Discover Devanagari, Strengthen Language Roots and Celebrate Linguistic Diversity!
As someone deeply invested in the linguistic journey of my 3- and 5-year-olds, teaching them Hindi and the Devanagari script alongside English from the time they were born, I have experienced the profound impact of the power of early language exploration through play.
With that in mind, I’m excited to share FREE resources starting with "Holi with Hindi: Color the Vowels" - large, simple yet mindfully designed printables with an English phonetic guide, aimed at setting a strong foundation for bilingualism by engaging with the Devanagari script and celebrating linguistic diversity!
These printables are just the beginning, with more focused on consonants and other resources to come, building a comprehensive path to creatively engage with the Devanagari script. Here are some activities tailored for preschoolers and kindergarteners, designed for families and educators, to make the most of this FREE resource. Download it here!
For Hindi-Speaking Families:
- Daily Vowel Focus: Dedicate each day to exploring a new vowel with your child, discussing its sound, and identifying objects or words around the house that feature this sound. This reinforces the connection between spoken and written Hindi.
- Create a Story: Use the vowels as characters in a story, imagining adventures that revolve around their shapes and sounds. This not only strengthens language skills but also fosters creativity and a deeper bond with the script.
For English-Speaking and Multicultural Families:
- Exploring Linguistic Diversity: Use the printables to highlight how different scripts represent similar sounds. Discuss the phonetic guide's English equivalent sounds and compare them with their Devanagari counterparts, enhancing phonics understanding and introducing the concept of linguistic diversity.
- Cultural Craft Day: Combine coloring with learning about Indian culture. As your child colors each vowel, share a fact about India, linking the language exploration with cultural exploration.
For Educators
- Interactive Classroom Gallery: Create a classroom gallery of colored vowels, encouraging students to contribute by coloring a vowel and presenting a word that uses that sound. This can be an ongoing project that celebrates diversity and language learning.
- Language Exploration Corner: Set up a corner with resources about the Hindi language and Indian culture, including the vowel printables. This can serve as an interactive learning station for students to explore at their own pace.
Activities Across Groups
- Vowel Sound Hunt: Organize a scavenger hunt for items that start with or contain the specific vowel sounds. This activity can be adapted for home or classroom settings and tailored to each child's language proficiency level.
- Multisensory Tracing and Coloring: Encourage tracing the Devanagari vowels with fingers, sand, rice, or playdough. This tactile activity supports fine motor skills and letter recognition, valuable for learners across all backgrounds. Imagine what each vowel would look like if they were to play Holi!
- Feedback and Future Exploration: As we look forward to introducing consonant printables and more Devanagari script focused resources, your feedback is invaluable. Share your experiences, insights, and suggestions to help me make these resources even more engaging and educational for you and your family.
The journey of language exploration is as diverse and colorful as the festival of Holi itself. Through "Holi with Hindi: Color the Vowels," my children and I would love to see what you create.Share your journey and creations with us using #DiscoveringDevanagari, #HoliWithHindi and tagging @brooklynbiharn on social media. You can also email me your creations using the contact information.
Together, let’s nurture a generation of children who are proud of their linguistic and cultural roots and are also curious, inclusive and empowered explorers of the rich tapestry of our words and worlds.
Grab the FREE Printables here!