books and tv. Find some other English children for her to meet up with.

If your DH's English is virtually perfect and English is your first language, then you can use English at home and she can speak Dutch at school. Then her English will remain perfect.