#Fun Language Learning Activities

[theenglishnook]

The Power and Perils of Learning Through Games

Unlocking Language Proficiency In the dynamic landscape of language acquisition, where immersion and engagement are pivotal, the integration of games into learning environments has emerged as a potent tool. Harnessing the innate human affinity for play, incorporating games into language learning endeavors offers a multitude of benefits that are both scientifically backed and experientially…

[eddis-not-eeddis]

I got an hourly planner and instead of planning out my day, I just write in it if I’ve done something that I’m proud of or that I enjoy, and it’s amazing how much I’ve gotten done lately and how much fun I’ve had now that I’m trying to impress myself.

[labratofthemonth]

fun summer idea to keep yourself sane: learn a lesser known, endangered, critically endangered, or extinct language!

Im currently learning Ainu and it feels cool to be a part of keeping it alive. A great resource i’ve been using is So You Want To Learn A Language, but there are some lesser spoken languages on Drops. (Ex.: Galician, Igbo, Irish, Persian, Samoan, Māori, etc.)

Another resource I really like is LingoHut. It’s free and has lessons for languages like Macedonian, Armenian, Malay, Urdu, etc.

Have fun learning!

スイ　ウヌカラアン　ロ！☻

(p.s. this doesn’t just have to be for the summer! you can learn a language anytime ☻)

[ssoupcup]

Yk when you start to reach the point in a language where you can more or less say general conversation phrases and reactions and its like. Fuck yeah

[habitual-creatures]

UHHHHHHHHH- OKAY SO THAT EXPLAINS EVERY LANGUAGE I'VE EVER WANTED TO LEARN- WELL EXCEPT FOR A FEW. BUT HELLO- UHHHHHHHH-

" The Observer can speak as many languages as he is needed to, including German, Latin, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, and Vietnamese. "

UHHHHHHHHH HELP- NO I'M ALREADY LEARNING 3 LANGUAGES RIGHT NOW, SHUT UP KEVIN SHIFT I'M LEARNING LANGUAGES- I DON'T NEED MORE-

[otiksimr]

I am sitting down on the number block carpet I want to hear about him

Bob is an eldritch monster (I've just been calling their species Worldeaters, I don't have any plans to change the name) that eats planets and rocks in general (Stars too but that's a rare snack).

He was laid on Earth sometime during the end of Precambrian Era. And hatched a year BEFORE the Cambrian Era officially started. His parents kind of just left him there (due to their species they can't exactly stay with him, they do visit sometimes though!) with a babysitter so he wont be completely alone growing up.

Bob's just kind of vibing on Earth until he reaches maturity :)

[english-mace]

1, 12, 32

what are 3 things you’d say shaped you into who you are?

spite, Terry Pratchett, and autism 👌🏻

12. what's some good advice you want to share?

hmm well that really depends so much on to whom, in what context, with what life challenge in front of them. but let's go with: if you're in a situation with some base expectation of politeness (colleagues, classmates, some kind of group activity - ie not 'random stranger being an asshole') and someone does or says something either wildly annoying, stupid, clout-grabbing, or whatever: try to build the habit of responding with some variety of "Interesting. Could you help me understand where you're coming from with that?"

I'm never one to say 'assume good intent' - no, fuck that, the other person really might be gunning for your shift or lazing out of the group project. But performing that openness gives you all the cards. If they didn't realize they were in the wrong, this lets them save face while dialing it back. If they know they're in the wrong, suddenly they have to justify it in plain language in front of others, and it may seem easier to back off than double down. And sometimes? You actually are missing information that means you are in the wrong - if you come in with a temper straight off the bat, you're gonna be real embarrassed real quick.

at the end of the day work/school/community-building is about getting along with others well enough to get what you want - a good grade, a promotion, invitations back to the next d&d night, whatever. being right can come later, when tempers cool.

