Help your child learn a second language
You have heard it before: "Children are like sponges, they just absorb languages!" But if it were that simple, every child in The Hague would be fluent in Dutch within months. The truth? Yes, children learn languages more easily than adults, but only when they get the right kind of practice. It's not about how much language they hear; it's about how they engage with it.
Our partner Kickstart School shares the best approaches to help children genuinely pick up a second language. If you want your child to learn in a fun, immersive setting, read on to discover what Kickstart's summer camps in The Hague have to offer.
Why Children Are Not Sponges
The sponge metaphor suggests three things that research doesn’t support:
- Passive exposure is enough. In reality, simply hearing a language in the background leads to much weaker learning than actively using it with real people.
- All input counts equally. Studies show that the amount and type of input children receive – how much people talk to them, complexity of the language, and how responsive adults are – strongly shape vocabulary and grammar growth.
- Children absorb every language in their environment. When a child “needs” only one language for day‑to‑day life, the other often stays passive or disappears, even if it’s frequently heard.
So what do children need? Rich, meaningful, interactive practice. Here's how to provide that.
What Actually Works: Practical Strategies
1. Make it playful
Children learn best through play. So use games, songs, and role-play to bring the language to life and make it stick. You know your child best, what are their talents and hobbies? Can they do some of these in the new language?
2. Connect it to the real world
Connect with other people who speak the language, attend cultural events, and use the language in everyday situations. The idea is to make the language feel real rather than something from a textbook.
3. Read together
Reading builds vocabulary naturally. For younger children, read aloud in the target language - even if you're not fluent, your child benefits from hearing the words. Older children will feel a real sense of achievement from finishing their first book in a new language.
4. Music
Songs stick in our brains like nothing else. Music helps children memorize vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and internalize grammar patterns without even trying.
5. Summer Camps
Summer camps let kids use the language all day while having fun and making friends. This combination of intensive practice and social motivation helps them make real progress, and builds confidence fast. In small groups, with expert guidance and an immersive environment the kids can learn languages through play, creative tasks and real-time communication with peers. They not only learn the vocabulary, but also learn to socialize with others.
Language Summer Camps in The Hague
In case you would like your child to practice language this summer, our partner Kickstart School offers three different summer camps both in English and Dutch. Through a wide range of activities, they will not only improve their speaking skills, but also build friendships and have a lot of fun.
Summer Dutch Day Camp for Kids
A one-week Dutch immersion camp for children with basic Dutch. Kids practise everyday Dutch through games, crafts, cooking, storytelling, and outdoor play in a fun, practical, and supportive setting. Instructions are given in Dutch, with English support when needed, helping children build real listening skills while feeling secure. Most importantly, they will associate learning Dutch with fun, friendship, and success.
Summer English Day Camp for Kids
Ages 7–10 | 20–31 July 2026
A fun morning camp for children with a basic understanding of English (A1 Elementary). Through songs, games, storytelling, crafts, and role play, children build confidence in speaking, reading, and writing in a safe and encouraging environment.
Summer English Day Camp for Teens
Ages 11–15 | 20–31 July 2026
An interactive afternoon camp for teens who already speak a fair amount of English and want to take it further. Includes conversation, grammar, creative projects, presentations, a museum visit, and team games. The syllabus focuses on themes such as personality, adventure, culture, technology, film, food and much more. Upper-Intermediate and Advanced students explore more complex topics within these themes. Alongside level-specific focus, kids will also have opportunities to interact with peers from different levels through shared activities, creative art sessions and interactive board games.
Would you like to apply to one of the summer camps? You can register for an information session with Kickstart and learn more about their summer programme.