Children are naturally curious, so tapping into that curiosity to teach Hindi to children online or face-to-face is sure to generate enthusiasm! With so many different approaches available for teaching Hindi online or face-to-face, there are sure to be ways that keep them engaged while they’re learning!
Utilize interactive resources like fun games and vibrant flashcards. In addition, printable worksheets and activities such as letter tracing are also available to strengthen handwriting skills.
1. Shared Reading Time
Shared reading is an engaging, interactive experience centered on reading aloud from the text in groups. Teachers can demonstrate effective reading strategies for emerging readers while children have opportunities to discuss and interpret narratives through this process. It also allows teachers to provide them with the vocabulary and context they will need in order to comprehend reports more fully.
We found strong associations between verbal participation and later narrative listening comprehension. However, these correlations were partially mediated by children’s open questions as well as story group-level variables like cognitive engagement, shared reading times, and literal responses.
Notably, frequency and total durations of children’s verbal participation were positively correlated to teacher-directed open questions and literal responses, suggesting that although teachers can increase children’s opportunities to talk, they cannot guarantee participation from every child. This finding mirrors previous research in India (Kalia & Vagh 2008; Pandith et al. 2022), which found wide variations between socioeconomic strata children regarding engagement with storybook reading (Kalia & Vagh 2008; Pandith et al. 2022); therefore, teachers need to be flexible when encouraging participation within story group activities.
2. Puppet Play
Puppet play is an effective way to develop motor skills. Whether using whole-body puppets or just hand/finger puppets, puppet play on the floor allows children to practice these essential motor skills while engaging them in engaging stories using pictures in storybooks as prompts or general chitchat about what they see happening in them.
Puppetry is an art form that integrates elements from literature, painting, sculpture, music, theatre, and dance into one form of expression. An ancient tradition dating back centuries before written drama or any written words existed at all, puppetry attempts to mimic God’s act of creation out of nothing – some early puppets, such as those found in Liege, Belgium, had no legs at all!
Rajasthan is home to an ancient art known as Kathputli puppetry, still practiced today by an individual or community called Kathputli Puppeteers. These delightful string puppets come alive when performed alongside traditional music, including dholak (double-headed drum) and Sarangi (bowed string instrument). Performances often take place at street festivals or fairs during open-air shows.
3. Go to the Zoo
Going to the zoo can be an excellent way for children to gain knowledge about wildlife, habitats, and conservation. In Hindi, a zoo is known as either “Chiriaghar” or “Pashu Vihar.” Chirikar usually refers to an aviary section within a zoo, while pashu Vihar encompasses aquarium or marine animal enclosures that house Crustaceans such as Prawns Crabs, Lobsters, Mollusks, Oysters, Clams, as well as corals.
These resources cover an array of topics, ranging from worksheets and games to display materials and challenging activities. Use a beautiful booklet to assist children with weather vocabulary development or make flashcards of the star attraction when learning the Hindi alphabet!
The Zoo also organizes an annual book drive to aid local families who require books and basic supplies, with families being invited to donate gently used children’s books in Hindi (or another language they enjoy reading) so the organization can distribute them among those at risk of hunger. Bollywood celebrities have joined them in supporting this initiative, which has given thousands of children access to books they would have been unable to afford otherwise. For more information about their program, visit their website here.
4. Colouring in
Coloring is an enjoyable activity for children of all ages that helps them to learn their alphabet and Hindi letters, whether at home or school. Coloring can make learning fun and engaging! It provides one way of making sure a child’s experience in learning becomes enjoyable and memorable.
Hindi () is part of the Indo-Iranian family and is used as the native or second language by more than 425 million Indians; 120 million use it as a second language alongside English in India’s Constitution. It serves as India’s official language alongside English.
Hindustani literature evolved through a process of convergence. It adopted language borrowings from Muslim sources while basing its literary conventions on Sanskrit and Prakrit literature, eventually leading to regional languages being replaced by standard Hindi.
Hindi literature has flourished ever since its initial creation, producing numerous prominent forms: Bhakti (devotional works of Kabir and Raskhan); Srngar (beauty poems by Keshav and Bihari); and Vigatha (epic).
5. Singing
Singing is the practice of producing musical sounds using one’s voice to create sound waves. Someone who sings is known as a singer, and there are various styles of singing available to performers.
Sung Hindi can be an effective teaching tool, helping children memorize vocabulary and grammar more quickly while also being an emotional outlet. Furthermore, singing can be fun for kids of any age! Singing is an integral skill that should help shape creativity and expression – not only will singing help your child, but it may help your entire classroom!
The REC kit provides activities designed to teach the Hindi alphabet in consonant and vowel rhymes, along with dictation texts, evaluation worksheets, and reading texts – making it easier for students to practice the language while building confidence in doing so.
The REC kit can be downloaded for free from the ICDS website. Developed to suit various age groups and learning levels – kindergarten children included – this resource uses Wordnet data in layers, with each layer targeting a different grade level; this allows teachers to target an exact level of abstraction required by their students. Developed in cooperation between IIT Bombay and other Indian institutes.
6. Watching Cartoons
There’s an unjustified misconception that cartoons are bad for children, yet nothing could be further from the truth. Cartoons provide excellent entertainment as well as learning opportunities; shows like Paheli have hidden educational elements, such as street violinist Arun, who teaches children about music and family values.
Watching Bollywood films together can also introduce your children to its language and culture, providing an entertaining introduction. Bollywood is famous for its dramatic stories that will keep their interest. A great Bollywood classic is Snow White: Indian Adaptation, which teaches children friendship and love, while Krrish follows a disabled child who gains superhero powers – an acclaimed film that brought a change in attitudes about disability in India, teaching compassion, tolerance, and understanding amongst audiences of all abilities.
A wide variety of Hindi dubbed shows are also available, such as Peppa Pig and Disney’s live-action Mowgli reimagined version, which are effective ways to introduce children to Hindi without them realizing it! These can help children gain exposure without even realizing what’s happening!
7. Participating in Events
The world is an enormous place, providing endless opportunities to learn new languages. Many schools and cultural centers host events where children can participate in debates, elocutions, and quizzes in Hindi – this will build confidence while broadening vocabulary – plus create a sense of belongingness within this culture and language.
Bring along friends and family who speak Hindi as visitors for dinners and social gatherings – they’d be more than happy to practice speaking the language with them! Even asking them for just five simple words per day will prove effective. Soon enough, you will be amazed at just how much knowledge has been acquired!
Joining online groups of parents and kids learning Hindi together is another fantastic way to encourage your children to acquire this beautiful language, making the experience both enjoyable and encouraging when obstacles arise. Joining such groups can also offer support when things become challenging, providing lifelines when children seem stuck or need encouragement when learning is slow or difficult. This may help your kids to start speaking Hindi as soon as possible!