32. how many tabs do you have open right now?

on this machine? only 11! 5 of which are Ao3, of course.

do not ask about my tablet. it's terrifying. and my work machines are so much worse. I spend my whole dayjob life writing google docs or reviewing other people's google docs, every single tab is so narrow all you can see is that little blue page icon, I regularly declare bankruptcy and have to keep a doc with a list of all the docs I've read/reviewed so I can ctrl-f for things I was mid-reading when the tab reaping urge (or the audible laptop overheat) struck >.>

[lightblueminecraftorchid]

times I feel more in my body:

- exercise (swimming)

- doing homework (writing paper)

- doing activity (painting)

- showering (during shower)

- talking with people (enjoyable)

times I have historically felt less in my body:

- exercise (not swimming)

- doing homework (stressful)

- doing activities (lots of them, can’t leave)

- showering (after)

- talking with people (too much)

- directly after any of the above sometimes (even if I liked them)

I wish my stress response was more adaptable.

[childrenactivities25]

My First Family Flashcards –Meet my Family! A 3D Cartoon Storybook to Learn Family Words in English and French

Boost your child’s early learning skills with this engaging 20-page printable worksheet bundle designed specifically for kids ages 3 to 6. This fun and interactive pack includes two types of activities that support cognitive development and improve fine motor skills:

🧠 10 Matching Pages – Children will enjoy matching pairs of:

Adorable animals

Colorful fruits and vegetables

Birds, food items, and drinks

Alphabet letters

Geometric and 3D shapes

Vehicles of all types

✏️ 10 Counting Pages – Using the same familiar elements, kids will count the items and write the correct number, helping reinforce their number recognition, observation, and logical thinking skills.

Perfect for:

Homeschooling

Kindergarten classrooms

Daycare centers

Busy parents looking for screen-free fun

🎨 Designed with vibrant visuals and child-friendly graphics, this pack makes learning feel like play!

🖨️ Instant digital download – print at home and reuse as needed.

Key Features:

20 high-quality PDF pages (10 matching + 10 counting)

Ideal for ages 3–6

Fun themes across every page

Promotes early math, attention to detail & hand-eye coordination

Perfect for at-home or classroom use

Get your copy from here

[presswoodterryryan]

🎭 Alice's Ultimate Guide to Ariel’s Magical Words! 🎭

By Alice Hey, everyone! Guess what?! My big sister, Ariel the Amazing, has written THE COOLEST PAPER all about figurative language! 🌟 And let me tell you—it’s like unlocking a secret language that makes everything sound way more exciting! So, if you’ve ever wondered why “It’s raining cats and dogs” doesn’t actually mean felines and canines are falling from the sky (because that would be…

[vanishingmoments]

i am in a predicament because if i want to work in a foreign country i should start learning their language now but if in 2 years I graduate and the job market in that country is shit for foreign workers then I've just wasted my time for nothing. On the other hand what if I decide not to learn a language because I gauge the job market now and I graduate in two years and it turns out they're much more open to foreigners if they can speak reasonably well

[quantam-furniture]

Getting into a new habit where every time I see a country mentioned or internally refer to one and realise I don't actually know much about it, I go poke around on google maps and then read some sections of its wiki page. So far this has been Every country due to my. Lack of having a geography teacher at any point in life. But this is actually cool as hell because random folks sometimes upload their own images of their areas to google maps and now I get to look at them.

[viraltrendsspot]

🎯 What's the hidden word?

[habitual-creatures]

Okay well you stay here in the birb nest with conejito Jester and I’ll be right back okay?

*totally isn’t getting up to make a copy of certain footage from earlier hehe/sarc*

(Idk if you know this but despite them both being Latin languages it can be kinda hard to understand Spanish if you only speak Portuguese or vice versa; my mom can translate Italian but has no idea what anything in Portuguese means lol)

I will-

[bookishdiplodocus]

The Neurodivergent Writer’s Guide to Fun and Productivity

(Even when life beats you down)

Look, I’m a mom, I have ADHD, I’m a spoonie. To say that I don’t have heaps of energy to spare and I struggle with consistency is an understatement. For years, I tried to write consistently, but I couldn’t manage to keep up with habits I built and deadlines I set.

So fuck neurodivergent guides on building habits, fuck “eat the frog first”, fuck “it’s all in the grind”, and fuck “you just need time management”—here is how I manage to write often and a lot.

