Nine years ago, when we were eagerly awaiting the arrival of our first baby in the UK, we made a heartfelt decision: we would raise her speaking only Italian at home. This choice blossomed beautifully! By the age of 21 months, she was ready for nursery, where she started picking up English. While she had encountered some English prior, Italian remained her primary language.
Fast forward to our second daughter’s arrival: what a different experience we had! She was born when our eldest was just 3.5 years old—a little chatterbox in her own right! At this point, our first daughter was already immersed in preschool, rapidly expanding her English vocabulary. Despite our best efforts to maintain our Italian at home and encourage interactions between her and the baby in Italian, we often found her returning from school babbling excitedly in English. By the time our youngest started with a childminder at 11 months, her exposure to English was considerable, despite our commitment to bilingualism.
Today, both girls completely understand Italian, but there’s a noticeable difference in their confidence. Our eldest speaks with ease, while our little one sometimes struggles to find the right words. Here’s how we nurture their Italian language development while living in the UK:
🎥 Screen Time in Italian: We’ve made a rule that all screen time must be in Italian. Did you know platforms like Disney+ and Netflix let you change the default language? Many shows and movies are available in multiple languages, and having subtitles can also support young readers!
📚 Reading Adventures: Our collection of Italian books is so vast it rivals our local library! We strive to read or listen to at least one Italian story each day. Our eldest has become quite a proficient reader in both languages, so we’ve started introducing simple written exercises to enhance her skills.
🎶 Musical Rhythms: Music is another great avenue for exposure! We enjoy a mix of Italian songs, from children’s nursery rhymes to contemporary hits and timeless classics. The girls love putting on little shows, and we frequently listen to fantastic Spotify playlists curated by native speakers. These playlists often include stories read aloud—great for days when my throat isn’t up for reading!
🎲 Playtime with Purpose: We prefer open-ended games, like pretend play, which allow for endless vocabulary introductions. Board games and puzzles are also big hits in our house!
🚗 What We See: Long car rides or nature walks can sometimes lead to boredom, so we play a simple version of “I spy.” Each person takes turns naming what they see, like saying “Io vedo con i miei occhi… un albero!” (I see with my eyes… a tree!)
🔄 Translation Check-ins: Occasionally, I’ll casually ask the girls to translate a word, either in Italian or English, putting no pressure on them. If they don’t know the answer, we learn together!
👵 Speaking with Relatives: Engaging with family members who don’t speak any English is incredibly powerful. Children quickly realize that their preferred language holds significance, and this motivates them to communicate.
👶 Language Clubs/Groups: We’ve joined an Italian storytelling group in our area, giving the girls more opportunities to socialize with other Italian families.
✨ The Power of Patience: Consistency is key! It can be frustrating when they respond in English instead of Italian, but we give them grace and time. Keeping the environment positive and stress-free helps them thrive.
Finally, I’ve included a link to an incredible language resource website that offers a treasure trove of educational tools to support you on your journey to teaching your children. Let’s create a world of bilingualism together! 🌍💖
https://www.theitalianexperiment.com: Raising Bilingual Children: Our Italian Language Journey in the UKFollow our story on our socials for ideas on child friendly activities, educating at home, and fun family travel.
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