Learning Dutch playfully for expat kids

Of course, as a parent, you would like your children to learn and continue to speak Dutch. But how do you do that if you don’t live in the Netherlands, or have just moved here?

Good news: practicing Dutch doesn’t have to be boring at all.

Whether you are a Dutch family abroad or an international family in the Netherlands, with some creativity and a little consistency you can turn language practice into a party.

In this blog I share inspiration and concrete tips to make practicing Dutch fun, both for the kids and for you: the parents.

Dutch expats abroad: 6 tips to keep the language alive

Do you live abroad as a Dutch family?

Then you probably recognize the challenge of keeping the Dutch language alive for your children.

Without a Dutch-speaking environment, their mother tongue can quickly fade into the background. Fortunately, there are many fun ways to prevent that. Here are 6 useful tips:

1. Talk and play in Dutch every day: Make Dutch the language of your home. Chat during dinner or play games in Dutch. Pretend you have created a mini Netherlands at home, where you happily communicate in your own language.
2. Read and read aloud: Dutch children’s books bring the language to life. Read a story every evening. Let older children pick their own favorites, from Jip en Janneke to exciting young adult books. Reading aloud is not just language practice, it’s also quality time together.
3. Dutch media and music: Let your children enjoy Dutch TV shows, videos, audiobooks and songs. Think Sesamstraat for the little ones, and Kinderen voor Kinderen songs to sing along to. That way they practice vocabulary and pronunciation without even noticing.
4. Contact with other Dutch-speaking children: Find or organize playdates or online chats with other Dutch expat families. Playing together in Dutch, in person or via video call, is hugely motivating. It shows them that speaking Dutch belongs with friendship and fun.
5. Dutch lessons from abroad: Consider signing your child up for an online Dutch lesson. Through an online school, your expat kids can follow lessons from abroad based on the Dutch curriculum. It’s not only educational: thanks to interactive exercises and personal attention, it’s often great fun too. Your child stays up to date with Dutch education without boring textbooks. Ideal if you ever want to return, or simply want to keep their language skills strong.
6. Celebrate Dutch traditions: Involve your children in Dutch holidays and traditions, even from far away. Celebrating Sinterklaas together or eating an orange tompouce on King’s Day gives your children the feeling that they belong to Dutch culture. And these activities naturally come with language: singing songs, rhymes, writing little wishes. All fun practice moments in Dutch.

International expats in the Netherlands: 6 tips to integrate playfully

Have you moved to the Netherlands with your family? Welcome!

For international families, learning Dutch is a key to integration for your children. But the last thing you want is for language learning to feel like a tiring school assignment after school hours.

So here are 6 tips to master the language through play:

1. Immerse your child in everyday Dutch life: Use the Dutch environment around you. Let your child order bread at the bakery, or greet the neighbors in Dutch. From playing with kids in the neighborhood to joining a sports club: every situation is a playful language lesson. The Dutch call this a “taalbad”, a language bath. You learn simply by joining in.
2. Choose bilingual education or extra support: Consider bilingual education if it’s available, or extra Dutch lessons alongside regular school. Some international schools offer Dutch as a subject, and Dutch schools often give newcomers extra language support. Ask at school what the options are, so learning doesn’t have to happen only at home.
3. Make Dutch audible at home too: Even if you speak another language at home, try to use Dutch consciously now and then. Watch the Jeugdjournaal or a cartoon dubbed in Dutch together, or put on Dutch music while playing. That way your child gets familiar with the sounds at home as well. You could set up a “Dutch hour”, in which you name simple things like colors, numbers or animals in Dutch. Playful, and without pressure.
4. Playful vocabulary games: Turn learning new words into a game. Put Post-its with Dutch words on household objects (table, door, mirror) and let your child do a treasure hunt: how many Dutch words can your child already recognize around the house? Or play simple language games together, like “Ik zie, ik zie wat jij niet ziet” (I spy) in Dutch. Besides being good fun, your child picks up new words without noticing.
5. Use apps and online lessons for kids: There are lots of fun apps and websites made especially to teach children Dutch. Think of interactive language games, child-friendly apps, or online programs like Squla or Duolingo (Kids version), where they score points by practicing in Dutch.
6. Learn together with your child: Are you still learning the language yourself? Show that practicing is fun by doing it together. Practice little sentences with each other and give each other compliments. Children love it when they can teach you something (“How do you say that in Dutch, Daddy?”). Learning Dutch becomes a team project instead of a solo job for your child.

