Seven Fun Language Learning Activities To Save Your Brain (with Free Urdu Game)

Read this in: اردو (Urdu)

Ditching screens is getting harder with the pandemic going strong. I get how boring it can be to look for screen-free activities that are engaging, educational, and definitely fun (for mom and dad too!). Bonus if they help them learn your second language.

So fear not! I have gathered a list of seven fun language learning activities to help your kids learn another language in an enjoyable way.

Listen to the Urdu post

*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links so if you click on them and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Old games with a new fun twist

One day I came up with an idea to make our games more interactive. We involved the grandparents as well. Before we knew it, the kids were begging to play online with them and insisted on chatting with them in Urdu too.

So win-win in my opinion.

In fact, that inspired me so much that I made a printable Urdu version of Snakes and Ladders (complete with a printable Dice and players) that you can download from the resource library and start playing right away. Have the grandparents join in too!

All you have to do is make sure you are subscribed to my newsletter. After you confirm your email, you will receive the password to access all my current and future uploads.

Tag me on instagram with #urdukacove and #saanpseeri so I can follow you too.

I am also uploading an Urdu version of a popular game we used to play as kids. Just click on the download button below. (It has instructions in both English and Urdu)

Enjoy!

Invite kids to play a Board game with their grandparents

Help your kids arrange a game night full of fun. The key here is to choose a simple one. So here are my recommendations.

Four in a Row

We started with (affiliate link) ” class=”rank-math-link”>Four in a Row

To play in Urdu/ your home language

• Each player chooses the color they want.
• Set the game so the slots are easy to see from the side for your kids and their grandparents on the device.
• Label the slots clearly. I used Washi tape that will not damage the frame, and you can write over it with a marker.
• Take turns putting your color (Red or Yellow) pieces in the numbered slot
• Whoever gets four in a row first wins!
• *Optional* you can label rows with alphabet or numbers and ask the kids to speak in Urdu /your language while playing to make it more challenging. Extra bonus is that if they win, they have to recite an Urdu poem or say I win in Urdu (Mein jeet gaya/gayi!)
• Teaches: Hand-eye coordination, pattern recognition and taking turns, identifying numbers, and following instructions.

Pete the Cat the Missing Cupcakes game

This is a simple game designed for kids who cannot read yet.

You can play with the kids versus grandparents or pick your own teams.

Idea is that they have to land on different cards which ask them to do different things.

For example, it may be a quiz card that has a picture of a shoe on it. They have to make the other players guess what is on the card without saying its name.

Instead of using English, you tell them they have to use Urdu to make their grandparents guess what is drawn on it. This has been a very engaging game and led to lots of vocabulary building as well in Urdu.

Teaches: Hand-eye coordination, gross motor skills, counting , picture recognition, imaginative play, taking turns, following instructions, letter recognition

Storytime with Grandparents

This is also a popular activity. Although sadly, Urdu storybooks are not widely available so I have learned to improvise till I can write a few of my own (because that’s what Mama’s end up doing anyway!).

For the time being, we are doing books that we got from Pakistan and those are not available online easily. If you have someone in Pakistan, you could get them delivered there, and then get them shipped over.

So with the grandparents, it is either reading one of those or asking them to make them up from their imagination. But kids are definitely into listening to those.

Felt Boards for story time

I have used Felt board with shapes to make up random stories that are brief and just help my younger one get more into it. I saw the library here use them a lot.

If you are crafty, they are not hard to make. I am adding a link to a post that mentions 14 different types that you could make.

Sadly the one with simple shapes that I got is not available right now. I even took it on the plane to keep her engaged. *Nostalgia*

I got a few sets of felt characters from an Etsy shop that I will link here. The Red Riding Hood story is pictured above.

Here is a felt board with some elements. Baby Felt story board

You can get the felt from the dollar store as well, although they feel more plastic-like.

Here is the link for amazon to buy felt pieces.. You can use these to make your own felt pieces as well.

Use simple puppets as a storytelling character

I know that using hand puppets to tell the story takes skill and practice but it can be done and you can put up your own puppet show, with the cutest audience.

This is the one we have. We named her Murghi Begum Halal. (Not joking!)

All the story telling activities teach : imaginative play, vocabulary building, motor skills and hand eye coordination (whenever physical items are being used)

Guess the name

This is a fairly simple game.

Simply write down a list of five to ten items on a piece of paper that are commonly found in your house and the kids are familiar with.

Then you close your eyes and randomly pick one object.

As soon as you say the name, the kids have to go find that object and either bring it back to you (if small) or just touch it and return to you.

Bonus point is if they can name the Urdu alphabet that the object starts with.

Here is a quick list to get you started

• Table (Maiz)
• Chair (Kursi)
• Spoon (Chamach)
• Fork (Kaanta)
• Pillow (Takiya)
• Carpet (Qaleen)
• A plant (Pauda)
• Curtain (Parda)
• Door (Darwaza)
• Window (Khirki)

You can change the list or even repeat some item. Kids will enjoy it, trust me!

Snakes and Ladders

This is another classic one that gets kids and adults excited. It is also known as Chutes and ladders in US.

I put in a lot of effort and made an Urdu Version of this game that you can find in the Resource Library for free.

It has the game as a printable (sized for regular paper 8.5x11inches)

It also has a page with the playing pieces and another one with a dice. You just need a pencil and a paperclip to use it.

All of these pages are in English and Urdu, which I consider to be a labor of love. My daughter couldn’t stop playing it when I made this.

Tips on how to use this game

I recommend one of these methods to help you get the most out of it:

• Print it on sturdy Cardstock (called chart paper in Pakistan) so it is more sturdy. This is the one I have and use for multiple crafts, including card making, etc
• You can either laminate the printout using lamination pouches and a laminator or you can use self-laminating sheets which can be quite handy for future dry-erase activities as well.
• Personally, I have used both, and honestly, the laminator was more useful for me. It can be used for foiling as well as a bonus.
• If you are not ready to invest in that, another alternative is dry-erase pockets. I LOVE LOVE LOVE these! They are so multipurpose and you can use them around the house. Dollar tree is supposed to carry them but I never seem to be able to find them there.
• Another idea is to paste it on a piece of cardboard or foam board that you can easily find at dollar tree for one buck. Again, the leftovers from that big sheet come in handy for other crafts.

Bonus Free game

But before you go there, I want you to click on the button below for a free printable that you can use to help your kids learn Urdu alphabet and play a beloved school game that we all remember playing.

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I cannot wait for you to get started with these. Which one do you like the best? Comment below.

Read this in: اردو (Urdu)