Learning Korean for Kids

Daily Home Immersion

• A young child's brain is like a sponge that can absorb nearly anything you teach him. He learns at least one language by the time he's two years old; so why not two languages? It can happen if you immerse him in both languages during those formative years.

  If you or your spouse speaks Korean, that parent should speak Korean every day while the other speaks English. That will teach your child both languages at once. One parent can read a Korean storybook to him one night at bedtime, and the other can read an English one the next; or you can get a CD of Korean children's songs and all sing together.

  Even if your child is already past the two-year mark, this casual approach to a second language is effective. In fact, if he's older than three, and already speaks English well, both parents can speak Korean to him... as long as they know it.

  But what if neither parent speaks Korean? Try finding a Korean nanny, babysitter or housekeeper who can speak Korean to your child at least once a week. Perhaps there's a Korean church or community club in your area, where you can find someone who wants to learn English from you in exchange for teaching you and your child Korean.

  When you see the Korean language written, it's usually in symbols, based on Chinese. But when you speak it, it's done phonetically. Start with basic words, just as you do with English: "omma" for mother, "oppa" for father, "chin-gu" for friend, "put'ak hamnida" for please and "kamsa hamnida" for thank you. Then add on numbers, letters, and body parts. When you give your child a bath, show him his "bal" (toes), "moo-leup" (knees), "uh-kae" (shoulders), "muh-lee" (head), "koe" (nose) and "eep" (mouth).

  How about Korean dinner at least once a week? Get a Korean cookbook and try some traditional dishes like deep fried shrimp, fried rice, and bean sprout soup.

Korean Resources for Kids

• If you or somebody you know can't teach your child Korean directly, there are books and CD programs you can get to do it for you, such as "Teach Me Korean For Children." Chances are he'll learn by going through the books and listening to the CDs by himself; however, he'll learn a lot more if you do the program with him, interactively. Even if the book is written in Korean characters, you'll find phonetic translations and definitions so you can more easily read it to him, and help him understand.

  To turn learning into a special event, consider choosing a certain "Korean Time" each day to discover the language together. You may also want to sign your child up for lessons to learn a Korean martial art, like Tae Kwon Do or Hapkido, to enhance the language learning experience.

Korean Language Programs for Adults

• If you'd like to learn the language yourself before teaching it to your child, this is the best time to do it. There are lots of Korean language programs available for adults, like Rosetta Stone and Rocket Languages, and you can also buy a Korean-English dictionary or a college-level Korean textbook. All you need to do is stay a few steps ahead of your child, and you'll be able to teach him the language just as you learned it yourself.

  Whichever method you choose to teach your child Korean, adding some games to the procedure will make it fun inside of a chore. For instance, Chang-gi is a Korean version of chess that has a slightly different board, rules, and pieces that look more like checkers in varied sizes. It can take years to become very skilled at this game, but the basics can be picked up quite easily. Paduk is another checkers-like game that's very popular in Korea. If you have more people to play, Yut Nori is a game played with four sticks, four people, and a board that has a rectangular path surrounding an X-shaped path.

  Get creative with it, and your child will be learning Korean, and having fun with it, in no time!