Chinese Characters For Kids – How to teach simple Chinese characters
Do you want to teach your child how to write Chinese characters? Below you will find Chinese characters for kids and tips from a mother who is raising her children to speak Chinese.
Whether your child already speaks Chinese, or is learning Chinese as a second language, these simple Chinese characters will help set down the foundation for learning to write in Chinese. Make sure to print out your free worksheets at the end of the article!
If you haven’t already, make sure to check out our CHINESE FOR KIDS series with lots of free Chinese lessons with printables for kids!
Background about Chinese language
Chinese is the most common spoken language in the world, with over 1 billion global speakers! It is the official language in China and Taiwan, and one of the official languages in Singapore.
The spoken language is tonal, and the written characters are pictorial symbols that represent words.
Traditional Chinese characters are used in countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.
Simplified Chinese characters are used in China, Singapore, and Malaysia.
However, heritage and non-heritage families around the world are interested in giving their children the chance to learn Chinese!
Through language, multilingual kids have a better chance to connect with friends from other cultures, broaden their empathy and perspective of the world, and improve their career opportunities.
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What age should children start to learn Chinese?
The best time to start learning Chinese is now! As with any language, the younger the child, the easier it will be to learn Chinese.
Many language experts agree that language acquisition skills peak during childhood.
In contrast to adults who are hardwired in their native tongue, children have the best chance of acquiring fluency when exposed at a young age.
How can children start to learn Chinese?
Children can learn Chinese from any person who can immerse the child in Chinese language on a regular basis.
Chinese-speaking parents, caregivers, or friends are all potential Chinese teachers for children. Even before children can talk, they are listening to the rhythm and tones of the language through natural conversation.
For younger children, find a native-speaking friend, caregiver (eg, bilingual nanny, au pair), or teacher to engage your child in Chinese.
While playing games, the teacher should speak in Chinese so your child can learn to count to 10 even during hide-and-seek!
Find a teacher who can do fun activities that are relevant to your child’s interests (eg, music, art, sports).
If your children are a little older (from 3yrs) check out the Chinese for Kids language learning series on Bilingual Kidspot where you can find free online lessons with printables to help parents teach kids Chinese at home.
Another option is to enroll in a Chinese immersion school or attend a summer camp abroad so your child has a chance to connect with Chinese-speaking friends.
In addition, Chinese music is a fun way to get children excited about singing and dancing to this beautiful language!
How to introduce Chinese characters for kids
Children become familiar with Chinese characters through reading Chinese children’s books with their parents, caregivers, or teachers.
During story time, point out Chinese characters so that children associate writing with the spoken language.
In addition, Chinese characters should be part of the home environment. For example, label items around the house so your child will see the words whenever he or she is using the item.
You can also display books with the front cover showing so that picture is enticing and the title is visible.
FIND CHINESE BOOKS FOR KIDS HERE
Which Chinese words should children learn first?
Chinese Numbers are a great way to start learning Chinese characters for kids. From 1-10, the Chinese numbers are below (Find pintable here)
一 （yī / 1)
二 （èr / 2)
三 （sān / 3)
四 （sì / 4)
五 （wǔ / 5)
六 （liù / 6)
七 （qī / 7)
八 （bā / 8)
九 （jiǔ / 9)
十 （shí/ 10)
Children can practice counting out loud, such as counting stairs while climbing, counting toys, and counting food before a meal or snack.
You can also go on a nature walk and practice counting trees, rocks, and birds! Hide and seek is also a fun way to practice counting!
Children can practice saying 一， 二， 三 , etc and take turns hiding and counting in Chinese!
See the BKS lesson on Chinese Numbers and counting in Chinese HERE.
Simple Chinese characters for kids
The adjectives 大（dà / big) and 小 (xiǎo / small) are also simple Chinese characters for kids to learn.
These two adjectives are used commonly and consist of only 3 strokes!
Children can practice describing which objects are 大（dà / big) or 小 (xiǎo / small) in the house or outside when playing!
They can also sort toys into piles of 大（dà / big) or 小 (xiǎo / small).
How do children remember Chinese characters?
Chinese characters are sight words that are memorized by frequent exposure. Since children have a short attention span, hands-on experiences can be very effective in helping them remember new words even before learning to write.
Through fun sensory activities, children can engage directly with the Chinese words and are therefore more likely to retain them!
Pre-writing sensory activities can include:
- Painting or coloring simple Chinese characters
- Tracing Chinese characters with beads, blocks, rocks, Legos, buttons, etc
- Molding Chinese characters with play dough
- Creating Chinese characters with yarn or pipe cleaners
- Writing Chinese characters in salt or sand
- Matching games with simple Chinese characters
When teaching kids Chinese characters it may take trial and error to see which way your child learns best. Observation and patience are necessary in order to find the optimal teaching method!
Chinese First Words Printable Activity Templates
To get started teaching Chinese characters for kids, download and print these free, open-ended activity templates!
The templates are intentionally simple, black-and-white. Cartoons and color graphics are excluded so that your child can focus on remembering the new Chinese characters.
- 大（dà / big) and 小 (xiǎo / small) – Block characters and printed characters. Please refer to the above pictures for an example of how to use the template.
- Numbers 1-10 – Block characters and printed characters. Please refer to the above pictures for an example of how to use the template.
In summary, Chinese learning can start now! The sooner your child starts, the easier it will be for them to learn the tones and rhythms of the language. Surround your child with Chinese language by reading Chinese books and listening to Chinese music.
Immerse your child with Chinese characters in the environment and have fun with hands-on, educational activities! Let the Chinese learning adventure begin with Chinese characters for kids, teaching simple Chinese characters. Good luck!
If you are looking for more Chinese resources? Read Next:
- Chinese for Kids Lessons
- Luka Chinese Reading Robot
- Chinese Nursery Rhymes
- Chinese Games for Kids
- Chinese Apps for Kids
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Author: Dr. Betty Choi is a pediatrician, writer, mother of 2 children and creator of CHALK Academy, a website focused on easy-to-DIY, hands-on Chinese activities, and learning resources. Find out more on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest
Julia
What a fun way to teach kids Chinese Numbers! We especially love activity books filled with all kinds of hands-on activities like puzzles, i-spy, coloring games to keep kids engaged. Thank you for sharing this fun approach to learning about numbers.
Julia