My First Words is a series of illustrated vocabulary books that you can use to teach your child their first words in a foreign language.
Each book contains over 80 words, which are organised into themes, including animals, fruit and vegetables, transport, colours and numbers.
Each word in the books is illustrated to help your child associate it with its meaning, and to make the learning process interesting and fun.
The colour scheme in the books was specifically designed to appeal to young children and babies.
These basic, yet important words will form the basis upon which your child will be able to build as they continue to learn the language later in life.
My First Words is available in French, Spanish, German and English.
You can use it from birth to give your child the best chance of succeeding with their language education.
One of my earliest memories from my childhood is playing with my Mum and my little brother at home, and my Mum teaching us some English words.
She told us ‘a box’ is what we call ‘pudełko’ in Polish – my mother tongue – ’a dress’ is ‘sukienka’, and ‘a book’ is ‘książka’. Almost 30 years on, I can still remember those were the exact words my Mum taught us. So simple yet so powerful!
At the time, it was just a game. There’s no way I could have known then what the point of that game was. I didn’t know why it would be useful. All I knew was that there were some other people in the big world who used other words to describe the simple everyday objects that we all knew. And it was a fun thing to know a couple of those words.
But as I got a little bit older, I began to understand that those words – ‘a box’, ‘a dress’ and ‘a book’ – were part of a more complex reality. They were part of another language! The language I would hear on Cartoon Network – a channel my brother and I watched without understanding what was being said. Watching the cartoon characters, their actions and their facial expressions seemed enough to get the gist of what was going on.
It was around that time that I developed a funny habit, which became another clear memory from my early childhood. I started spending time on my own in the garden at home, ‘speaking English’ out loud. Of course, it wasn’t English. It was just sounds that mirrored what I’d heard on Cartoon Network and in American children’s films. It was my own version of American English.
I would even tell my little brother that I was ‘speaking English’, and that he too would be able to do it when he’s a bit older. I think he believed me!
It was all a game, a bit of fun. Little did I know that it would lead me to the life I’m leading now. That I would graduate with a distinction from a well-recognised British university, that I would get married to a British man, that I would hold a senior editor role in an exciting organisation, and that I would run a community, blog and YouTube channel for language learners in English!
My Mum’s little game – teaching me how to say ‘box’, ‘dress’ and ‘book’ in English – led me to a life where languages (not just English but several others!) are a focal point. It shows how powerful exposing your child to a foreign language at an early age can be.
And now I’m a mother myself and I want to open up this exciting world of languages to my own daughter.
When my daughter was born, I started reading to her very early on. I read to her in Polish to lay the foundation of what would become one of her two mother tongues. I find it fascinating how excited she is about looking at colourful images and hearing me say the words that describe them. She can’t communicate with her own words yet but I’m sure the language she absorbs now will stay with her forever.
And that’s why I’ve created My First Words. I wanted to help parents like myself introduce their kids to foreign languages early on.
When you’re a child, learning a language is just a bit of fun. It’s not a ‘chore’ or a ‘task’. You can incorporate it into your child’s usual activities, and make it interesting and fun. It can be part of your bedtime routine or something you do together as a family. It’s easier to get them excited about foreign languages than it would be once they’re teenagers or young adults.
So, with My First Words, you can start early. Because if you don’t, you never know the life that you would have had, the opportunities that may never come up if you didn’t.
Teach your child their first words in a foreign language.
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FAQs
Q: What ages is My First Words aimed at?
A: My First Words is appropriate for babies and young children. You can use it from birth. My First Words is an illustrated vocabulary book so there is not a real upper age limit – young children of all ages will enjoy learning from it.
Q: Does My First Words include pronunciation?
A: No. My First Words does not include the pronunciation of the words. We recommend that parents familiarise themselves with the pronunciation of the words separately. My First Words is intended to be used by parents who have some familiarity of the language, in order to help their children pronounce the words correctly.
Q: Do I need to speak the language myself to use My First Words with my child?
A: We recommend that parents have at least a basic level of skills in the language they’re helping their child learn. This is so that they can pronounce the words included in the books.
Q: How do I use My First Words?
A: There are many ways in which you can use My First Words, depending on your child’s age and your own level of skills in the language you’re helping them learn.
Here are some examples of activities:
- pointing at the pictures and saying the words together out loud
- covering the words, pointing at the pictures and guessing the word together
- saying the words out loud and getting your child to point at the picture that matches the word
- describing what each picture illustrates using the target language
- making up songs containing the words and singing them together while pointing at the pictures
- describing a picture in the target language and getting your child to guess which one it is
If you have any additional questions about My First Words, do not hesitate to get in touch through our contact page.