Parents can choose songs about numbers, colors, animals, body parts, and daily activities.
They should encourage children to sing along, clap their hands, dance, and perform actions related to the lyrics.
For example, when children hear “clap your hands,” they can clap their hands. When they hear “touch your nose,” they can touch their noses.
These actions help connect language with meaning.
Educational videos can also expose children to natural pronunciation, common expressions, and different accents.
However, parents should choose age-appropriate content and avoid allowing children to spend excessive time watching screens.
Watching videos alone is not enough. Children also need interaction and opportunities to use the language.
After watching a short video, parents can ask:
“What did you see?”
“Who was in the video?”
“What did the little boy do?”
“Which animal did you like best?”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
These questions encourage children to think about what they watched and practice expressing their ideas.
9. Help Children Improve Their Pronunciation
Pronunciation is an important part of learning English, but children do not need to sound exactly like native speakers from the beginning.
The first goal is to help them recognize sounds, pronounce familiar words clearly, and communicate effectively.
Parents can use reliable dictionaries with audio, educational recordings, and age-appropriate pronunciation resources.
When introducing a new word, parents should say it clearly and naturally, then give children time to listen and repeat.
For example:
“Cat.”
“Dog.”
“Fish.”
“Apple.”
“Banana.”
“Elephant.”
After practicing individual words, parents can use them in short sentences.
“I see a cat.”
“The dog is big.”
“The fish can swim.”
“I like apples.”
For children who are beginning to read, phonics can be useful. Phonics teaches the relationship between letters or groups of letters and the sounds they represent.
Parents can start with simple words such as “cat,” “sun,” “dog,” and “pen,” using suitable teaching materials.
It is important to remember that the name of a letter is not always the same as the sound it represents in a word.
Parents should also correct pronunciation gently. If children make mistakes, parents can repeat the word correctly and encourage them to try again.
Most importantly, pronunciation practice should build confidence rather than create fear.
10. Teach Vocabulary by Topic
Learning vocabulary by topic helps children connect related words and remember them more easily.
Family
Useful words include:
- Father
- Mother
- Parents
- Brother
- Sister
- Grandfather
- Grandmother
- Cousin
- Baby
- Family
Example sentences:
“This is my family.”
“I love my parents.”
“I have one brother.”
“My grandmother is very kind.”
“We enjoy spending time together.”
Parents can ask children to draw their families and describe the people in the picture.
Animals
Useful words include:
- Cat
- Dog
- Rabbit
- Bird
- Fish
- Duck
- Cow
- Horse
- Elephant
- Monkey
- Lion
- Tiger
Example sentences:
“The cat is sleeping.”
“The dog is running.”
“Birds can fly.”
“Fish can swim.”
“The elephant is very big.”
“What is your favorite animal?”
“Why do you like rabbits?”
Parents can use animal pictures, toys, sounds, and guessing games to make vocabulary practice more enjoyable.
Food
Useful words include:
- Rice
- Bread
- Egg
- Milk
- Water
- Apple
- Banana
- Orange
- Chicken
- Fish
- Vegetables
- Soup
Example sentences:
“I like eating apples.”
“I drink milk every morning.”
“Would you like some rice?”
“My favorite food is chicken.”
“Vegetables are good for us.”
“What is your favorite fruit?”
Parents can practice these expressions during meals and while preparing food together.
Feelings
Useful words include:
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Excited
- Tired
- Worried
- Scared
- Proud
- Calm
- Surprised
Example sentences:
“I feel happy today.”
“I am tired.”
“Are you worried about something?”
“What made you happy?”
“It’s okay to feel sad sometimes.”
“Let’s take a deep breath and calm down.”
Learning to express emotions in English can help children communicate their feelings and understand others.
School
Useful words include:
- School
- Teacher
- Student
- Classroom
- Book
- Notebook
- Pencil
- Eraser
- Ruler
- Backpack
- Homework
- Playground
Example sentences:
“I go to school every day.”
“My teacher is kind.”
“This is my notebook.”
“Where is my pencil?”
“I have homework today.”
“I like playing with my friends.”
Parents can review these words while helping children prepare their schoolbags.
11. Teach Children to Introduce Themselves
Once children have learned some basic vocabulary, parents can help them introduce themselves in English.
This is a useful skill because children may need it when meeting new friends, joining an English class, or speaking with people from other countries.
Here is a simple example:
“Hello! My name is Anna.
I am seven years old.
I live in Vietnam.
I am a student.
I like reading books and drawing pictures.
My favorite color is blue.
My favorite animal is the rabbit.
I love my family.
Nice to meet you!”
Parents should adjust the introduction according to their children’s ages and abilities.
For beginners, it is enough to say their names, ages, and favorite colors.
As they become more confident, they can talk about their families, hobbies, school subjects, friends, and future dreams.
For example:
“My favorite subject is English because I enjoy learning new words.”
“I love playing football with my friends.”
“On weekends, I usually visit my grandparents.”
“When I grow up, I want to be a doctor because I want to help people.”
Parents should encourage children to understand what they are saying instead of memorizing the entire introduction without understanding its meaning.
They can change the details, ask follow-up questions, and help children express their real interests.
12. Teach Grammar Naturally
Grammar is important, but young beginners do not always need to study complicated rules before using English.
Parents can introduce grammar through familiar sentence patterns.
For example, to practice “I like,” parents can say:
“I like apples.”
“I like dogs.”
“I like reading.”
Then they can ask:
“What do you like?”
The child can answer:
“I like ice cream.”
To practice “I can,” parents can perform different actions.
“I can jump.”
“I can run.”
“I can dance.”
“I can swim.”
Then parents can ask:
“What can you do?”
The child might answer:
“I can draw.”
“I can ride a bike.”
Parents can also teach “There is” and “There are” by describing a room.