Learn Hello and Goodbye in Different Languages
All around the world people greet each other in different ways. In China they say “Ni hao,” in the Philippines “Kamusta,” and in Jordan “Marhaba.” Help your child learn how to say hello and goodbye in different languages. It’s a fun way to jumpstart conversations about different cultures.
Materials
Directions
Determine the language or languages you’d like to explore. You have a lot to choose from — there are nearly 7,000 different languages spoken in the world!
Do your research. If you or your child are lucky enough to have a friend who speaks another language, ask her for help. If not, you can try Google or an app like duolingo. Although Native speakers and apps give you the advantage of actually hearing the language spoken, you can also hit the books at your local library.
Turn it into a game. Say hello to your child in one language, have your child identify the language, then ask your child to say goodbye in the same one. You can make it as silly or serious as you’d like.
Make a paper chain. Write hello and goodbye in the different languages that your child has learned on strips of paper or construction paper.. To make the paper chain, tape one strip into a circle, then loop another strip through and tape it into a circle. Continue adding links to the chain until you’ve used all your child’s new words.
Explore Further
Learning a different language can be a challenge, but don’t give up! Reaching out to others, keeping an open mind, and practicing kindness are excellent life skills.
Here are more ways to explore different cultures:
- Keep a library of books written by authors from other countries, races and religions.
- Listen to music or learn about musical instruments from different parts of the world.
- Visit art exhibits that feature the works of artists from many cultures around the world.
Jennifer Cooper is the blogger behind Classic-Play.com, an online resource for creative families. Her favorite pasttimes include: dancing around her living room, watching the Pink Panther with her kids and daydreaming. She lives in Baltimore, MD with her husband, photographer Dave Cooper, and two children.