Dutch children as teachers — one of the most underused resources available to expat parents and adults living in Dutch-speaking communities. Dutch children speak naturally, at appropriate speed for their age, about concrete and relatable topics, and they are remarkably patient with adults who are learning. If you have children in a Dutch school, their homework, schoolbooks, and conversations are excellent Dutch learning resources.
Strategies for learning Dutch through children: (1) Read Dutch children’s books aloud together — you learn, they practice literacy. (2) Watch Dutch children’s television with the child: Sesamstraat (Sesame Street in Dutch), Bassie en Adriaan, Pippi Langkous, Sinterklaasjournaal (December tradition). (3) Ask the child to explain Dutch words or phrases they use at school — children are often delighted to be the expert. (4) Play Dutch board games together: Scrabble in Dutch, Wie is het? (Guess Who?), Koehandel.
The psychological benefit: learning Dutch alongside your child removes adult perfectionism from the equation. Children make constant errors without embarrassment; being a co-learner with a child normalizes error-making and reminds you that language acquisition is a gradual, natural process. Dutch children’s language is also authentically Dutch — not simplified or formal — and provides excellent models of natural phrasing, diminutives, and colloquial expression.