The decision has been made! You have chosen to introduce your kids to English so that they can learn a new language at a young age. This is an excellent initiative and a very good thing. At least, in theory... Now you have to take action. So you want to do it yourself. But you don't have enough time or energy. Then you think about English classes. But your little ones are still too young. Why not choose a more practical solution by hiring a bilingual nanny?
Yes yes, the awakening or the initiation to a foreign language can also pass by the child care! You can therefore combine business with pleasure and have your children looked after by a bilingual nanny!
An English speaking babysitter or nanny can help your children discover and learn English.
To inspire and help her in her baby sitting mission, here is a selection of 5 activities to teach English to children!
Cooking workshop with her bilingual nanny
Among the best bilingual childcare activities, we find the famous cooking workshop. A fun and relaxing moment that the child will be able to share in immersion with his bilingual nanny in order to learn. The names of foods, the association of tastes or the handling of different kitchen utensils.
Your bilingual babysitter or English nanny can then gradually introduce your children to the language. Start with simple words, naming foods at first. Then utensils. Then action verbs.
To take it up a notch, the baby sitter chooses a simple and easy recipe. Then she marks the names of the ingredients on post-it notes. The children should then stick them in the right places. Once the names have been learned, your nanny can do the same with the colors and actions.
Little by little, the bilingual nanny will even be able to offer the children simple recipes completely in English. A bilingual child will be able to understand more elaborate recipes that will help him/her enrich his/her vocabulary while practicing the language with his/her baby sitter! But also, by becoming a true bilingual cordon-bleu!
Reading stories with the bilingual babysitter
As we have pointed out in a previous articleReading stories contributes to the development of 3 essential senses in children. Touch, hearing and vision. In addition, this relaxing activity also allows children to increase their imagination and enrich their vocabulary. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce your child to English. To do this, ask your bilingual nanny to alternate between different stories. She can tell one story in French and then another in English. Just choose books or stories that are well illustrated. This way, the child will be able to follow the story even if he or she doesn't understand all the vocabulary used.
If the child does not ask, there is no need to translate. Over time, the child will gradually assimilate the nuances and meanings of the words. However, it is important to tell the story with the right tone and gestures for better understanding!
Watching cartoons with your bilingual nanny
From an early age, children can be immersed in a new language through cartoons using simple and varied terms. With your permission, the bilingual nanny can arrange for her to share a "cartoon" moment with the child to accompany her introduction to English. Five to ten minutes a day is enough time to learn new words while having fun. The most important thing is that she choose simple cartoons that have a story and educational value.
By the way, here is a short list of cartoons and educational programs that are popular with children:
You can also read our article : Cartoons for kids: top 7 educational cartoons!
Bilingual nanny and educational games
Games and play activities are a springboard that should not be neglected in the learning and development of children. In particular, when it comes to introducing children to new languages. There are a multitude of games to learn English progressively. We can mention : Simon says ( the Jacques said in English language), i spy or even pass the ball. Games that are both fun and educational will help children learn vocabulary and sentence building. Your bilingual nanny can provide a variety of games in short but productive periods of time (10-15 minutes per day per game) to keep them entertained while learning English.
Find a non-exhaustive list of games to teach English to children in our dedicated article just HERE !
Bilingual theater workshop
Theater is one of those activities that have multiple benefits. Indeed, in addition to reducing shyness, boosting autonomy and building the child's self-confidenceDrama brings a real added value when it comes to expression and vocabulary. This entertaining activity will allow the child to express himself in a more fluid and clearer way. Suggest that your bilingual nanny organize mini theater workshops where your children can let off steam, express themselves and learn!
The babysitter can suggest excerpts or short scenes with simple phrases or expressions to reproduce in the spotlight. Or, give the children a short list of words to learn. The children will have to memorize them and understand their meaning. Then, improvise a short theatrical scene using these words in sentences. The child does not have to make sentences in English. At first, they will just have to contextualize the words to show that they have understood their meaning.
On this subject, discover our article : First steps in theater: 10 great mini-games for kids!
If you still haven't found your bilingual nanny, call Kidlee! In addition to after-school care, we offer bilingual childcare. Our community of baby sitters also benefits from English or perfectly bilingual nannies in the Paris and Ile de France region.
To learn more about our English childcare services, click HERE !
