🧒 Congolese Languages for Kids

Kids Languages — English, French & Swahili

Welcome, parents! This page helps your children learn English, French, and Swahili through fun activities: songs, games, picture words, and short stories. You do not need to be a teacher. Do one small activity each day — 10 to 15 minutes is enough. Praise your child a lot! Learning is faster when it is fun.

How to use this page

• Start with the picture words — point at the emoji, say the word in all three languages, and let your child repeat.
• Sing one song together every day.
• Play one game on weekends.
• Read one story at bedtime.

Picture Words — 100 words with emojis

Point to each emoji. Say the English word first, then French, then Swahili. Ask your child to repeat and to find the thing at home!

Animals (Wanyama / Animaux)

Food (Chakula / Nourriture)

Family (Familia / Famille)

My Body (Mwili / Corps)

Colors (Rangi / Couleurs)

Numbers (Nambari / Nombres)

At Home (Nyumbani / À la maison)

Nature (Asili / Nature)

Clothes (Nguo / Vêtements)

Actions (Vitendo / Actions)

Songs to Sing Together 🎵

Sing slowly. Clap your hands. Repeat many times — children learn by repetition!

1. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (English)

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.

2. Brille, brille, petite étoile (French — same tune!)

Brille, brille, petite étoile,
Je me demande ce que tu es.
Là-haut, au-dessus du monde,
Comme un diamant dans le ciel.
Brille, brille, petite étoile,
Je me demande ce que tu es.

3. Frère Jacques (French — traditional round)

Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines,
Ding ding dong, ding ding dong.
English meaning: Brother Jacques, are you sleeping? Ring the morning bells! Ding ding dong!

4. Counting chant (Swahili — clap on each number!)

Moja, mbili, tatu, nne, tano! (clap, clap!)
Sita, saba, nane, tisa, kumi! (clap, clap!)
Twende, twende, count with me,
One to ten is easy, you see!

5. Good morning song (all three languages)

Good morning! Good morning! (wave hello 👋)
Bonjour! Bonjour! (wave hello 👋)
Habari za asubuhi! (wave hello 👋)
We are happy, you and me! 😊

Fun Games 🎮

Game 1: Simon Says — in 3 languages

One person is "Simon". Simon says an action in English, French, or Swahili. Children do the action only if Simon says "Simon says" first!

• "Simon says... touch your head!" → touch head
• "Simon says... touchez votre nez!" → touch nose
• "... kimbia!" (no "Simon says") → nobody moves! 😄

Game 2: Memory match cards

Make simple cards from paper. On one card draw 🐱, on another write "cat / chat / paka". Mix them up, lay them face down. Take turns flipping two cards — keep the pair if they match! Start with 6 pairs, add more as your child learns.

Game 3: Color hunt

Say a color in any language: "Find something nyekundu!" Your child runs to touch something red. Then switch: "Trouvez quelque chose de bleu!" — find something blue. Play inside the house or outside.

Game 4: Animal bingo

Draw a 3x3 grid. In each square, draw or write an animal. Call out animals in French or Swahili: "simba!" — children cover the lion square with a bean. First to cover a full row shouts "Bingo!"

Game 5: Grocery store game

Pretend to shop. The "customer" asks: "I would like ndizi, please" (bananas). The "shopkeeper" answers: "Here are your bananes!" Switch languages each round and switch roles.

Game 6: Number jump

Write numbers 1–10 on the floor with chalk or paper. Shout "tatu!" — your child jumps to 3. Shout "sept!" — jump to 7. Mix all three languages. Make it faster and faster!

Bedtime Stories 📖

Read slowly. Point at the words. Let your child repeat the bold words.

Story 1: The Little Lion (Le Petit Lion / Simba Mdogo)

Once upon a time, a little lion (lion / simba) 🦁 lived with his mother (maman / mama) 👩.
Every morning, the sun (soleil / jua) ☀️ woke him up.
"Good morning, Mama!" he said. "Bonjour, Maman!" he said. "Habari za asubuhi, Mama!" he said.
He ate bananas (bananes / ndizi) 🍌: one — un — moja, two — deux — mbili, three — trois — tatu!
Then he ran — courir — kimbia 🏃 — to the river (rivière / mto) 🌊 to drink water (eau / maji) 💧.
At night, he counted the stars (étoiles / nyota) ⭐ and fell asleep (dormir / lala) 😴.
The end. Fin. Mwisho. 🌙

Story 2: The Hungry Goat (La Chèvre Affamée / Mbuzi Mwenye Njaa)

A little goat (chèvre / mbuzi) 🐐 was very hungry.
She found bread (pain / mkate) 🍞. "Yum!" she said. "Miam!" she said. "Tamu!" she said.
She found an apple (pomme / tufaa) 🍎. Crunch, crunch!
She found rice (riz / wali) 🍚 and beans (haricots / maharagwe) 🫘.
"This is good (bon / nzuri)!" she said.
Then she drank milk (lait / maziwa) 🥛 and her tummy was full.
"Thank you!" she said. "Merci!" she said. "Asante!" she said. 😊
The end. Fin. Mwisho. 🌙

Story 3: Rainy Day (Jour de Pluie / Siku ya Mvua)

It was a rainy (pluvieux / ya mvua) 🌧️ day.
The children (enfants / watoto) 🧒👧 stayed inside the house (maison / nyumba) 🏠.
They read a book (livre / kitabu) 📖. They sang a song (chanson / wimbo) 🎤.
Then the rain (pluie / mvua) stopped! The sun (soleil / jua) ☀️ came out.
They saw a bird (oiseau / ndege) 🐦 and a butterfly (papillon / kipepeo) 🦋 in the sky (ciel / mbingu) 🌌.
"What a beautiful (beau / nzuri) day!" they shouted.
The end. Fin. Mwisho. 🌙

Coloring Activities 🖍️

Print or draw these pages. While your child colors, say the words in all three languages!

1. My family: Draw mama, baba, dada, kaka, and baby. Label each person in English, French, and Swahili. Color their clothes your favorite colors — name each color in three languages!
2. Animal parade: Draw a lion, elephant, monkey, and bird in a line. Color them, then write their names: lion/lion/simba, elephant/éléphant/tembo, monkey/singe/nyani, bird/oiseau/ndege.
3. Fruit bowl: Draw a big bowl with bananas, oranges, apples, and mangoes. Color each fruit and practice: banana/banane/ndizi, orange/orange/chungwa, apple/pomme/tufaa, mango/mangue/embe.
4. My house: Draw a house with a door, windows, and the sun above it. Label: house/maison/nyumba, door/porte/mlango, window/fenêtre/dirisha, sun/soleil/jua.
5. Numbers 1–10: Draw ten stars. Color each star a different color. Under each star write the number in three languages: 1/one/un/moja, 2/two/deux/mbili... up to 10.

Tips for Parents 💡

• Short and daily beats long and rare. 10 minutes every day is best.
• Never punish mistakes — laugh together and try again.
• Use the languages at mealtime: name foods in three languages.
• Let your child teach you — children love being the teacher!
• Visit your local public library — ask about free children's books and story time.
• Celebrate progress: "You learned 5 new words today! Bravo! Hongera!" 🎉