Make it a family thing
The best way to learn is in an environment where everybody is learning. Even if you might already know German, make it fun and involve not just the kids but the entire family. Place post-it notes on things around the house, from plates to tables, on the window, toys, and the dog, if he lets you. Even if your child is still too young to read, picking up a note and reading the word out loud will still be helpful.
Read books
No matter what age your child is, get some picture books that are aimed at young German kids learning to read. In those you will have simple words denoting everyday objects, often in themed settings, and you can read them together. Learning a language is as much about learning to speak as it is learning to spell. Early exposure is good, even if your child is not quite ready yet.
Get fun activity magazines
Germany has a wide variety of magazines for all age groups, many featuring animals, others filled with mostly comics. Magazines such as Olli & Molli are aimed at various age groups, from three years up. You’ll find many different themes, from joining the Kindergarten to going to the playground. They are full of pictures, puzzles, posters, and simple stories designed for learning to read.
Let them meet German children
The more personal the exposure to a language, the easier it is to learn. Take your kids to a local playground, a dedicated indoor play area, or even an IKEA ballpark. Every largest city has indoor playgrounds where you pay an entrance fee and then have a wide choice of activities, all filled with German kids of all age groups. At first, they will probably not interact much or refuse to speak to other children. But it is amazing how open kids are, and chances are a German child will take yours under their wing and will speak to them. Their desire to play and integrate will supersede their fear and shyness. Join playgroups or parent meet-ups, but try local, not ex-pat ones, where people tend to speak English.
Flashcards
Flashcards are the best and interactive way to teach kids German. You can easily download and print German flashcards on letter size or A4 size paper. The flashcards feature animals, colours, numbers and more. Playing German flashcard games is a proven method for studying German for kids.
Play games together
Board games not only bring the family together but can also be a good tool to learn another language. There are simple games for the younger crowd: Ludo (Mensch ärgere Dich nicht), where you can practice counting as you move your piece along; Memory, i.e. matching pairs of pictures, where you add for your kids the challenge of calling the object out in German.
