Ideas for Outdoor Learning: Taking Chinese Lessons Beyond the Classroom for kids

Step outside the classroom into nature’s embrace. Learning Chinese can be an adventure, especially for children in non-Chinese environments. Let’s discover how outdoor experiences can make Mandarin lessons exciting. Here are some ideas for you:

Nature-themed Chinese Vocabulary Hunts

Take your kids to a nearby park or nature reserve and have them search for and identify objects in nature while learning their Chinese names. Create scavenger hunts or bingo cards with Chinese characters representing various items like trees, flowers, animals, and insects.

Outdoor Chinese Calligraphy

Set up stations in a park with materials for Chinese calligraphy such as brushes, ink, and rice paper. Teach students basic Chinese characters and encourage them to practise writing outdoors, surrounded by nature.

Chinese Language Immersion Camps

Organise weekend or week-long camps in natural settings where children can engage in various outdoor activities while being immersed in the Chinese language. Activities could include hiking, camping, storytelling around a campfire, and singing Chinese songs. Kids can also have Chinese sports such as kick shuttlecock game, badminton, diabolo yoyo, and so on.

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Outdoor Storytelling and Drama

Utilise outdoor spaces for storytelling sessions where students act out Chinese folktales or traditional stories. They can dress up in costumes and use props found in nature to enhance the experience.

Nature-based Language Games

Create games that combine language learning with outdoor exploration. For example, a game where students have to describe the characteristics of plants or animals they find using Chinese vocabulary, or a game of “I Spy” where students must find and describe objects in Chinese.

Outdoor Chinese Cooking Classes

Teach students how to prepare simple Chinese dishes using outdoor cooking methods like grilling or campfire cooking. Incorporate Chinese vocabulary related to food and cooking into the lessons while enjoying the outdoor setting.

Chinese food flashcards

Tai Chi and Qigong Classes

Introduce students to the principles of Tai Chi and Qigong in a peaceful outdoor setting such as a garden or park. Teach them basic movements and vocabulary associated with these practices while connecting with nature.

Field Trips to Chinese Gardens or Cultural Centers

Take students on field trips to local Chinese gardens or cultural centres where they can learn about Chinese traditions, history, and language in an outdoor setting. Activities could include guided tours, cultural workshops, and interactive exhibits.

Outdoor Language Exchange with Native Chinese Speakers

Arrange outdoor language exchange sessions where students can practise their Chinese language skills with native speakers in natural settings such as parks or botanical gardens. This provides an authentic language learning experience while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors.

Environmental Awareness Projects

Incorporate environmental education into Chinese lessons by engaging students in outdoor projects such as planting Chinese herbs or vegetables in a school garden, creating bilingual signs for nature trails, or participating in clean-up efforts in local parks while using Chinese language to discuss environmental issues.

Gardening- Plants Chinese Learning Pack for Kids

Nature and language blend seamlessly outdoors. For children, every moment in nature is a chance to learn Mandarin in a fun and unforgettable way.

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