Learning a foreign language is an excellent skill for children to have and it can broaden their job opportunities, enhance their understanding of the English language and, of course, put them in good stead on a holiday abroad. Encouraging them to spend time learning to speak French or Spanish is a different matter and although most schools provide foreign language lessons, this can make learning seem like a chore and discourage youngsters from getting involved.
Instead, here are some top foreign language apps that could soon have your children chatting away in German or confidently ordering food from an authentic Spanish restaurant.
Top Foreign Language Apps for Kids
Ana Lomba Early Languages LLC
These apps are available in Spanish, French and Chinese and teach children foreign languages through storytelling. Ana Lomba has been teaching children different languages since 1997 and won a Parents’ Choice Award.
The Red Hen apps promote learning by combining both oral and literacy skills and stories can be acted out to make them even more fun for children. Parents are encouraged to play the stories on this free app frequently, as this helps to imprint the language into the child’s brain.
Check out Ana's website for her app collection
MindSnacks
MindSnacks language learning apps are available in French, Italian, German, Chinese, Portuguese and English. They are free, while the option to upgrade and purchase more advanced levels is available. Children are taught different languages by playing games and include all aspects of mastering a foreign tongue.
While some games ask youngsters to spell words using anagrams, others will test them on translations, misspelled worlds, misplaced accents and the incorrect use of gender articles. Users are also able to track their progress as they go.
Check out the apps on MindSnacks
Learning Touch
This app by Learning Touch has some great feedback on iTunes and is designed for teaching toddlers basic words. The interface has been created by taking into account the fact children with small fingers are likely to be using the app, while there are a range of games to suit different skills and abilities. The game has 114 words the toddlers will enjoy learning, including 39 animals, 13 colors and 26 words from around the house.
Check out the apps from Learning Touch
Toddler Flashcards
Another one aimed at toddlers, this app teaches youngsters colors, numbers, animals, shapes and vocabulary. It uses a flash card format and as well as being available in English, the cards can be changed to Spanish, French or Mandarin. This means you get value for money, as your children can learn more than one language using the same app.
Check out the app collection from Toddler Flashcards
eFlashApps
Although it has the word ‘baby’ in the title, this app from eFlashApps is actually suitable for older children. It uses a basic flashcard format in which four pictures are shown on the screen. A word is then spoken in German and the user has to click the correct image.
There are several categories of words to choose from, including colors, shapes, numbers, animals, transport and the alphabet. There are two different settings to choose from, so parents can mix things up, or decide which works best for their youngsters.
Check out the eFlashApps collection
Author Bio: Francis Lawson is an online content creator that specializes in education and writes on topics such as classroom technology and interactive whiteboard (IWB) systems.
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I would download these apps for myself as I always wanted to learn Japaneese or German languages. These apps are pretty good for adults too for whoever wants to talk a word in the foreign languages.