Focus on having fun, not on the outcome

This was the groundwork I had to lay before I could even start my streak. At an online writing conference, someone said: “If you push yourself and meet your goals, and you publish your book, but you haven’t enjoyed the process… What’s the point?” and hoo boy, that question hit me like a truck.

I was so caught up in the narrative of “You’ve got to show up for what’s important” and “Push through if you really want to get it done”. For a few years, I used to read all these productivity books about grinding your way to success, and along the way I started using the same language as they did. And I notice a lot of you do so, too.

But your brain doesn’t like to grind. No-one’s brain does, and especially no neurodivergent brain. If having to write gives you stress or if you put pressure on yourself for not writing (enough), your brain’s going to say: “Huh. Writing gives us stress, we’re going to try to avoid it in the future.”

So before I could even try to write regularly, I needed to teach my brain once again that writing is fun. I switched from countable goals like words or time to non-countable goals like “fun” and “flow”.

Rewire my brain: writing is fun and I’m good at it

I used everything I knew about neuroscience, psychology, and social sciences. These are some of the things I did before and during a writing session. Usually not all at once, and after a while I didn’t need these strategies anymore, although I sometimes go back to them when necessary.

I journalled all the negative thoughts I had around writing and try to reason them away, using arguments I knew in my heart were true. (The last part is the crux.) Imagine being supportive to a writer friend with crippling insecurities, only the friend is you.

Not setting any goals didn’t work for me—I still nurtured unwanted expectations. So I did set goals, but made them non-countable, like “have fun”, “get in the flow”, or “write”. Did I write? Yes. Success! Your brain doesn’t actually care about how high the goal is, it cares about meeting whatever goal you set.

I didn’t even track how many words I wrote. Not relevant.

I set an alarm for a short time (like 10 minutes) and forbade myself to exceed that time. The idea was that if I write until I run out of mojo, my brain learns that writing drains the mojo. If I write for 10 minutes and have fun, my brain learns that writing is fun and wants to do it again.

Reinforce the fact that writing makes you happy by rewarding your brain immediately afterwards. You know what works best for you: a walk, a golden sticker, chocolate, cuddle your dog, whatever makes you happy.

I conditioned myself to associate writing with specific stimuli: that album, that smell, that tea, that place. Any stimulus can work, so pick one you like. I consciously chose several stimuli so I could switch them up, and the conditioning stays active as long as I don’t muddle it with other associations.

Use a ritual to signal to your brain that Writing Time is about to begin to get into the zone easier and faster. I guess this is a kind of conditioning as well? Meditation, music, lighting a candle… Pick your stimulus and stick with it.

Specifically for rewiring my brain, I started a new WIP that had no emotional connotations attached to it, nor any pressure to get finished or, heaven forbid, meet quality norms. I don’t think these techniques above would have worked as well if I had applied them on writing my novel.

It wasn’t until I could confidently say I enjoyed writing again, that I could start building up a consistent habit. No more pushing myself.

I lowered my definition for success

When I say that nowadays I write every day, that’s literally it. I don’t set out to write 1,000 or 500 or 10 words every day (tried it, failed to keep up with it every time)—the only marker for success when it comes to my streak is to write at least one word, even on the days when my brain goes “naaahhh”. On those days, it suffices to send myself a text with a few keywords or a snippet. It’s not “success on a technicality (derogatory)”, because most of those snippets and ideas get used in actual stories later. And if they don’t, they don’t. It’s still writing. No writing is ever wasted.

A side note on high expectations, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism

Obviously, “Setting a ridiculously low goal” isn’t something I invented. I actually got it from those productivity books, only I never got it to work. I used to tell myself: “It’s okay if I don’t write for an hour, because my goal is to write for 20 minutes and if I happen to keep going for, say, an hour, that’s a bonus.” Right? So I set the goal for 20 minutes, wrote for 35 minutes, and instead of feeling like I exceeded my goal, I felt disappointed because apparently I was still hoping for the bonus scenario to happen. I didn’t know how to set a goal so low and believe it.

