Finding the right tools to help children learn Mandarin can be a challenge for many parents and educators. For younger children, finding the right resources for children is highly essential to spark interest and improve memory retention. Given how easy it is now to access different resources, there are a lot of alternatives available to help children learn Mandarin better. One highly effective and enjoyable method is using Chinese picture books for kids. Within this article, we will discuss how Chinese picture books can help your children learn Mandarin and where to find the best Chinese picture books for kids. 

Picture books are more than simple story lines, it is one of the most effective learning tools that you can utilize to help your children learn Mandarin. Research shows that picture books are highly promoted for kindergarten and elementary school students that are learning Mandarin as their second language. The use of Chinese picture books can help boost language learning an engaging way for the following reasons: 

1. Includes appealing visuals – As its name suggests, picture books are often filled with lively visuals to attract and maintain children’s interest. With its eye-catching illustrations, Chinese picture books will not only help keep Mandarin learning engaging, but also support word recognition by incorporating easy to recognize visuals. 
2. Engaging narrative – Narration is an important part in Chinese picture books. This type of media usually serves compelling yet simple stories that can be understood perfectly by children.  
3. Short, bite-sized contents – Children’s attention spans are often shorter, thus bite-sized contents are perfect to keep interest while helping them learn Mandarin. Usually, Chinese picture books only contain a few lines with appealing illustrations, making it perfect for children to digest. 

Chinese picture books are designed to help children learn Mandarin. This method of learning is proven effective to introduce new vocabularies and provide context on how to use the newly learned words in daily conversation. To help children learn effectively with Chinese picture book, it is important to follow steps that can maintain enjoyment while fulfilling its educational value:

1. Let Children Acknowledge the Chinese Picture Books
   Before reading the book, try giving time for your children to get familiar with the learning resources. Let them read the title and go through the illustrations to have a better grasp of the tools used to learn Mandarin.
2. Read and Translate Together
   Reading aloud is highly encouraged to help your children understand pronunciation while enhancing their listening skills. As you read the Chinese picture books, try translating it to let children understand the context as you go through the story.
3. Point Out New Vocabulary
   Pointing out new vocabulary words are essential in learning Mandarin as new vocabulary will expand your children’s knowledge on how to converse. Let them point out new words and try guessing the meaning to encourage further engagement while learning Mandarin.
4. Repeat to Increase Fluency
   After finishing the book, encourage your children to repeat the book by themselves. Try asking them to read aloud, as you have done before, to help improve their fluency and confidence in speaking Mandarin.

With the number of Chinese picture books available for kids, it can be overwhelming to choose the right resources that are both educational and enjoyable. To help you find the best Chinese books to help your children learn Mandarin, here are a few recommendations to consider!

• Cognition Audio Books for Children (会说话的早教有声书)
  This book is suitable for children who have just started learning Mandarin as a second language. With interactive buttons that will produce audio in both English and Mandarin, this book covers around 12 different common topics to learn. Targeted mainly for preschool, cognition audio books can help children learn basic vocabulary and pronunciation.

• I Don’t Compare (我不攀比)
  Targeted mainly for preschool children, this book follows the story of a bunny that feels upset after seeing how its friends have better toys and clothes. Throughout the story, the little bunny learns to not compare itself with others. With a simple storyline, this book is intended to help children build self confidence and contentment in oneself.

• The Little Match Girl (卖火柴的小女孩)
  The little match girl is a classical tale by Hans Christian Andersen. This tragic story follows a little girl that sells matches during Christmas Eve. As the temperature gets colder, the little girl ends up freezing to death. With an interactive three-dimensional structure, this book is suitable for children who prefer having engaging and interactive stories.

• The Boy Who Cried Wolf (狼来了)
  This book is another popular story across the world. Telling the tale of a young shepherd, who repetitively trick the villagers into believing that his sheep have been eaten by a wolf. As the story progresses, the villagers begin losing trust in the shepherd and do not believe him once the wolf actually shows up. With an interactive three dimensional structure, this story also serves a great example of the importance of honesty and trust among one another.

• My Dad is a Hero
  Focusing on a child’s perspective of their father, this book is suitable for primary students. The story focuses on how a child sees their father as a hero in everyday life, emphasizing the growing bond between them.

Finding quality Chinese picture books might be a challenge for parents who are not familiar with similar literature. With how easy it is to access many different platforms, it is of utmost importance to find trusted places to search for your Chinese picture books. Here are a few places to get your best Chinese picture books for kids. 

• Offline bookstore
  Simple yet resourceful, offline bookstore remains as the most popular option to find trustworthy Chinese picture books. To get a wide selection of Chinese picture books, try visiting bookstores that offer books from different languages.

• Online shop
  Offline bookstores might be very limited if you are aiming for high quality Chinese picture books. If offline bookstores are not available around your area, another quick alternative that you can try is looking through online shops. With how accessible it is, online shops usually offer more options that you may not be able to find elsewhere. Browse and order the best Chinese picture books for kids here!

• Library and educational centres
  Library and educational centres are two options that offer free-to-borrow Chinese picture books that can be utilized to help your kids learn Mandarin. However, collections in libraries can be limited, especially if Mandarin is not a primary language used around your environment. In this situation, altering to educational centres might be the right option for you to try. Educational centres, especially those who offer Mandarin lessons, will not only provide the best Chinese picture books, but also offer courses that can help your kids learn Mandarin in an effective way.

• Digital application
  If your kids are old enough to learn through devices, digital applications such as Pleco, Du Chinese, and iHuman Books can be a great option to start. Digital applications will not only provide different selections of Chinese picture books, but also provide audio files and translations to help your kids with pronunciation and mastering vocabulary.

The best Chinese picture books for kids offer far more than just stories; they provide immersive learning experiences that introduce vocabulary, sentence structure, pronunciation, and cultural context. This learning method will not only provide reading skills, but also speaking skills as they read the story aloud. To learn more about how to incorporate Chinese picture books as your learning resources, visit us and understand more about our available Mandarin courses.