Education
The Advantages of Teaching Children Mandarin

Parents are becoming more and more interested in starting their children’s Chinese education early due to China’s expanding global influence. Children’s Chinese language classes can offer the ideal setting for young learners to become proficient in Mandarin. This guide will go over the benefits of teaching children Chinese, what to look for in a program that teaches the language to kids, practical teaching strategies, activities, and advice on how to make sure your child gets the most out of learning the language.

Read More: Mandarin classes for kids

What Makes Early Chinese Learning Beneficial?

Chinese language education has numerous advantages when started in childhood:

Youngsters are more adept at learning new languages than adults are. Their growing brains are ready to learn languages.

The innate curiosity and playful nature of children can be leveraged in Mandarin language classes.

Establishing a strong foundation in vocabulary, tones, and characters early on gives you time to do so.

Long-term fluency into adulthood is supported by language study during childhood.

Early bilingual education improves a child’s capacity for critical thought, cognitive flexibility, and problem-solving abilities.

Children who know Chinese have an advantage in school, in terms of career opportunities and appreciation of culture.

Children can quickly acquire Mandarin language skills and a strong cultural bond with China if the proper methods are used.

Selecting a Mandarin for Children Program

Look for the following when choosing a Chinese program for your child:

curriculum that is activity-based and engaging for younger students.

small class sizes, no more than 6–8 pupils.

minimally English in a setting reminiscent of a Chinese immersion.

native speakers of Mandarin with experience instructing children.

Prioritize conversational skills in addition to writing and reading.

Lessons using multimedia that include music, games, acting, and crafts.

events centered around a culture, such as festivals, holidays, customs, and cuisine.

To foster children’s natural interest in the language, the best Chinese language classes for kids combine learning with enjoyment.

Effective Activities and Teaching Methods

Programs designed for younger Chinese learners use instructional strategies that complement the learning preferences of the kids:

TPR (Total Physical Response): To reinforce lessons kinesthetically, students respond to verbal cues in Mandarin by moving and making gestures.

Games: Interactive language learning is facilitated by games like memory cards, tic tac toe, Simon Says, and charades.

Chants and songs: Rhythmic poetry and appealing Mandarin music increase phonetic awareness.

Arts and crafts: Producing dragons, calligraphy, Chinese lanterns, and other cultural crafts helps with retention.

Storytelling: Contextual language practice can be obtained through hearing stories and legends.

Drama: Students enjoy and remember lessons when they act out skits and mini-plays in character.

Kids’ attention spans are maintained and participation is encouraged when activities are engaging, interactive, and hands-on.

Adult Guidance

You can encourage your child to learn Chinese as a parent by doing the following:

Request updates on your work and areas you should focus on at home. Review the lessons and new vocabulary.

Increase the amount of Chinese media, games, books, and cultural activities you do at home.

Use role-playing to assist them in honing their Mandarin conversational skills.

Acknowledge your child’s excitement and commemorate minor achievements. Show off their work, projects, and advancements.

Above all, exercise patience! Learning a language is a journey. Acknowledge their diligence and support their perseverance.

Early Chinese instruction enables children to benefit from bilingualism throughout their lives. Young learners can receive engaging instruction that will help them succeed in their language studies and gain a profound understanding of Chinese language and culture.

Why Mandarin? The Advantages of Mandarin Instruction for Kids

Have you come across characters like 䔎 before? This is the essence of family and home. A pig is found beneath a roof. You’re not the only one who finds the appearance confusing. These days, most of the younger generation finds those Chinese characters intriguing.

Mandarin has become one of the most vital languages to learn as China has grown into one of the most powerful nations in the world. It has been given importance with regard to business development and international relations. The majority of adults think that knowing Mandarin would be helpful in business because China’s economy is the one that is growing the fastest in the world. Nowadays, most companies looking to conduct business in China favour hiring people who speak Mandarin.

Although many people speak Mandarin Chinese, learning the language is extremely challenging for native English speakers. Mandarin is a language with a vast character set, a tonal system, and no alphabet. Mandarin is challenging for English speakers to learn since English is a non-tonal language.

With regard to children who are not native, this is not the case. Young learners are open to learning, still developing their language skills, and adjusting to a variety of languages. Learning Mandarin has many advantages beyond just guaranteeing the security of young learners’ careers in the future.

Innovative Thought

Preschoolers and toddlers who learn Mandarin Chinese benefit from increased cognitive function and the development of both hemispheres of the brain. People consequently improve their capacity for both rational and creative thought. Their ability to see things from different angles will help them as they get older.

Solving Issues

Youngsters studying Mandarin will be able to differentiate between the sounds and meanings of different characters, which will help them become more adept at solving problems. Young learners can choose their preferred method of language acquisition once their curiosity has been piqued. This might also have to do with the challenges they might encounter in life.

Boost Your Math Skills

Tessa International School claims that improving one’s proficiency in mathematics is correlated with learning Mandarin. When learning Mandarin, language development promotes mathematical concepts rather than a distinct ability on the other side of the brain. Kids who study Mandarin have a more balanced brain, which helps them with math and language.

