{"id":119012,"date":"2024-02-12T08:42:29","date_gmt":"2024-02-12T13:42:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/learn-french-with-your-baby\/"},"modified":"2025-02-17T00:07:54","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T05:07:54","slug":"learn-french-with-your-baby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/learn-french-with-your-baby\/","title":{"rendered":"A 5-step Guide to Learn French with Your Baby"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you know that you don\u2019t have to be fluent to raise a bilingual child?\u00a0<\/strong>With these five tips on French for babies, raising a bilingual child isn’t just a pipe dream anymore.<\/p>\n

And if you\u2019ve been searching for an excuse to buckle down and learn French<\/a>, this could be your perfect motivation.\u00a0Read on and see how you can learn French with your baby.<\/p>\n

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1. Use Your Most Common Phrases in French<\/h2>\n

Think about the words and phrases you naturally use every day<\/a> or are teaching your child.<\/p>\n

This could include everything from your kid’s favorite food, to clothing and household words, to words you’re already teaching them in English such as the numbers one through 10.<\/p>\n

Now\u00a0get in the habit of saying them in French<\/strong> alongside, or instead of, English.\u00a0You can use a handy French-English dictionary app to look them up\u2014many provide an audio pronunciation alongside the definition or translation.<\/p>\n

This will make French highly relevant to your family’s life, while naturally integrating language learning into your day<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

For example, you probably tell your child that you love them a lot, right? Instead of saying, \u201cI love you,\u201d coo, Je t\u2019aime !<\/em><\/p>\n

Let’s be honest, every parent says, “Don’t touch that!” at least five times per day. Instead, learn to say, Touche pas !<\/em><\/p>\n

Study the names of animals<\/a>, such as le mouton<\/em> (sheep), le chat<\/em> (cat), le chien<\/em> (dog) and l’oiseau<\/em> (bird). Learn terms for family members<\/a>, such as la fille<\/em>\u00a0(daughter), le fils<\/em> (son) or la tante<\/em>\u00a0(aunt).<\/p>\n

You can even learn French words for baby talk<\/a>. In English, when a child gets a cut or scrape, we might say they have an “owie.” The French call this un bobo<\/em>.<\/p>\n

2. Play French TV Shows or Movies<\/h2>\n

Watching cartoons<\/a>\u00a0and movies<\/a>\u00a0is a great way for kids to learn words in any language! The<\/strong> visuals hold their attention<\/strong> while<\/strong> the audio immerses them in the sounds of the language<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Better yet, it’s not just for the baby. Chanting a show’s French sing-along together or watching a French movie on family movie night are enjoyable ways for everyone to learn basic vocabulary.<\/p>\n

Just be careful not to let the costs of screen time outweigh the benefits of French immersion.\u00a0The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends<\/a> that children ages two through five limit screen time to under an hour per day, and that babies under age two avoid screens as much as possible. So try to schedule your French viewing accordingly as your kids grow.<\/p>\n

It’s super easy to start. Just turn your regular screen time into French time! Instead of sitting down to watch “Sesame Street” or “Doc McStuffins,” you could check out “Bonjour Les Amis”<\/em> (“Hello Friends”)<\/a><\/strong> on Amazon Prime Video. This is a 52-minute-long children\u2019s movie specifically designed to teach French to youngsters<\/strong>. It’s slow and repetitive, which makes it perfect for your toddler!<\/p>\n

You can also watch dubbed versions of familiar favorites, such as “SpongeBob.” Here are a few sample lessons from our YouTube channel<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Alternatively, you can find an array of bite-sized clips from animated movies and cartoons with interactive subtitles on the FluentU program<\/a>.

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

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You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n

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