When I received my copy of Baby’s First Words in Chinese, I could not wait to pop in the CD. Learning a new language opens up exciting opportunities and gives you a richer way to experience other cultures. However, most adults, myself included, struggle with learning and pronouncing words in languages other than their native tongue. Children, however, are born with a remarkable facility for language.
Because I want Baby Diva to enjoy a full sensory exploration of her world, I searched for foreign language CDs right after she was born. I found very few selections that integrated spoken word tracks with songs–and far fewer that did not drive me up a wall when I listened. We’ve enjoyed Baby’s First Steps in Spanish for many months, so I was very excited to hear about the release of this new Chinese learning CD.
Baby’s First Words in Chinese includes fun rhymes and enjoyable traditional and original songs with relatively decent production values. There are 50 tracks, each geared to one of Baby’s stages of verbal development, so you will certainly not run out of material.
Fascinating studies suggest that all babies are born with the ability to distinguish between each sound in every human language. Very quickly, however, babies begin to discard sounds they do not hear from their listening vocabulary. Even brief early contact, the earlier the better, will allow a baby to preserve those syllables much later in life, for more proficient speech and understanding.
Whenever I play Baby’s First Words in Chinese for Baby Diva, she perks right up and bops along. She laughs out loud as I try to imitate the native speakers on the CD. This is how learning should be for babies–engaging and enjoyable!
The CD also comes with an excellent booklet that makes fascinating reading about the mechanics of how babies acquire language and provides helpful tips for parents.
I have a slight preference for the Spanish version, because I am able to sing along and re-learn the language. However, the new Chinese release has also become a popular playtime soundtrack in our household.
By exposing your baby to a foreign language, you are setting the stage for future language learning. Baby’s First Words is an excellent introduction to the sound of an additional language. Of course, do not expect baby to bust out in full Mandarin sentences–although if you keep playing the CD, you may find your toddler doing just that!
Of the many I have tested, Baby’s First Steps / Words is the best foreign language series available for babies.
You can get Baby’s First Steps from Amazon:
- Baby’s First Words in Chinese
- Baby’s First Steps in Spanish
- Baby’s First Steps in French
- Baby’s First Steps in Italian
