Teaching Kids Dutch with the Story Powered Learning Method

Mr. and Mrs. Frog run a small lost and found shop in the middle of a busy city. It is their dream to reunite every lost item with its owner, so when a little mouse arrives one day and announces, “Ik ben mijn hoed kwijt,” they are very eager to help. There is only one problem. Mr. and Mrs. Frog don’t understand Dutch.

This is how the story of ‘The Fabulous Lost & Found and the Little Dutch Mouse’ starts and I love it.

What follows is a very funny story as Mr. and Mrs. Frog go through almost every item they have, trying to work out just what it is the mouse has lost. When I started reading the book I was instantly charmed by it. The story and the illustrations are simply wonderful.

However, it’s not just a fun book. Its creators had a very specific goal in mind: to get children interested in learning a second language through the story powered learning method.

The Story Powered Learning Method

The story powered learning method is all about using stories to make learning languages fun and engaging. It introduces children to a relatable character who can only speak in the new language (in this case, Dutch) and drops them into a humorous situation. As the characters in the story try to understand each other the reader starts to make connections between the Dutch and English words.

This is evident in the way the little Dutch mouse reacts (in Dutch) to the various lost items Mr. and Mrs. Frog show her.

“Een paraplu? Nee,” replies the mouse when Mr. Frog shows her an umbrella.

The second language becomes a natural part of the story and leads to many of its funny moments.

Fun with Bilingual Story Telling

As an adult who can understand both English and Dutch (admittedly, one better than the other) I enjoyed the comedy of following both sides of the conversation between the characters.

My children love the book too. They are both half Dutch (and can speak the language better than I ever will be able to) and got a similar kick out of the story. I suspect that they were able to identify with the little Dutch mouse. There are still times when I can’t always fully understand their Dutch (so I guess that would make me Mr. Frog). In fact, the last few times I’ve read the book to my seven-year-old daughter she’s enjoyed reading the part of the mouse while I read the rest.

I think this book could be just as interesting for Dutch children who are learning English too. My wife who is Dutch and a teacher is already planning to read the book to her class.

If you have bilingual children or children that you want to get interested in Dutch I can highly recommend this book. It’s a great way of cultivating an interest in a second language while also teaching empathy towards people who don’t speak your own.

You can buy The Fabulous Lost & Found and the Little Dutch Mouse from these locations:

• eBook version on amazon.nl
• Paperback version on amazon.de
• Paperback version on amazon.co.uk
• Paperback version on amazon.com

The book is written by Mark Pallis who was part of the Emmy winning writing team for Peter Rabbit and the illustrations are by Peter Baynton who animated the TV version of The Tiger who Came to Tea. I’d like to thank them both for sending me a review copy of this amazing book.

It’s not Just Dutch Either

If you want to get your child interested in a language other than Dutch that isn’t a problem either. There are 30 different versions of the book which each teach a different language, including, French, German, Spanish, Greek, Welsh, Tagalog, Korean and more.

You can also find out more information about the whole project at:

•  www.neuwestendpress.com/the-fabulous-lost-and-found