Creating Themes in French for Preschoolers

From LoveToKnow French

Creating themes in French for preschoolers is very similar to creating preschool themes in English. The trick is to pick themes that lend themselves to games, songs, activities and crafts that preschool children will enjoy.

Ideas for French Preschool Themes

Simple Guide to Creating Themes in French for Preschoolers

Preschool children typically have limited reading skills and may not even recognize the alphabet. Common ways to teach children French in first, second or third grade may not work for preschoolers. Certain ideas and concepts, however, can still be applied to lessons for these young students.

Choose Activities Children Enjoy

When creating themes in French for preschoolers, build the lesson around activities you know the children already enjoy. If your class loves to sing and dance, focus on music to introduce the lesson. If your students are budding artists, break out the crayons and finger paint. Most preschool children cannot focus for more than short blocks of time, so create short, repetitive lessons rather than long ones.

Choose a Familiar Theme to Teach French Vocabulary

Pick a theme preschoolers are already familiar to help them learn quickly. Some themes you may want to try include:

  • Colors in French: Introduce the French word alongside the English words for colors. Use flashcards, crayons, or pictures. Hold up the picture and ask the students, "What color is this?" When they respond, "Red", teach them the French word "Rouge." Repeat the exercise with other colors until you have spoke the French words at least once. Then shuffle the cards and repeat. Ask the students to say the French word first. Mix up the game and have children point to colors in the room that are rouge, blanc, vert, etc. Develop this theme using art activities, crafts and other activities.
  • Animals: Most children love animals. If your preschool classroom has animal toys such as plastic farm animals, develop lessons that teach children the names of the animals in French. Create an animal theme. Teach children how animals sound in French, then hand out paper plates and have the children color and draw animal masks. During playtime, children can hold up the masks and call out to one another the name of the animal in French and respond with the appropriate animal noises. Develop out the animal theme to talk to the children about where animals live and what they eat, introducing French vocabulary and phrases where appropriate.
  • Explorers: Develop a "young explorers" theme for your budding French students. Decorate the classroom as a jungle or another theme. Introduce the names of various toys and items. Hide the items around the room and ask the young explorers to find them. When explorers find the toys, they get to keep them if they know the name in French.
  • Sports: Sports themes can encompass vocabulary as well as grammar. Teach children not just the words for sports, but words for running, jumping, throwing and more.
  • French Numbers: Preschoolers are usually already familiar with the sequence of numbers one through ten. Teach them the corresponding French numbers for a fun and easy way to incorporate French vocabulary.

Other Fun Themes

There are many other potential themes to teach children French culture as well as vocabulary. Some ideas for preschool children include:

  • French cooking: Simple recipes prepared in class or samples of French food can teach youngsters the delights of French cuisine as well as French food vocabulary. Expand this activity to include kitchen-related words and tasks.
  • Music: Play samples of French music for children. Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals is a delightful classical music piece that interprets animal sounds and motions through the orchestra's music. Children delight in guessing the animal, and this can tie into the overall animal theme of a preschool classroom. You could also incorporate songs by famous French Musicians or even the French National Anthem.
  • Holidays: American as well as French holidays can be explored and used as a thematic springboard in the preschool classroom. Teach easy French holiday sayings for several holidays, or theme a unit around a specific holiday. Père Noël and Christmas stories and music create wonderful opportunities for French instruction, as well as other holidays.

Whatever you do, don't overwhelm your little learners with too much, too soon. Keep the curriculum fun and engaging so that children develop a lifelong love of all things French.

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