5 tips for every family: make practicing Dutch a party

Whether you live in Sydney or Scheveningen, in the end fun motivates every child.

Here are 5 general ideas that work for Dutch and international expat families alike:

1. Play games in Dutch: Board games or card games you already know can simply be played in Dutch. Think memory with Dutch words, Ganzenbord (the Dutch Game of the Goose) with Dutch tasks, or online games that involve language. Let the kids make a Dutch sentence at every square, for example. It adds a playful element to practicing.
2. Music and theater: Organize a mini talent show at home: let the kids sing a Dutch song, perform their own little play in Dutch, or put on a puppet show. Guaranteed fun, and meanwhile they practice pronunciation and sentence structure. Karaoke with Dutch songs (with subtitles) is also great fun for all ages.
3. Daily routines as learning moments: Turn everyday moments into language games. While cooking, figure out together what the ingredients are called in Dutch, and let the kids help with a Dutch recipe. Or name things during car rides (“Do you see the red car? How many trees can you count?”). These spontaneous little quizzes make language practice a natural part of the day.
4. Rewards and motivation: Keep it light and positive. Give your child a sticker or a big thumbs up when they use a new Dutch word, or when they bravely tried to speak Dutch all day. You can make a rewards card: after 5 stickers, your child gets to choose what you do together at the weekend. That links something fun to language skills and keeps motivation high.
5. Stay consistent, but flexible: Regularity helps, for example a Dutch moment every Wednesday afternoon, but don’t be too strict either. Is a certain activity not landing? Try something else. The goal is for your child to enjoy the language. By staying open to what your child likes (one loves stories, the other apps or sports), you can build on that. A Dutch game today, maybe just a nice chat in Dutch during a walk tomorrow. Everything counts!

Online learning and home education: 3 modern solutions

Picture this: your child sits at the kitchen table with a laptop open, you’re pottering around nearby, and Dutch is coming from the screen. Your child is reading a story aloud to grandma over video.

Thanks to technology and the flexibility of Dutch for Kids, learning becomes something that fits into the life of expat families, right between breakfast and playing outside. So what modern solutions are out there? Here are 3:

1. The benefits of online Dutch lessons: An online Dutch lesson (via Google Meet or Teams, for example) makes it possible to learn from any location. Ideal for you as an expat: your child learns in their own familiar environment, at times that suit your family. Online lessons are often one-on-one or in small groups, so there is lots of personal attention and your child dares to speak sooner. The interactive tools (digital games, videos and quizzes) make it more fun than working from a book alone.
2. Watch Dutch TV via NPO: I recently heard from a family that had just moved to the Netherlands. They watched the Jeugdjournaal during breakfast via NPO Start. The kids didn’t understand everything, but they did listen. Soon they started repeating little sentences, laughing at jokes and even joining the conversation about the news. It feels like a piece of the Netherlands in your living room, and it does wonders for their feel for the language. Also fun: let your child pick a favorite TV show (Zappelin works well for young children) and talk about it together afterwards. Suddenly watching TV becomes a language moment!
3. Use online communities: Join online groups or forums for expat parents. Parents often share tips there about apps, websites or materials their kids love. You might discover a new educational app or a YouTube channel kids are excited about. It helps to know you’re not alone, and that there are plenty of ways to make learning Dutch fun, wherever you are.

A whole childhood of learning with joy

Whether you’re a Dutch family on an adventure abroad or a newcomer to the Netherlands, the key to learning Dutch is clear: enjoy the learning.

As a parent, you can set the example and create an environment where practicing Dutch feels natural and fun, not like an obligation. I hope the tips in this blog help you get started right away, and turn learning Dutch into a happy, shared experience for your family.

Excited to get going? Make learning even easier and more fun with professional guidance.

Sign up today for an online Dutch lesson that fits your child, or book a free intro call to find out what suits your family best.

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