The Importance of Learning Another Language in Early Years Through Play
Travelling is increasingly getting easier and as time goes by a person speaking several languages will become an even bigger asset in work and play. Make sure you give your child the chance to learn French at an early age. Children have this wonderful ability to learn and retain information. The brain will not differentiate between learning English, French, and Maths etc. Ronald Kolulak says of preschool years: ‘During this period and especially the first eight years of life, the foundation of thinking for language, vision, attitude, aptitude and other characteristics are laid down'.

Healthy Mental Growth
Proven research in the last few years show that the child's overall mental development will be increased. This extra knowledge will give more self-esteem, confidence, better reasoning skills and a greater comprehension of the cultural world around them as well as seeing things from a different angle. Learning a second language will also enhance vocabulary.

By the age of eight years old a child's brain will have built up 1000 trillion brain connections and if not stimulated they will gradually reduce to 500 trillion and the window for learning languages closes. According to Dr Harry Chugani a Detroit paediatric neurologist, foreign language learning should begin in preschool years.

Act Now
These points should be recognised and the opportunity not missed by giving our children the chance to learn when it is easiest for them to do so. Do not wait for this window to close before teaching our children a second language. When our children enter Secondary Education everything around them is new – new school, teachers, classrooms, friend and subjects, including a second language. It is frightening and daunting to them. If we can minimise the transition from Primary to Secondary education by introducing foreign language studying when it is easier for them, then this chance should not be missed.

Difficult and Worth it!
Learning a foreign language is difficult but if you introduce it at an earlier age through games, songs, colouring, videos and anything else that may trigger the child's sense of fun this will encourage them to learn and the window of language learning will not have been missed. Once the pattern is established foreign language will be associated as a good thing to do, by the young learner.