The current lockdowns have imposed certain restrictions on experiencing new things. While the online classes resumed slowly, parents were initially in for a shock when the schools were suspended. Never before have we found children out of school and at the same time, getting accustomed to a new channel of learning online.

The question that arises is, how can parents and teachers keep it fun for the kids while also making sure there's ample learning? A great way to get kids engaged and productive is to expose them to new hobbies and arts. For example, learning a new language.

Languages are a great way to get kids to explore the fascinating new cultures and experiences. Today, learning a new language is far easier since everything you need is right in the palm of your hands. You can access foreign language courses which are specifically catered to children that make learning fun and imaginative.

Learning a foreign language is the gateway to early healthy development for young children. Apart from enhanced cognition and multiple social betterments, learning a second language can be fun and stress relieving as well. Although a long term commitment, learning a language at a very early age can have the following benefits:

Boosts brain power, and cognitive abilities

Cognition is very influential and moldable in young children. Children who learn a new language between the ages 4 to 10 show enhanced problem solving skills. Knowing multiple languages has seen noticeable improvement in memory, multi-tasking, concentration and approachability to newer never before done tasks. Inturn they also have better improvisational abilities.

It also correlates to approaching a problem with multiple perspectives. Learning a new language significantly improves a child’s mathematical skills along with reading, listening and writing skills. This can prove highly enriching and serve as a morale boost for kids when they perform better at school.

Kids who pick up learning languages at an early stage, have a greater chance of naturally developing fluency later in life. Native speech fluency can be a result of constant learning and usage of a language. This can open up many creative avenues and ensure a more culturally diverse future for kids.

Unlocks career opportunities and exposure to cultures

Today, learning multiple languages is seen as a plus when it comes to career proficiency. Not only does it open up a plethora of international career opportunities for children, but also exposes them to appreciate and understand various cultures. Kids who learn multiple languages early also have an edge in approaching various career profiles from different angles.

Apart from developing a positive attitude towards other cultures, they may also learn to approach various situations in the future in ways that they may not have otherwise experienced.

Kids who learn a language at an early stage can expand their worldview and engage with different kinds of arts, social conditions and conversations thus opening up new opportunities to engage with the world. For example, Learning a language like French and Japanese can give a child two different perspectives of understanding certain cultures.

Enhances creative thinking and empathy:

By far, the most important development from learning a new language is the aspect of positive approaches to various situations and creative solutions for multiple problems. From the ability to speak with confidence in public, to developing a strong sense of humor, creativity has no bounds when you’re bilingual.

Bilingual people can use variety to their advantage. Being able to speak in multiple languages also lets people approach various situations with multiple angles of thought. An example of this is, learning different languages will teach a child different phrases. These can flex the creativity and force kids to think about a certain topic in a different language, thus giving them a new method to approach a situation.

This ties directly into empathy. The ability to understand the different words that various cultures use can give children an early opportunity to to become cognizant of various tones and body language as well. Learning to convey a message, holding a conversation in a social situation and performing better at public speaking can be direct results to gradual and consistent personality development that comes from learning a language.

The approachability of a language shouldn’t deter you as a parent from letting your child experience this magnificent form of communication. No, it is not necessary for you as a parent to learn a specific language in order for your child to become fluent. However learning it with them can be enjoyable for both. With the best resources now available online, you need not look far to get your kids involved in a broader way of life.