tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35281581574043557682024-02-07T21:04:44.025+00:00kidzdeutschThe aim of kidzdeutsch is to provide a collection of activities and information to support younger children in their learning of German.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-78733866893106714592015-03-31T14:08:00.000+01:002015-03-31T14:24:20.014+01:00Frohe Ostern!
Ein deutscher Osterbaum
Ostern. At this time of year I have a bit of a hankering to get on the next ferry to Germany, as most of my visits to Germany have happened over the Easter holidays. My first trip was to a small town called Duderstadt, near the now-defunct border with the former DDR. I stayed with the Schäfer family who looked after all my needs very well. In their living room they Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-50594996896813711102015-02-19T18:11:00.001+00:002015-02-19T23:04:36.515+00:00Fasching and KarnevalIf you were in Germany, Switzerland or Austria this week you would have seen colourful processions and spectacular masked figures on the streets of many towns and cities. This year's Karneval celebrations were confident and exuberant despite some festivities having to be cancelled because of terror threats.
What is it all about?
The carnival season officially begins on November 11th at Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-87008926772019422682014-11-26T11:58:00.001+00:002014-11-26T11:58:23.266+00:00Berlin by Night
Das ist der Berliner Dom bei Nacht.
It was lit up with colourful lights for the annual autumn Festival of Lights.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-60257025704987001322014-11-21T19:44:00.001+00:002014-11-21T19:44:39.437+00:00QuizbustersIn Class 5 this week we played a Blockbusters game to practise adjectives we are working on in German. You can play at home if you like. Just click on the answer button to see if you are right.
Click here to play
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-83735648262217964462014-11-21T19:09:00.001+00:002014-11-21T19:09:55.895+00:00Learn German with Felix and FranziFelix the Frog and Franzi the duck are two lovable characters who bring German to life for young British learners of the language. Check out their antics on this clip:
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-31642595462873957102014-11-15T01:06:00.000+00:002014-11-15T01:06:01.804+00:00Europa-ParkIf you've already ridden the white knuckle rides at Alton Towers or sampled the thrills and spills on offer at Eurodisney then you might be ready to pay a visit to Europa-Park, Germany's biggest theme park.
The park is located In the beautiful Black Forest (Schwarzwald) between the cities of Freiburg and Strasbourg, not too far from the border with France.
The park has roller coasters galore toUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-55665041813485439422014-11-11T21:06:00.000+00:002014-11-11T21:07:37.838+00:00The Smart Choice - German at Primary Schools in the UKThis 10 minute clip from the Goethe Institute helps explain why it is so important to learn German.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-73554350767949049572014-11-03T20:40:00.001+00:002014-11-03T20:40:14.692+00:00Wort der Woche: Feuerwerk
In Great Britain many children are getting ready for Bonfire Night, November 5th. On this night you will see and hear the bright colours and loud explosive noises of hundreds of Feuerwerke in the evening skies.
German people tend to buy Feuerwerke at the end of December to mark their New Year's Eve festivities. In fact in a year they set off over 30,000 tonnes of fireworks.
Feuerwerke is Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-84131756832072672832014-11-02T21:51:00.001+00:002014-11-02T22:26:32.820+00:00St Martins LaternenThe lanterns carried in processions on St Martin's Day are colourful and bright and no two are the same. Here are a few examples:
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-6297095271697240792014-11-02T21:46:00.001+00:002014-11-02T21:55:22.674+00:00St Martin's Day
November 11th is widely celebrated in Germany because it is the day when St Martin is remembered and revered.
St Martin was a knight in Roman times and one cold winter's day he was out riding on his horse. He saw a beggar at the roadside and took pity on him. The story goes that St Martin used his sword to cut his cloak in two and he gifted one half of the cloak to the shivering soul at the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-56596583678663415012014-01-29T20:05:00.001+00:002014-01-29T21:03:37.708+00:00Skifahren in DeutschlandGermany's mountains may be smaller than those in neighbouring Austria and Switzerland, but Bavarian ski resorts provide excellent skiing and hospitality.
Many German children live in or near Alpine ski resorts and cold, snowy winters mean that they can spend winter holidays perfecting the art of skiing.
Can you guess the meanings of these German words?
Skiort
Skilift
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-73850089901735184712013-12-03T20:32:00.001+00:002013-12-04T18:33:20.817+00:00Der NikolausFind out more about the generous 2nd century Turkish bishop who became a saint and whose name day is widely celebrated in many European countries.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-37090261734768875462013-12-03T20:02:00.003+00:002013-12-03T20:02:34.659+00:00O Nikolaus
This is a simple song in German about St Nicolas who comes to visit good children in Germany, Austria and many other European countries on the night before der Nikolaustag (December 6th). He leaves sweet treats and small gifts in their boots if they leave them out for him. Naughty children are visited by Krampus who leaves coal and twigs in their boots.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-39584613681452625802013-12-03T19:13:00.000+00:002013-12-03T19:13:32.747+00:00Wort der Woche: Apfel
This ancient fruit is known the world over. Der Apfel ist rund, saftig und süß; round, juicy and sweet.
