Learning Latvian together – LNAK language contests for children in Canada
In the height of summer, the Latvian National Federation in Canada (LNAK) continues its tradition – monthly language contests for children, designed to promote Latvian language learning in a creative and playful way in families living far from Latvia. These contests have been running since April and are financially supported by the Latvian state budget, allocated by the Ministry of Culture through the Society Integration Fund.
The August competition is currently underway and invites children to share a Latvian word or phrase they have recently learned. It can be from a song, a story, a game, a conversation with grandparents or a Latvian camp adventure. Enter by adding a comment with the newly acquired word or phrase on the LNAK website post by August 31. All comments are moderated before they are published. In this way, the children not only strengthen their language, but also see what their Latvian peers across Canada have learnt. https://lnak.net/organizaciju-zina/augusta-valodas-konkurss-berniem-sovasar-es-iemacijos/
Four language learners have already received prizes in the past few months:
April: Džemma from Montreal not only wrote but also drew what was hidden in Tuta’s Easter basket and won a Ričija Rū book.
May: Zane from Abbotsford correctly identified the song title “Punktiņš, punktiņš, komatiņš” on the LNAK website and won a Jānis Roze gift card to buy a new story book while on holiday in Latvia.
June: Ilze from Boumanville shared her favourite lullabies and as a prize chose a gift card to LettsShop in Toronto, where both treats and souvenirs from Latvia are available.
July: Sophie from Ottawa won a prize for her answer on what she would do if she were a “Stream” cat. If she were the cat that brought Latvia its first Oscar for the film “Flow”, she would be looking for a place to shelter from the floods.
Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all the participants for their creative works and inspiring stories!
On September 1, one participant’s name will be drawn from the August entries and he or she will be able to choose one of these prizes:
– Jāņa Rozes Bookstore gift card (25 € value), or
– Latvian Store – LettsShop Toronto gift voucher (40 CAD).
LNAK invites parents and grandparents to encourage their children to participate – every word in Latvian is a step closer to Latvian language mastery, culture and a sense of belonging. Through these competitions, we not only learn, but also strengthen our ties with Latvia and build our diaspora community.
LNAK has created a special resource section for learning Latvian at home.
Thanks to the financial support of the Society Integration Fund of Latvia, in 2024 a dedicated resources section was created on the LNAK website, comprising songs, fingerplays, audio stories, multilingual tips, videos, cartoons and worksheets for pre-school children. These are materials that help to naturally “weave” the Latvian language into everyday family moments. This section includes not only classic resources, but also very modern and up-to-date ones. They are available free of charge on the LNAK website: lnak.net/latvian-language-for-early-and-primary-school-age-boys
Monthly “Sparkles” for Young and Old
We would like to highlight the monthly “Dzirkstelīte” calendar, a collection of activities related to Latvian language learning for each day throughout the year. Every day we offer a new activity – creative tasks, listening to fairy tales, cartoons, observing nature, recipes and other activities that help to naturally integrate Latvian into the daily rhythm. Each month is organized according to the seasons and Latvian holidays. The calendar can be easily saved or printed and used at your convenience.
Thanks to the great response and interest of parents, the “Dzirkstelīte” calendar is now also available for adults who wish to improve or maintain their Latvian language and cultural knowledge while living outside Latvia: https://lnak.net/visas-dzirksteles/
Want to get support and inspiration from other parents or join a community?
To make it easier to keep in touch, share ideas, get inspired and ask questions, we have created a WhatsApp group “Let’s raise little Latvians together”. It is a friendly place for parents and grandparents who want to give their children Latvian in everyday life – whether it is through songs, stories or simple conversations.
To apply, send your name and phone number to: laurasedlina@gmail.com
