Around ten months old, my son discovered animal sounds.
He wasn’t just saying them.
He was roaring.
Every morning I’d hear a tiny “G-RỪ!” echo through the house, followed by my daughter roaring right back.
Soon it became a bilingual game: I’d make the Vietnamese animal sounds, then my husband would answer in English.
The kids didn’t care which language we used. They just knew we were playing together.
That’s one of my favorite reminders that babies learn language through joyful interactions, not formal lessons.
Here are a few activities we loved during the second half of the baby’s first year.
1. “Trán, cằm, tai” (Forehead, Chin, Ears)
This simple song teaches body parts through movement.
Touch your own forehead, chin, and ears while singing:
“Trán cằm tai, trán cằm tai, trán tai, tai cằm tai”
(“Forehead chin ears, forehead chin ears, forehead ears, ears chin forehead”).
Then gently help your baby touch theirs.
Don’t worry about getting every word perfect. Your baby is learning from repetition and your smile.
2. “Con thỏ” (Little Bunny)
This classic finger play is full of actions babies love copying:
- Cup your hand and say: “Con thỏ! Con thỏ!” (little bunny!);
- Move one hand over the other: “Ăn cỏ! Ăn cỏ!” (eat grass);
- Bring hand to mouth: “Uống nước! Uống nước!” (drink water);
- Touch ear: “Chui vô hang!” (go into the burrow);
- Fold hands together: “Đi ngủ” (go to sleep).
Each movement introduces another everyday Vietnamese verb while encouraging imitation.
3. Nursery Rhymes in Vietnamese
This is a wonderful age for rhythmic games.
Favorites in our house include:
- Chu chi chành chành
- Kéo cưa lừa xẻ
- Nu na nu nống
Your baby may not say the words yet, but they’ll start anticipating the rhythm and actions.
Note: For bilingual support, I highly recommend the book Nursery Rhymes from Vietnam by Tiny Wrist.
4. Sensory Games
Simple is best.
Fill a sealed sensory bag with rice, dried beans, coffee beans, or tea leaves.
Let your baby squish, shake, and explore while you describe what they’re experiencing in Vietnamese.
(Always supervise closely.)
5. Mimic Animal Sounds
This might be my favorite activity.
Make exaggerated animal sounds together:
- “Bò kêu… ụm bò!”
- “Vịt kêu… cạp cạp!”
The sillier you are, the more your baby laughs.
Our family often pairs this game with Learn Vietnamese with Animals – Sounds, which makes it easy to connect pictures, words, and sounds during storytime.
6. Explore Vietnamese Food
As your baby begins solids, it’s also a chance to introduce family traditions.
Congee.
Vermicellies.
Dragon fruit.
Guava.
Whatever your family enjoys, talk about it in Vietnamese while your baby explores new flavors.
Food is language, too.
Final Thoughts
This stage goes by so quickly.
One day your baby is quietly watching.
The next day they’re roaring like a lion, clapping after songs, and trying to imitate everything you do.
Those playful little moments are where bilingual memories begin.
You don’t need to set aside an hour every day.
A nursery rhyme during diaper changes.
Animal sounds while reading.
A few Vietnamese words during snack time.
Those little moments become a childhood filled with language, connection, and culture.
⚠️ Disclaimer
These activities come from my own experience as a Vietnamese mom, along with publicly available developmental play ideas. They’re meant for inspiration and do not replace professional medical or developmental advice.
Please supervise your child during play, especially with sensory materials, and reach out to your pediatrician if you have concerns about your child’s development.
The songs, rhymes, and translations are shared for cultural and educational purposes. If you share them elsewhere, I’d appreciate credit to @little.ears.books.
