How Expat Moms Help Kids Preserve Their Mother Tongue
How Expat Moms Can Help Their Children Hold on to Their Mother Tongue
Living in a multicultural country like the UAE offers endless opportunities—but also unique challenges for expat families, especially when it comes to preserving their children’s mother tongue. With children exposed to multiple languages on a daily basis, many parents worry that their native language will slowly fade in the background.
Read More: Most Spoken Languages In UAE
One of the most effective approaches moms are turning to involves using interactive learning tools that make language acquisition fun and engaging. These tools can include colorful books with removable stickers and tactile activities that get children involved in learning through play rather than traditional study.
Mothers report that these tools help their children stay focused longer than with regular books. Instead of passively listening, children are encouraged to touch, move, and explore, which keeps their interest alive. One mom noted that her daughter used to lose interest in books quickly, but now she’s fully engaged with hands-on activities and colorful visuals.
These tools cover a wide range of topics—from basic shapes and colors to more advanced concepts like the solar system and seasons—making them ideal for introducing vocabulary in both the mother tongue and the local language. Some moms even write words in both languages next to images to create a bilingual experience through play.
Read More: What are the most spoken languages in Dubai?
Read More: Most Spoken Languages In UAE
✨ Practical Tips for Maintaining a Child’s Mother Tongue
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Use the language in daily life: Speak to your child in your native language during everyday tasks—cooking, bedtime, or playtime.
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Create "Mother Tongue Time": Dedicate a specific hour each day when only the mother tongue is used—for games, storytelling, or songs.
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Read native-language books: Use interactive or illustrated books to bring the language to life in a fun and memorable way.
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Encourage video calls with relatives: Let your child speak with grandparents or cousins in your native language regularly.
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Celebrate cultural traditions: Integrate language learning with cultural practices like food, music, and holiday traditions.
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Use rhymes and folk songs: Rhythm and repetition help kids remember words. Traditional songs and sayings are especially effective.
Stories from Expat Moms in UAE
Maria, mom of three (Spanish living in Dubai):
"Every Saturday is our ‘dia español’. We play memory games, cook a Spanish dish, and end the day with a bedtime story in Spanish. Now my kids ask for the story themselves!"
Aditi, mom of two (Indian in Abu Dhabi):
"I was afraid Inaya, would forget our dialect, but when I started acting out stories in Hindi, she began repeating them with me. Now she performs the characters herself!"
Andrea, mom of a 4-year-old girl (Filipino in Sharjah):
"Every day after lunch, we open our ‘Word Box’ filled with Tagalog cards and stickers. We pick out new words and label things around the house. Now Angela asks me, ‘What’s the word in Taglog?’ before she even asks in English!"