For Kids

Speak in a Week French for You

A great introductory activity kit that can be reused over again. My daughter really liked the puzzles and games, and played them repeatedly. Stories and songs on the CD are engaging and the children wanted to sing along. Vocabulary covers the useful basics, including colours, parts of the body, animals etc. Some of vocabulary lists used in these sections are a little short, but when you include all the vocab used in the songs, and other activities, there is a surprising range covered. Games were a winner with my children. The active learning was the most engaging aspects of this book. Highly Recommended first start.

Collins French Club Book 1

A great excuse for doing puzzles, games and singing with the children in French. Great design values means there are really engaging visual activities, and diverse strategies for learning are used.
I liked the tips for parents, too, although the book and songs are designed for children to use on their own. Activities in the book bolster and advance learning made from the audio songs. Charts are included, to learn the alphabet and numbers. Covers a great range of vocabulary for a first book, including animals, numbers, letters, colours, appearances and parts of the body, using gender, clothes and personal possessions. I also liked the way links were created between French and English, to allow children to learn in a more intelligent way. Very Highly Recommended.

Let's Sing and Learn in French

This is a great collection of 12 songs, including original and traditional songs arranged with a contemporary flair. Vocabulary and expressions covered vary greatly and are quite extensive. I was impressed with the depth of learning available in these songs. Children will learn basic greetings, parts of the body, names of animals, forms of transportation, with a great sense of fun.
The music is highly professional, with great arrangements and good use of different instruments in the production. The style of songs ranges from 'folk' to rock n'roll. Someone who is a complete beginner may struggle to pick up all of the songs at once, as some are quite quick with unfamiliar phrases, especially the original pieces. However, following the book, children could pick up most of the songs really easily. Translations for all the French text are available. Highly recommended

Teach me... French

A great introduction to French for young children. My kids picked up the songs really quickly, without knowing much French at all. They were entertained by the music and wanted to keep listening and singing along. Quite addictive, really. My children haven't really made use of the colouring-in pictures in the book, though. Translations at the back of the book are very useful, especially for parents who cannot speak French, but want to encourage their children. Recommended for early beginners.

Teach me even more... French

A great progression from the first books. This book has 21 new songs, including traditional/original French songs, along with songs translated from English into French.
It's important for new learners to use the book to gain knowledge of the spoken text. Songs are easy enough to learn on their own, though, with some great music to engage children. The format is similar to earlier books in the series, so those children who have used the earlier ones won't have trouble following along. Again, useful translations are provided at the back of the book, although they are not always literal.

Les aventures de Tintin: Les Cigares du pharoan

As the comic strip format is almost completely filled with dialogue, it's a sensational way of learning spoken language. The illustrations are superb, easily supporting the text to enable fluent understanding, even if some of the vocabulary remains obscure. Great fun to read with young family, too, of course!

First French Flashcards (Usborne Farmyard Tales)

The illustrations are bright and the animals are very cute. Cards are a useful size, too, to enable them to be used by small hands, or stuck on the wall for memorisation. One side has the French word in a large size, with just a white background, and the illustrated side has the French word and a small version in English.

Flashcard French (Usborne)

These cards are an easy and fun way to introduce children to simple French vocabulary. The 50 cards are brightly illustrated, easily read and have a picture with word on one side, and word alone on the other. Topics covered include animals, vehicles, items around the house, colours and numbers (1-10).