I think the trick to making it work this time lies more in the groundwork of training my brain to enjoy writing again than in the fact that my daily goal is ridiculously low. I believe I’m a writer, because I prove it to myself every day. Every success I hit reinforces the idea that I’m a writer. It’s an extra ward against imposter syndrome.

Knowing that I can still come up with a few lines of dialogue on the Really Bad Days—days when I struggle to brush my teeth, the day when I had a panic attack in the supermarket, or the day my kid got hit by a car—teaches me that I can write on the mere Bad-ish Days.

The more I do it, the more I do it

The irony is that setting a ridiculously low goal almost immediately led to writing more and more often. The most difficult step is to start a new habit. After just a few weeks, I noticed that I needed less time and energy to get into the zone. I no longer needed all the strategies I listed above.

Another perk I noticed, was an increased writing speed. After just a few months of writing every day, my average speed went from 600 words per hour to 1,500 wph, regularly exceeding 2,000 wph without any loss of quality.

Talking about quality: I could see myself becoming a better writer with every passing month. Writing better dialogue, interiority, chemistry, humour, descriptions, whatever: they all improved noticeably, and I wasn’t a bad writer to begin with.

The increased speed means I get more done with the same amount of energy spent. I used to write around 2,000-5,000 words per month, some months none at all. Nowadays I effortlessly write 30,000 words per month. I didn’t set out to write more, it’s just a nice perk.

Look, I’m not saying you should write every day if it doesn’t work for you. My point is: the more often you write, the easier it will be.

No pressure

Yes, I’m still working on my novel, but I’m not racing through it. I produce two or three chapters per month, and the rest of my time goes to short stories my brain keeps projecting on the inside of my eyelids when I’m trying to sleep. I might as well write them down, right?

These short stories started out as self-indulgence, and even now that I take them more seriously, they are still just for me. I don’t intend to ever publish them, no-one will ever read them, they can suck if they suck. The unintended consequence was that my short stories are some of my best writing, because there’s no pressure, it’s pure fun.

Does it make sense to spend, say, 90% of my output on stories no-one else will ever read? Wouldn’t it be better to spend all that creative energy and time on my novel? Well, yes. If you find the magic trick, let me know, because I haven’t found it yet. The short stories don’t cannibalize on the novel, because they require different mindsets. If I stopped writing the short stories, I wouldn’t produce more chapters. (I tried. Maybe in the future? Fingers crossed.)

Don’t wait for inspiration to hit

There’s a quote by Picasso: “Inspiration hits, but it has to find you working.” I strongly agree. Writing is not some mystical, muse-y gift, it’s a skill and inspiration does exist, but usually it’s brought on by doing the work. So just get started and inspiration will come to you.

Accountability and community

Having social factors in your toolbox is invaluable. I have an offline writing friend I take long walks with, I host a monthly writing club on Discord, and I have another group on Discord that holds me accountable every day. They all motivate me in different ways and it’s such a nice thing to share my successes with people who truly understand how hard it can be.

The productivity books taught me that if you want to make a big change in your life or attitude, surrounding yourself with people who already embody your ideal or your goal huuuugely helps. The fact that I have these productive people around me who also prioritize writing, makes it easier for me to stick to my own priorities.

Your toolbox

The idea is to have several techniques at your disposal to help you stay consistent. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by focussing on just one technique. Keep all of them close, and if one stops working or doesn’t inspire you today, pivot and pick another one.

After a while, most “tools” run in the background once they are established. Things like surrounding myself with my writing friends, keeping up with my daily streak, and listening to the album I conditioned myself with don’t require any energy, and they still remain hugely beneficial.

Do you have any other techniques? I’d love to hear about them!

I hope this was useful. Happy writing!

[theenglishnook]

The Gamification Revolution in Language Learning

Level Up Your Language Skills Embarking on the journey of language acquisition has undergone a thrilling metamorphosis, ushered in by the captivating wave of the gamification of language learning. Imagine language learning not as a tedious task but as an immersive quest, where learners don the mantle of heroes in a digital realm, unlocking linguistic prowess and cultural insights. The…