2Kids 学拼音

2Kids 学拼音- Written by 2kids.cn, the same company who wrote 2kids学汉字, this app aims to help your child learn and practice the sounds that make up Chinese (also known as Hanyu Pinyin).  This app is written for children who already are familiar with the language and need to learn the writing system.  However, this app is a good way for non-native speakers to practice Hanyu Pinyin after an introduction from another source.

This app is engaging for kids ages 3-7.  It uses the same "Dora" type set-up that its counterpart uses.  Children complete mini-missions by using what they've learned about Hanyu Pinyin.

The first set of lessons are free as an introduction to the app.  There are two further in-app purchases that each cost about $3.  I would recommend these purchases only if the child has someone else to help them learn the sounds.  This app is inadequate by itself to teach Hanyu Pinyin.

Create Your Own Handwriting Sheets-Chinese Vocabulary Book

Create Your Own Handwriting Sheets-"Chinese Vocabulary Book" is FREE!  It's a very basic worksheet generator, but is worth posting because it offers teachers the option of including the

注音符號 with traditional characters or the 漢語拼音 (Hànyǔ Pīnyīn) with simplified characters. Each worksheet will contain rows for tracing and rows for copying.

This link is from Chinese Normal University.

Here's a sample worksheet of numbers 1-5:

Worksheet-  注音符號

Worksheet- 漢語拼音 (Hànyǔ Pīnyīn)

Create Your Own Handwriting Sheets-Hanzi Grids

Create Your Own Handwriting Sheets-"Hanzi Grids" provides leveled membership.  That means it provides access to the website with many features as free.  However, you can upgrade by paying membership.  This is a very neat website.  It has several features including:

• Control of spacing between characters grids/boxes,
• Control of the size of the characters within each grid/box,
• The option of using either traditional or simplified characters, and
• Control of whether the Learner is copying or tracing the character (slide the "Visible Characters").

Here's a sample worksheet of numbers 1-10:

Tracing

Copying

Halloween Vocabulary & Halloween Bingo

I know that Halloween is not a traditional Chinese holiday, but it's a plethora of vocabulary that kids will enjoy learning.  And, because stores start advertising Halloween in September, they'll have lots of opportunities to practice the vocabulary!  So, if your planning on introducing this topic, here's some flashcards and a Bingo game to get you started.

*Note- Consider cutting out the flashcards and posting them around your house, pocketing them when going for a walk, and even keeping a set in your car.  This way if you see a Halloween decoration or costume, you'll be able to talk about it using your new vocabulary!  Also, I've created 6 Bingo boards below.  If you need more, have Learners cut out their own flashcards and tape them to a blank sheet to create an infinite number of boards.

Flashcards- traditional characters with 注音符號
Flashcards- simplified characters with 漢語拼音 (Hànyǔ Pīnyīn)
Bingo- traditional characters with 注音符號
Bingo- simplified characters with 漢語拼音 (Hànyǔ Pīnyīn)
Bingo- no characters

注音符號 Song

Check out this YouTube video of the 注音符號 alphabet song.

Tangrams

Looking for some cultural activities that your young child can participate in?  Check out Activity Village's tangram page.  There is a pattern you can print to make your own tangram set and several fun tangram patterns you can puzzle out!

Want to know how to say "tangram" in Chinese?

- 七巧板

- 七巧板 (qī qiǎo bǎn)

Culture Kits

If you live near a university with an international program or a well-funded library, ask if they have Culture Kits available.  These are simply tubs of materials that are about a particular culture.  A Chinese Culture Kit might include realia such as:  traditional rice steamers, chopsticks, paper lanterns, traditional toys, and jewelry.  Each Culture Kit typically also provides an Information Sheet listing facts about the items in the kit.

If you live near Iowa City, the international program at the University of Iowa has several Culture Kits that can be checked out for two-weeks.  There is a 5 kit maximum.  Below are some links that direct you to the Culture Kits available at UI.
Home page for Culture Kits
List of kits searched by keywords:  China, Chinese, Taiwan, Asia