Used throughout Germany this humble fruit provides refreshing juice (Apfelsaft) and glasses of foaming cider (Apfelmost) and is an important ingredient in many cakes and puddings. One of the most famousof these is Apfelstrudel which is so well known it goes by its Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-86194509411974958252013-11-17T18:39:00.001+00:002013-11-17T18:42:26.563+00:00Wort der Woche: Silber
Silber is the colour of the medal for the second best competitor in a sporting event. It is the precious metal used to make Schmuck ( rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches). A Silberschmied uses traditional techniques to make items from Silber.
An German proverb claims that Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold. Although speaking (Reden) is deemed valuable Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-21741419531680138252013-11-07T20:55:00.002+00:002013-11-07T20:55:49.816+00:00Mein Kopf ist rundI wrote this short rhyme a few years ago as a performance poem. Younger children can recite it in groups or pairs or individually. It works nicely in a class assembly and the rhyming words make it easier for children to memorise.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-75817503939431211792013-11-04T21:24:00.000+00:002013-11-05T07:51:42.661+00:00Wort der Woche: Mohn Vivid red, cheeky scarlet and faded pink, you can see these iconic flowers everywhere in the UK during the first few days of November. Yesterday I saw a huge one in the departures area for rail passengers to look at while waiting for their trains at London's King's Cross Station. They are worn to remember and honour soldiers who died in WWI and WWII. The British public have Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-47742691575195861852013-10-24T20:08:00.001+01:002013-10-24T20:08:39.602+01:00AllerheiligenTowards the end of October some lucky schoolchildren in Germany are getting ready for some time off school. While children in the UK are enjoying their half term holidays and making plans for Halloween and Bonfire Night, across the North Sea in Germany most children are working hard in school.But for children in mainly catholic regions of Germany there is an extra day off school on November 1st. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-78036511439545955782013-01-05T20:44:00.000+00:002013-01-05T20:44:21.359+00:00A wet start to the year
Nass ins Neujahr
Click on the link above to hear a very short report about Germans (and others) whose idea of a great start to the year is to take a dip in icy waters. Berliners are disappointed in mild weather as they do not get the chance to hack a hole in the ice before taking the plunge. This traditional dip happens in other countries as well, including the UK.
Some bold Germans braving Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-51350149021139855732013-01-04T22:44:00.000+00:002013-01-04T22:44:06.812+00:00Frohes Neues Jahr 2013
Frohes Neues Jahr 2013. Ich wünsche euch viel Glück und Zufriedenheit im kommenden Jahr.
There are plenty of New Year's Eve traditions that take place in Germany and Austria. Feuerwerke are typically used to welcome in the new year and drive away bad spirits.
At the stroke of midnight on Silvesterabend people clink glasses filled with Sekt and wish each other Prosit Neujahr!
When Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-22696583501785610642012-09-09T17:09:00.000+01:002012-09-09T17:48:01.132+01:00In dem ParkUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-21770519116692909472012-08-18T09:31:00.000+01:002012-08-18T09:31:37.333+01:00sprichwort der woche: wenn die katze aus dem haus ist, tanzen die mäuse auf dem tisch
Wenn die Katze aus dem Haus ist,
tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tisch.
I have plenty of experience of this proverb, in its literal sense.
Let's look at it word by word.
Wenn is simply when. A soundalike and lookalike word.
Die Katze is the cat.
Here aus dem Haus means out of the house.
The ist at the end of the first clause means is. So the first clause put together Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-48522580935385482742012-08-09T21:05:00.000+01:002012-08-09T21:05:46.184+01:00sprichwort der woche: eine schwalbe macht noch keinen sommer.
junge Nestlinge
I've found another German proverb that makes good sense to me. What I like about it is that it uses everyday language, like many proverbs, and continues with the bird theme I've started. Because I am a bit of a bird brain.
Eine Schwalbe macht noch keinen Sommer.
Eine Schwalbe
OK, the bird in question. Die Schwalbe ist etwa 17 cm lang. Der Rücken ist metallisch Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-9845562287796631742012-08-07T10:07:00.001+01:002012-08-07T10:09:02.830+01:00sprichwort der woche: der spatz in der hand ist besser als die taube auf dem dach
Drei junge Spatzen
Many German proverbs have a direct equivalent in English. Proverbs are short and well known sayings and usually they are very old and nobody is quite sure about their origin.
Look at this German Sprichwort (proverb).
Der Spatz in der Hand ist besser als die Taube auf dem Dach.
Der Spatz is a common bird in Germany as well as Britain. Small and brown Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3528158157404355768.post-77670415709330015012012-08-03T08:38:00.000+01:002012-08-06T11:48:15.123+01:00die olympischen Sommerspiele
This alphabetical list of the Olympic sports played in the summer games is in German. How many can you name in English?
Badminton
Basketball
Bogenschießen
Boxen
Fechten
Fußball
Gewichtheben
Handball
Hockey
Judo
Kanusport
Leichtathletik
Moderner Fünfkampf
Radsport
Reitsport
Ringen
Rudern
Schießen
Schwimmsport
Segeln
Taekwondo
Tennis
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0