7 local video and podcast programmes that will help you learn Chinese

Are you looking for Mandarin programmes for your kids? There are plenty of options available locally. 

We have curated a list of programmes that can give your child an opportunity to listen to more Mandarin in a casual and informative way.

The good news is that the content of these TV programmes and podcasts is educational and will teach your children something new each time they tune in.

Little Food Hunter

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This is a show for all the food lovers out there! Even if your child isn’t one, Little Food Hunter might change their taste buds.

In this show, children taste, search and even attempt to cook delicacies and compete against each other. Through it, they learn about Singapore's diverse gastronomical culture. 

Island Escapade

If your child likes solving mysteries, then Island Escapade is for them. It will allow your little one to follow explorers to various islands in Singapore and find out more about their secrets.

It is a great show which will also allow your child to learn about the occupations of the people who work and live on the islands. 

Arts Guide

The host of the show tries various art creations and also speaks to different artists who use their expertise to tell stories.

Arts Guide will help your kids understand Singapore's rich art scene and culture. 

Little Red Dot Detectives 

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This informative show will help your children learn about people, the history of our island and much more.

Did you know that Tiong Bahru is not only one of the oldest housing estates in Singapore, but also a district which has many hidden secrets? Do you know what Singapore’s first HDB flats built during the colonial era look like?

Discover many interesting anecdotes about Singapore when you watch Little Red Dot Detectives.  

Thumbs Up Little Junior

For those who are not aware, Thumbs Up Little Junior, which is mainly known as a Chinese newspaper for children, has a trove of content online, including videos.

They include current affairs, crafts, storytelling and also exploring various places in the island and so on. You can watch their videos here. 

Eileen Choo's YouTube channel

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You may find that YouTuber Eileen Choo's content is more academic in nature and targets Chinese composition and oral exams. Interesting methods are used to help kids learn techniques to excel at school.  

Storytime With Jiahui

This show was launched around the start of the circuit breaker last year. YES 933 DJ Siau Jia Hui decided to start telling stories to help out parents who are working from home and had to take care of their kids.

She felt that entertaining kids in an engaging way would help parents get few minutes of sanity.

After her first episode on Facebook got a lot of positive feedback, she launched a podcast. You can help your children listen to the podcast here or watch the videos here.

Consuming content via videos and podcasts can help your children to learn faster and they will also be interested to learn more. So parents, make sure you are choosing your content properly!

How learning Chinese is beneficial for Singaporeans

As you know, Singapore has four official languages – English, Tamil, Malay and Mandarin. With this type of cultural integration, it is natural for children to pick up more than one language. 

But specifically for children who are ethnically Chinese, it is not just important to learn the language but also the history, culture and art that comes along with it. 

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As for students who are not ethnically Chinese, with globalisation, it is good to pick up other languages as this can open many new doors. In addition, there is a shared understanding of Asian values, which can easily be taught through the language.

The Chinese curriculum also places emphasis on character building. All of these factors make it advantageous to learn the language. 

As for the learning part, in addition to online videos and podcasts, there are also enrichment classes out there which your child can enrol in to learn the Chinese language! Your kids can develop a stronger foundation the earlier they start.

This article was first published in theAsianparent.