Patisseries, the Eiffle tower, the Louvre…during World Love Wednesday this month we will be travelling to France! Vale found the Madeline books at the library the last time we were there, and she was immediately swept away by the story, as well as the city it takes place. So we’re taking advantage of that interest.
Books
Being that we are social-distancing right now, and all of the libraries are closed, I was at the mercy of books we have in our home and ones available in our library’s digital download collection. This month we will be using a mix of French stories, books about France, and stories set-in France.
French Stories
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
This classic is a favorite book for my husband and I, so the board book version served as a fun way to introduce out littles to this treasure.
Beauty and the Beast (Bella y la Bestia)
Beauty and the Beast was originally written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. It has been told and retold over the centuries, and there are various versions across Europe. We have a Spanish version of the story from Usborne that we read daily.
Books About France
This fun book shows children all the shapes of Paris. From the triangle Louvre to the Oval fountain of Versailles. Give your little one a taste of Paris with this sweet primer.
Books Set-in France
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Madeline is a classic story loved by many children. 12 little girls living in Paris, the littlest one: Madeline. Vale recently discovered these books at the library, and they instantly gave her a desire to travel to Paris.
Anatole by Eve Titus
Anatole is a little mouse who lives in Paris. Normally, he gets his food like all nice: sneaking food. Until one night he hears people talking about how awful mice are! Find out what job Anatole makes for himself in this fun book.
Maya’s World: Renée Marie of France by Maya Angelou
Renée Marie is a tall girl in Paris. Follow along with her as her class takes a trip to the Eiffle Tower.
Food
Anyone that has seen the movie Ratatouille is familiar with the famous dish for which it’s name. Ratatouille is a favorite film over here, so we had to give this dish a taste. French cuisine is famous around the world! So we really can’t learn about France without exercising our taste buds. We will be using a Simple Ratatouille Recipe I found at Tasty.com.
Movies
There are quite a few movies for children set-in France. These are a few of our favorites that give little ones a taste of Paris and French culture.
This movie is a favorite over here. Inspired by the book by Antoine de Saint-Expuréy, this is a fun introduction for learners of all ages.
I grew up with the Madeline animated series, so imagine my joy when I found the Madeline Animate Movie in Spanish on YouTube! Journey with Madeline and her friends to the Louvre and the Eiffle Tower. Your little one may even learn a bit of French along the way.
As I mentioned above, this Pixar film is a favorite over here. This is a fun way to introduce your child to the joy of French cuisine.
Language Learning
Language learning does not have to be a chore. Bilingual music can be a big help when introducing your little one (or yourself) to a new language. I found 2 bilingual French albums on Spotify that we have been loving: Magic French for Kids and Fun French for Kids. Both albums are by Beth Manners, and they make learning French fun! Also, because all the learning is in song, the lessons stick. I really could not be more excited about finding these gems.
Music
Music is always an easy and fun was to introduce little ones to new languages. Even if they don’t understand the words, everyone can enjoy fun music and rhythms. Alain Le Lait and Remi Guichard are just fun kids bands in French. CEP Kidz is a YouTube channel with all of your favorite Hillsong Kids music in French! If your family are Hillsong Fans, you will LOVE this channel.
Prayer
Finally, we will be praying for France. We pray that the people of France would know the Lord’s love and be drawn into relationship with Him. Amen.
Baby Devotions 