The ability to read and write Chinese characters is the foundation of learning for older students. However, the process of learning Chinese characters can be a real chore for new readers. One of the best ways to make the process more fun is by using games and interactive activities.

A fun game to teach literacy is “Go Fish,” where word cards are spread on the ground, with their Chinese characters face down. Each child takes a turn fishing one card from the pile and turning it over. If he or she can read the Chinese character, that child has “caught a fish” and gets to choose the next student to go fishing. For young learners, the cards can have an image of the object on one side and the Chinese character on the other side.

Another fun game is “River Crossing,” in which the kids are one side of a river and a set of Chinese flash cards are laid out on the ground before them in the shape of the river. To cross over, the student must step into the river, turn over a card and read aloud the Chinese word. If successful, the child can cross to the other side. For more advanced students, you can require the students to read aloud more than one card as stones they have to step on to cross the river.

You are very likely already reading picture books with your children. As they start to get older, it can be fun and helpful to purchase books that also have some large text incorporated into the pictures. Treat the text as “sight words,” words that kids can recognize just by looking at them. Make it a game. Start by searching together for a picture of a bird on the page. Then repeat the search, this time looking for the character that represents bird on the page. You can even take turns, with your child challenging you to find the next word!

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