If you are raising young children, you may know the benefits of raising them to be bilingual. Bilinguals are better at complex problem solving and critical thinking skills. Bilinguals also have an advantage in the job market for well-paying careers that demand bilingual and bicultural skill sets.

We all know that learning another language as a child is easier than struggling to conjugate verbs in the past form as an adult. If you are not bilingual, there are still ways to gift another language to your children.

Here are 4 strategies to get you started.

1. Watch dubbed television. If your children watch television, chances are good that you can get dubbed DVDs or programs with subtitles. Your children may initially resist the idea of ​​having to watch in another language. As a parent, you can negotiate with them. They can watch 15 minutes in English (or their native language) or they can watch 1 hour in Spanish. This is an easy option for most children!

2. Caring for non-native children. If you need a babysitter or babysitter, opt for a non-native English speaker, one whose native language is what you would like your child to learn. For very young children, even early exposure to language can have lasting effects into adulthood. This is because the neural networks of young minds are busy imprinting the sounds of whatever language surrounds the child. You are laying the foundation for a bilingual future!

3. Language camps. Language camps offer children the traditional experience of a summer camp, but in an immersive setting. This is a great way to get them excited about learning a foreign language. Some even offer family camps, where the whole family can attend!

4. Dual language immersion schools. Increasingly, public school systems offer dual language immersion schools. These programs generally offer instruction in two languages, where 50% of each school day is spent in each language. At the end of primary school, children emerge bilingual and bilingual. These are free public schools! Check to see if your school district has one in your area.

Keep in mind that if you start raising your child in a bilingual environment when they are very young, this can delay the start of spoken language. This is perfectly normal as the baby’s brain calculates the syntax (word structure and order) and sounds for each language. Rest assured that when your baby starts talking, it will be amazing!