3 Easy Ways To Get Kids Speaking English This Summer
Ahhh Summertime…the time of year when school is out and kids are happy to stay home and play outside all day long. But Summer can also be a time when new hobbies are begun, or new habits learned! Many children have academic workbooks to do during Summer holidays to keep their level of studies optimal. But what about English?
There are lots of things anyone can do for their kids to make sure they don’t stop learning English just because they are on school holidays. And who knows, maybe you will learn a thing or two as well! And it’s much easier than you think—have a look at our list below:
3 Ways to Get Kids Speaking English:
- Everything in V.O.! When it’s too hot outside to play and kids want to watch television, put in their favorite DVD, probably an American production (did someone say Frozen?), and make sure to put the audio—and the subtitles as well—into English! You know they can sing every word from these beloved films in their native language…by the end of the summer they will do it in English as well! Psst…they won’t even realize they are learning!
- Sign up for an English Day Camp! Many public youth centers, like the “MJC” in France, have programs for children during the summer months with planned activities. But you can also find a private day camp that specializes in English, like the one offered right here at Speak English Kids! In an English-immersion environment, kids will play, create and spend long summer days surrounded by English-speaking teachers and children. What a great experience to have without even traveling abroad!
- English Games Outdoors! Even when older kids go outside to play, they can do many activities that incorporate English vocabulary. For example, a list of items (in English!) to find on a scavenger hunt will help them remember new vocabulary through concrete experiences. Or, a simple bird guide or nature guide can get them looking up, down and everywhere else, identifying trees, animals, mushrooms, flowers and more—all in English, of course! You can find many ideas for all kinds of outdoor ESL activities here.
Of course there are many more ways to get kids speaking English during the Summer holidays, such as traveling abroad or participating in exchange programs for older kids. But these little tricks listed above actually work if they are implemented into their normal activities, and not introduced as “studying” or “learning”, but just “having fun.” And who knows, you might even improve in speaking English yourself!
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