One of the best things about France is the dessert. There. I said it. The French are absolutely fantastic at creating pastries that simply do not taste the same anywhere else. Not to be dramatic, but croissants will simply not live up to your expectations after you’ve enjoyed a fresh croissant at a bakery in France.

Now you have a place to start when it comes to visiting the country. What kid doesn’t love dessert? Or bread, for that matter? Tell your kids about the amazing treats you will try there and you will have their attention. Let your excitement show- even when it comes to the little things- because it is contagious. Your kids will follow your lead.

Interested in toys and products that support French learning? A few items that we have used with our kids to help support their curiosity for culture and language are linked at the bottom of this article.

When it comes to visiting France (and learning French) in particular, it’s a little different than introducing Spanish and Hispanic culture. French words, when spoken, are less recognizable then Spanish. A lot of people recognize words like ‘hola’ and ‘adios’ because they are so commonly used on TV, in conversation, in books. When it comes to French, it’s not as common for kids that grew up in the US to know words like ‘merci’ and ‘au revoir’. That is mostly due to the obvious reason of geographical influence and the countries that make up North America. In most US states, the second most common language spoken is Spanish. Due to that reason alone, the awareness Americans have of Spanish words is not equal to French.

With all that being said, the main thing to consider is that you will likely be starting at zero when it comes to introducing French in your home. Unless, of course, there have been other French influences in your family or community. You can use this to your advantage though, since the household will be learning the language together. Everyone will be starting on the same page and learning at mostly the same rate. That has its own form of satisfaction and comradery.

The simplest place to start when learning French as a family, is with greetings and manners. Hello, good-bye, thank you, please, my name is, etc. When you start with the conversational vocabulary, the kids (and adults too!) will feel immediately motivated to learn more. Why? Because just starting with this category of language allows you to create back and forth conversation with very little vocabulary.

The next place to expand into language learning with children is with music. Just like toddlers in preschool are taught songs about colors, emotions, and weather to help them remember, the same method can be used for another language. You don’t have to be a toddler to listen to children’s nursey rhymes in French. And guess what? You’re likely to learn new words that much faster. Learn songs like “Frere Jacque” and “Hello, Hello Monsieur” for example, and the group of you will now know words like brother, sleeping, morning, how are you, I am sick, what, why, and many others.

If your children are older you can also find French pop music (or any genre, really) on Spotify or any streaming music service. Use the lyrics feature and you can see the words as they are pronounced. The repetition of the chorus and other pieces of songwriting will bolster vocabulary acquisition even more.

Television is another great method for new language acquisition. When starting out, choose a movie or show that your child has seen multiple times and fully understands the narrative. Then switch the language to French. Now the words have changed, but the meaning behind them is still the same. You can also leave the show in English, but add subtitles in French to get more familiar with the written words as well. There are many ways that you can use the language features on any streaming service you use.

Familiarize yourself and your family with the country and culture easily by reading books, and watching vloggers capture their experiences in France. Most libraries have a kids section for non-fiction books. Find a book about the country/continent in that section and you’re more likely to have textbook full of images and photographs. Even if your child can’t read yet, you can discuss the pictures and read them some of the interesting tidbits. If your child can read, it’s a great way for them to practice putting their comprehension and summarization skills to use!

Other fun ways to incorporate more language learning in a child’s day: bilingual coloring books, audiobooks (Tonibox, Yoto Player, Read With Me, etc.)

To Be Continued….