A holiday abroad can be the perfect opportunity to help your children gain a real love of languages. Rather than staying by the pool and just speaking English, why not take the chance to show them how fun (and useful!) language skills can be.
Here are 7 tips from us to help make the holiday a bit easier, and to encourage your children to learn more about the country too!
- Talk to your children about the language/s spoken in other countries and specifically at your holiday destination. Help them to understand that not everybody speaks the same language.
- Find out about the local food and talk to your young person about what you might like to try. Encourage your child to try new things by sounding excited about the choices.
- A few familiar snacks can go a long way to soothing tired and frustrated children. They can also be lifesavers if the flight is delayed! Don’t be afraid to take a couple of favourite things with you (rules permitting!). See if they can find a new favourite snack once you arrive, and bring some home!
- Take time to learn some useful phrases together. Words like “please” and “thank you” are not only polite – they can prompt a much better level of service, especially when they are used by the younger folks!
- While on your holiday, try to point out words and phrases that you know. Keeping an eye out for things such as “toilet”, “exit” or even “ice cream” can entertain the youngsters in a strange town and help them to see the point of learning a new language.
- Encourage your child to use the language themselves! It is really motivating to come back with your prize (the bread, pastries, ice cream etc. that you asked for) knowing that you tried to ask for it in a new language. It really brings languages to life and helps a young person to see the point of learning. One year we encouraged our children to order their own drinks, with the promise of a hot chocolate with cream if they could ask for it themselves. Maybe an unusual breakfast choice, but it worked!
- Think about the worst case scenario – what if your child gets lost? Consider giving them a contact card to keep in a pocket. It could include key information such as their name, the languages they speak, any medical conditions and your mobile number or accommodation details. A bit of time taken to get this information in the destination language could save a lot of time and hassle if your little one gets lost. You could do the same for adults too, just in case!