December is Learn a Foreign Language Month! There are plenty of reasons to learn a foreign language. According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages language learning supports academic achievement, improved reading abilities, linguistic awareness, and positive attitudes towards other cultures. Adults can get started today with Mango Languages, a great resource free to use with your Charles County Public Library card!

Kids can get started learning a foreign language with these great resources: 

The Everything Kids’ Learning Spanish Book by Laura K Lawless

A collection of fun activities, puzzles, and games to help young English speakers learn basic Spanish words and phrases.

 Muzzy in Gondoland. Spanish Latin American. Level 1. (DVD)

Muzzy is the number one language-learning program for children developed by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Children begin their journey to bilingualism by watching a video story about Muzzy, a lovable extraterrestrial who flies around the universe and makes new friends in the Kingdom of Gondoland. Six video stories and three vocabulary builders for Latin American Spanish.

Dino Lingo: Spanish for Kids (Hoopla) 

Dino Lingo: Spanish for Kids learning program teaches the most common 200 Spanish words and phrases in 6 lessons. Lesson 1 — Let’s Count: Numbers and colors.

Italian for Kids Beginner Level 1, Vol. 1 (Hoopla)

Learn Italian effortlessly! From the leader in language instructional videos for children, Language Tree introduces Italian to kids in a way that engages them from start to finish. Blending 3D animation, sing-along songs, and adorable characters, this video clearly demonstrates useful words and phrases for meeting and greeting, counting, colors and much more.

Bonjour Les Amis! (DVD) 

Moustache, France’s most lovable cat introduces the French language through meeting and greeting friends, singing songs and visiting a magic show.

Dino Lingo: French for Kids (Hoopla)

Dino Lingo French for Kids learning program teaches the most common 200 French words and phrases in 6 lessons. Lesson 1 – Let’s Count: Numbers and colors.

I’m Learning Japanese!: Learn to Speak, Read and Write the Basics by Christian Galan 

Emily, Nico and Teo are sitting on the grass after school, minding their own business, when — unbelievable! — a giant talking fox dressed in a kimono appears. Explaining that he knows magic, speaks 3,000 languages and is respected as a sensei (master), he wonders if the three kids are ready to learn Japanese from him.

Learn Tagalog Words by M J York

Provides useful words, numbers, greetings, and phrases in Tagalog.

Learn Hindi Words by M J York

Provides useful words, numbers, greetings, and phrases in Hindi.

Learn Vietnamese Words by M J York

Provides useful words, numbers, greetings, and phrases in Vietnamese.

Korean For Kids – Season 1 (Hoopla)

Developed by the BBC, MUZZY teaches Korean to children as young as two and up. Employing a natural immersion approach that mimics the way the child learned their first language, MUZZY teaches 1200+ words and concepts through a captivating animated video story across 12 units. Children acquire a functional vocabulary that contributes to true bilingualism as they watch the episodes about the loveable extraterrestrial Muzzy and his friends.

Learn Korean Words by M J York

Provides useful words, numbers, greetings, and phrases in Korean.

Learn Portuguese Words by M J York

Provides useful words, numbers, greetings, and phrases in Portuguese.

German For Kids – Season 1 (Hoopla) 

Developed by the BBC, MUZZY teaches German to children as young as two and up. Employing a natural immersion approach that mimics the way the child learned their first language, MUZZY teaches 1200+ words and concepts through a captivating animated video story across 12 units. Children acquire a functional vocabulary that contributes to true bilingualism as they watch the episodes about the loveable extraterrestrial Muzzy and his friends.

Let’s Say Hello by Giselle Ang 

A board book celebration of diversity and acceptance features a diverse cast of babies and toddlers who reveal how to say “Hello” in twelve different languages.

The Book of Languages: Talk Your Way around the World by Mick Webb 

Did you know that there are nearly 7,000 languages spoken around the world? This book introduces you to a wide variety of different languages to start you off on your language-learning journey. Find out where languages come from and where they are spoken. From Arabic to Zulu, Morse code to whale song, this book is packed with language facts and phrases to help you communicate all around the world. It includes: basic vocabulary and short dialogues to practise, maps and flags to show where languages are spoken and information on non-verbal languages, including sign language.