5 Fun Everyday Activities to Boost Your Toddler’s Chinese Vocabulary

Helping your toddler learn Chinese doesn’t have to mean sitting through lessons or memorizing flashcards. The best way to build vocabulary at this age is through playful, everyday interactions. By adding Mandarin to your child’s routine, you can help them naturally absorb new words and develop confidence in using them.

Here are five fun and easy activities to boost your toddler’s Chinese vocabulary with no extra prep required!

Name It While You Play It

Toys aren’t just for fun — they’re perfect tools for learning vocabulary!
While your toddler is playing with blocks, stuffed animals, or pretend food, name each item in Chinese. For example:

Block – 方块 (fāng kuài)

Bear – 熊 (xióng)

Apple – 苹果 (píng guǒ)

You can ask simple questions like:
“这是苹果吗？” (Zhè shì píng guǒ ma?) – “Is this an apple?”
“你喜欢熊吗？” (Nǐ xǐ huān xióng ma?) – “Do you like the bear?”
Repeat often, and use the same words daily — repetition helps toddlers remember!

Sing Songs in Mandarin

Children love music, and Chinese songs are a fantastic way to learn new words! Singing boosts memory and pronunciation, and songs make learning feel like play. Try popular Chinese nursery rhymes like:
小星星 (Xiǎo Xīng Xīng – “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”)

两只老虎 (Liǎng Zhī Lǎo Hǔ – “Two Tigers”)

拍手歌 (Pāi Shǒu Gē – “Clap Your Hands”)
Even just one song a day helps introduce rhythm, tone, and vocabulary.

Talk Through Daily Routines

Turn routine moments into mini language lessons. When brushing teeth, eating breakfast, or getting dressed, narrate what you and your child are doing in Chinese:
“我们来刷牙。” (Wǒ men lái shuā yá.) – “Let’s brush our teeth.”

“穿鞋子。” (Chuān xié zi.) – “Put on your shoes.”

By connecting words to actions, your child will better understand and remember them.\

Use Chinese During Snack Time

Snack time is full of vocabulary opportunities! Identify fruits, colors, sizes, and actions:
Banana – 香蕉 (xiāng jiāo)

Water – 水 (shuǐ)

“I want…” – 我要… (wǒ yào…)

Encourage your child to say:
“我要苹果。” (Wǒ yào píng guǒ.) – “I want an apple.”
This builds not just vocabulary, but also confidence in using simple sentences.

Read Simple Chinese Picture Books

Reading aloud builds vocabulary, comprehension, and listening skills. Choose books with big pictures and short, repeated sentences. As you read, point to the pictures and act things out.
Look for books like:
《好饿的毛毛虫》 (The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Chinese edition)

《猜猜我有多爱你》 (Guess How Much I Love You – Chinese edition)

You don’t need to be fluent — even basic reading in Chinese is a powerful way to bond and learn together.

Start Small, Grow Big
When it comes to toddlers, learning Chinese is all about play, repetition, and joy. By adding these fun activities to your everyday routine, you’ll build a strong foundation for your child’s Mandarin journey — one word at a time.
Looking for more ways to help your child learn Chinese?

Try a free trial with TutorABC Chinese! Our online classes for young learners are interactive, personalized, and designed to make language learning fun and effective.