You don’t need to be perfectly bilingual to help your child at home. What matters most is sharing happy moments in which words come naturally. Here are five simple ideas, inspired by what we do every day at B.smart, to bring French and English to life at home.
Why use two languages at home?
At the crèche, your child hears French and English throughout the day. Carrying that fun on at home, even for a few minutes, helps them remember words, gain confidence and understand that languages are for communicating, playing and sharing. No need to “teach a lesson”: play is still the best way to learn.
1. Sing nursery rhymes in both languages
Many nursery rhymes exist in both French and English, such as “Frère Jacques” and “Are You Sleeping?”. Take turns singing them, with the actions. You can also sing the songs your child brings home from the crèche: they will be proud to teach you!
What your child learns
Music and repetition help children remember words effortlessly. The actions that go with them strengthen understanding and memory.
Our tip
Pick a “bath time” or “bedtime” song: once it becomes a ritual, it sticks.
2. Bedtime stories
Alternate between French and English books, or read a picture book and describe the pictures in both languages. Let your child turn the pages, point to what they recognise and guess what comes next.
What your child learns
Vocabulary, sentence structure and a love of stories. Asking questions (“Où est le chat ?”, “What colour is the ball?”) invites them to take part.
Our tip
Read the same books again and again: young children love repetition, which helps them anticipate and remember words.
3. Cook together
A simple recipe, like a fruit salad or pancakes, is full of vocabulary: colours, numbers, fruits and actions. “On coupe la banane… now we add the apple!”
What your child learns
Counting, naming, following steps and building fine motor skills by pouring, mixing and decorating.
Our tip
Give them a real job (washing the fruit, stirring the batter): they will feel useful and proud of the result.
4. Play “Je vois, I spy”
At home or in the car, take turns describing something you can see: “Je vois quelque chose de rouge…”, “I spy something round…”. The others have to guess what it is.
What your child learns
Colours, shapes and sizes, observation and listening. It’s also a great game for traffic jams!
Our tip
Start with very simple clues, then add details as your child progresses.
5. Go on a nature walk
In the park, on the beach or in the garden, collect leaves, pebbles or flowers, then name and count them together in both languages. Back home, you can turn them into a little picture or collage.
What your child learns
Nature vocabulary, sorting, counting and creativity. At B.smart, our forest outings and gardening workshops follow the same idea: learning by exploring.
Our tip
Take a small bag for the walk’s “treasures”: your child will love telling the crèche about them the next day.
Our tips for success
Short, happy moments
Ten minutes is enough. A little fun every day is better than a long session that tires your child out.
Don’t correct every mistake
If your child makes a mistake, simply repeat the sentence the right way, without insisting. They will hear the correct form and remember it.
Speak the language you are comfortable in
Not comfortable in English? No problem: speak the language you know best, and the crèche takes care of the rest. What counts is the richness of your conversations.
Frequently asked questions
I don’t speak English. Is that a problem?
No. Speak the language you are most comfortable in: your child hears English every day at the crèche.
From what age can we do these activities?
From 18 months, adapting as you go: nursery rhymes and stories for the youngest, guessing games and cooking for older children.
Bilingual every day at B.smart
Songs, stories and games in French and English: discover a day at the crèche.