Teaching Tagalog Through Play

From the time my husband taught me Mahal Kita -I love you. I knew we would be weaving in more Tagalog as our family grew. When our first child was born I started learning a Tagalog word here and a Tagalog word there - little by little, the language of my husband's culture became used in our every day lives. What started as a few words has since replaced many English words in our home.

We are now a multi-generational household, and my kids have the gift of hearing Tagalog (a few days a week) through their grandparents and when we are on the phone with our family in the Philippines. They get to hear the real and living part of their heritage, outside of books and my teachings.

"We are our kids' first teachers."

So here I am -a non Filipino, learning alongside my children (and hopefully you) the language of Tagalog, and giving them a real window into the culture. I am not an expert! I am a mama, a learner, and someone who believes in learning through curiosity and play.

Since Tagalog is the language spoken in our home, it's where we began - and it's what you'll find throughout Bahay Kids.

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While searching for Tagalog resources for families like ours, I felt there was a bit of a gap. What was available didn't quite match what I was looking for. I wanted something playful, accessible, and something my kids could actually connect with. If I had a difficult time finding it, I figured other families probably did too.

Research backs up what parents may already sense- the best way to teach children a new language is through exposure. And for my kids, the most natural exposure happens through free play and creative, hands-on learning.

bahay

meaning - home, house

The name of this blog - home is where love, language, and culture all begin.

That's exactly the passion behind Bahay Kids. Here you'll find ideas for bringing Tagalog into everyday moments -- through songs, games, stories, and the kind of play your children are already doing.

Bahay Kids will be sharing resources including:

Tagalog songs, videos, creative play ideas, printable lessons, and more to come...

Every blog post here is a step forward - for my family and, I hope, for yours. Families look different. Maybe you're Filipino and want to pass the language to your kids. Maybe, like me, you married into Filipino culture. Maybe your child has a Filipino parent and you're doing your best to honor that part of who they are — even if your family's story looks a little different. Maybe you just love languages and want your kids to have more of the world. However you arrived here, you belong here.

Salamat po - thank you - for joining us here at Bahay Kids