Social Skills

To get the best results with the language, learning Mandarin Chinese demands a lot of commitment. Infants learn how to interact with people through these interactions, both individually and in groups. Being able to speak Mandarin well gives them confidence all around.

Outdoor
When to Start Teaching Swimming and What Parents Should Know

Every family should make learning to swim a top priority. It’s a crucial life skill that can help reduce the risk of drowning, which is the leading cause of mortality for kids. Learning to swim is essential for both parents and kids to ensure that time spent in the water is enjoyable and safe.

Read More: Lets go swimming lessons

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers the following advice on when to begin swimming lessons and what to look for in a high-quality learn-to-swim program.

When should my kid start swimming lessons?

Since every child develops at a different rate, not every child is ready to start swim lessons at the same age. Consider your child’s comfort level in the water, physical and developmental restrictions, and emotional maturity while selecting your choice.

Parent-child swim lessons for toddlers and preschoolers: helpful for lots of families

According to recent research, teaching kids between the ages of one and four how to survive in the water and taking swim classes can help lower their chance of drowning. Classes that include parents and their kids are an excellent method to start teaching kids about water safety and develop their swimming abilities. It would be wise to begin lessons right away if your youngster appears ready.

Swim lessons are essential for most families for kids ages 4 and above.

Most kids are prepared for swim lessons by the time they become 4 years old. They can often pick up the fundamentals of water survival at this age, such floating, treading water, and finding an escape route. Most kids taking swim lessons can perform the front crawl by the time they are 5 or 6 years old. The moment has come if your youngster hasn’t enrolled in a swim lesson yet!

Does the AAP suggest baby swimming lessons?

No, because there isn’t any proof right now that baby swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning for infants under a year old. At this age, infants may exhibit reflexive “swimming” motions, but they are still unable to lift their heads sufficiently out of the water to breathe. However, if you want to assist your baby get acclimated to the pool, it’s OK to sign up for a parent-child water play session. It may be a great activity to do together.

Recall that learning to swim does not make a child “drown proof.”

Never forget that learning to swim is only one of several crucial layers of protection required to assist prevent drowning. Constant, concentrated supervision of your child when they are in or around a pool or any other body of water constitutes another layer. Blocking access to pools during non-swim hours is also crucial. According to data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 69% of children less than five were not anticipated to be in the water when they drowned.

When selecting swim classes, what should I consider?

Seek out programs and teachers who adhere to rules emphasizing water survival competence abilities in addition to swim stroke technique. For example, all children should be taught how to emerge from the water, swim at least 25 yards, and get back to the surface. Children’s development should be assessed, and teachers should continuously provide feedback on students’ ability levels.

For kids of all ages, seek for initiatives that:

possess knowledgeable, experienced teachers. A nationally approved learn-to-swim program should be used for the training and certification of swim instructors. Additionally, there must to be lifeguards on duty with up-to-date First Aid and CPR certifications.

Encourage safe behavior around, in, and on the water. Kids should never learn to swim alone by an adult or on their own. Teachers should instill in their students the habit of always requesting permission from parents, lifeguards, or swimming instructors before entering a pool or other natural body of water, such as a lake.

Explain what to do in case they unintentionally find themselves in the water. Practicing water proficiency abilities like self-rescue is part of this. Training under a range of realistic scenarios, such as falling in and swimming while clothed, should be included in lessons. Elderly kids should also be taught how to obtain help and what to do if they observe someone else in the water who is having trouble.

To determine if a class is appropriate for your child, allow you to observe it beforehand. Not all swim classes are made equal, so parents should research their options and select the one that best suits their needs. Do they spend most of their time swimming, or do they occasionally stand still while they wait their turn? Do kids receive one-on-one time with adults? Are the teachers approachable and well-informed?

need to be done in several sessions. Children should show steady, steady improvement in their skills over time after they begin instruction. At least keep teaching till they have mastered the fundamentals of water proficiency.

Furthermore, for kids less than four, search for programs that:

Ensure the environment is age-appropriate. During classes, your kid should feel comfortable and protected while participating in activities that promote their social, intellectual, physical, and emotional growth. But kids also need to learn to respect water in a healthy way.

Don’t forget to include “touch supervision.” When young children are near or in the water, especially during swim instruction, an adult should always be nearby to offer “touch supervision.” Encouragement of parent engagement is important, especially as it gives families practice ideas for in between-class activities. If you are unable to swim with your child, consider enrolling in private lessons that provide one-on-one teaching.

Preserve the quality of the water. Since young toddlers are more prone to ingest or breathe in water, it’s critical to disinfect water and keep the chlorine levels at an appropriate level. To assist prevent the kid from discharging bodily waste into the water, a good program should also mandate that the youngster wear a swimsuit that fits snugly around the legs.

Maintain the water’s warmth. At this age, hypothermia is more likely to occur. Children three years old and under should ideally take swim and water safety lessons in water that is between 87 and 94 degrees Fahrenheit.