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How to be Successful when Learning Two Languages At Once

Learning a foreign language while on camp allows you to understand different histories and cultures. It also changes your overall perception of the world. The better you master a new language, the more you will want to continue learning other unique words. 

Is it Possible to Learn Two Languages at Once?

Learning different languages at the same time while at camp is possible. Even then, not everyone is capable of multitasking. It is critical to understand that learning a new language takes a lot of time. You must show dedication to learning the two dialects if you want to master a new vocab.

If you lack enough time to concentrate, then you will only manage to master a single dialect. Luckily Les Elfes offers three types (private, intensive, and conversational) of language courses where students are classified depending on their language levels.

Students in these groups can choose Spanish, French, English, or German. Campers do not have to be English native speakers to take English lessons at the camp. Language teachers at the Les Elfes camp are committed to ensuring that every learner succeeds in their language of choice. 

Motivation is Crucial

Motivation Is Crucial

Learning different languages in high school at the same time can be demanding. Learners will need to be well-motivated, especially if they are focused on becoming polyglots. If you are combining French and Chinese to land your dream job, you will be more persistent. Remember, various factors, like learning method you use and your motivation, can have an impact on your success.

Apart from investing a reasonable amount of time, you will also need excellent time management skills to triumph. In this article, we shall discuss tips to help you stay sane while studying two languages at once. 

Choose Your Languages Cautiously

Your Languages Cautiously

Language learners who have tried learning two languages at once advise against it. According to experts, there is no sufficient time to give your brain a rest when learning two different new languages.

Native speakers say that studying similar languages at once can be confusing. When making your choice, begin with two different dialects. For example, you can combine French and Russian. Another trick would be combining a difficult language and an easy one. For example, assuming English is your native language, you will have a choice of different dialects with common words and features.

If you are a Native English speaker, learning Arabic can be a challenge. Instead, choose a simple language that features cognates. This strategy helps prevent burnout. English is one of the languages that have a contact history with many dialects.

Romance languages like Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian feature many similar words or cognates. Germanic languages like Dutch, Swedish, German, and Danish also feature many cognates and grammatical components. Select two languages with different writing styles to ease the learning process. 

Consider Juggling Your Language Learning

If you already have some basic knowledge of one language, you can start by polishing your understanding before adding another dialect. You will have an easy time adjusting your language study before adding a new one. However, if you are starting from scratch, you can first lay a foundation before adding a new language. 

Have Practical Progress Objectives in each Language

It is crucial to understand that you cannot learn and master two languages at once in a record two weeks. Lay down realistic progress goals and attempt to attain mini-objectives. Remember, your study time and knowledge of the dialect you choose determine your goals. Sometimes, you may have to set a first language that you will handle more boldly. Select a second language that you will assign a longer time to master. 

Beware of Strategies that Work for You

Beware Of Strategies

Some people criticize the idea of integrating learning styles into activities, claiming that it does not promote retention. However, some exercises can boost your consciousness and help you remember what you learn better. For example, sketching examples of words helps you envision the meaning of a word. This concept is different from language translation on flashcards, where you can only visualize the explanation.

If you usually get distracted often, you may want to try listening to podcasts while engaging in another activity like cleaning. If you are a music enthusiast, you can listen to your favorite music, and have fun singing the lines in your target language. Remember, if you invest more time in learning languages, you will start identifying the methods that work best for you.

Speak as Much as you Can and Make it Enjoyable

Speaking a new dialect gives you a better understanding of the language as a whole and helps you communicate better. When you are learning two languages at once, speaking is crucial in ensuring that you absorb both dialects readily. To succeed, you need to enjoy the learning process. Watch movies, read books, and listen to music in the target language. If possible, you can travel to a region where people speak the language and get to experience it first-hand. 

Schedule the Amount of Time you want to Spend on Each Language

To succeed in learning two languages at once, you need a robust plan and excellent time management skills. The first thing you should do is accept that a foreign language is different from your mother tongue.

Again, you must admit that you will need more dedication to master the dialects, than would be the case with a single language. Mastering the languages will take time, and you will need to be patient. If you are in a hurry to learn and master a foreign language, then learning two languages at once would not be a great idea. 

Focus on Achieving Quality over Quantity

Focus On Achieving Quality Over Quantity

It is essential to cultivate good habits from the beginning of your target language lessons. Failure to do so establishes practices that are hard to shake later in your journey. To avoid this, you should understand what you are getting yourself into before starting your language lessons. Remember, learning a collection of vocab words just because you want to accelerate your learning journey will hurt you in the process. 

Be Flexible

Remember, the beginning of your learning journey will not be easy. Not only will you need to be flexible, but you will also have to adjust your plans to fit your new schedule. This way, you will be able to contain any setbacks to ensure you do not deviate from your goals.

Adopt High-quality Learning Resources

Learning two languages can be more comfortable with the right learning resources. You do not have to worry about finding learning resources while at the Les Elfes camp. All language instructors are well trained, qualified, and experienced to offer the guidance that learners need.

Again, the instructors have numerous up to date resources both in soft and hard copy that learners can use accordingly. Teachers at the Les Elfes camp will even give learners online-based learning resources that they can use beyond the camping session. 

Incorporate a Different Study Program for Each Language

Incorporate A Different Study Program

To avoid getting confused when learning two languages at once, adopt a different study program. Language instructors on site will help you come up with a program that fits within your needs and schedule. Have a designated place within the camp for each language and replicate the plan once you get home after camp.

Move to a new position regularly to make your learning process even more fun. For example, you can study Korean by the campfire and Russian immediately after camp breakfast. This plan will help you develop an exclusive environment connected to each language. 

Beware of Multitasking

According to some studies, engaging in two or even more things at the same time can be unproductive. This concept is real when it comes to learning two foreign languages at once. We can liken it to executing English flashcard drills while watching a Finnish movie.

By attempting to complete two things at once, you risk doing none of them well. However, when you get a firm foundation in the two foreign languages, you can leverage different ways to form a single lesson. For example, you can watch a movie in one of your target languages that show subtitles in your second language.

You can even watch a language lesson video that trains native speakers of one language how to pronounce phrases and words in another language. This strategy is called laddering, a popular method of learning and mastering new dialects in the polyglots community. 

Leverage these Tips to Succeed

Are you considering learning two foreign languages during your next camping trip? If you are, these tips will help you succeed. Learning two new languages at once stimulates your mind.

Having to switch back and forth between languages regularly can be challenging. However, it enhances your thinking capacity and boosts your learning skills. As a result, learning and understanding other new dialects in the future become easy and faster.

Remember, not everyone can manage to learn two foreign languages at once. However, with dedication and the right concept, you will gain numerous benefits. 

Summer Fun for Kids: Exciting Activities for an Unforgettable Experience

Parents are always searching for fun activities to keep their children busy during the summer break. In this post, we shall discuss some of the best fun summer activities for both kids and the whole family.

Exciting Outdoor Activities

What you need to enjoy family fun outdoor games is enough sunshine and space to get your kiddos jumping around in excitement.

1.      Play Water Gun Racing

Make a hole at the bottom of two plastic cups or more depending on the number of children participating in the summer fun for kid’s activity. Attach yarn or string through each cup and fasten the ends to a starting and endpoint. Shoot water through the cups, with a full squirt water gun allowing it to race down the string. The child with the first cup that finishes the line wins.

2.      Play Outside on a Rainy Day

Many kids are excited to play in the rain. When it rains, allow the kids to go out and form mud pies as they splash in puddles.

3.      Erect a Slip ‘n Slide or Water Blob

To build a slip ‘n slide or water blob filled with water, you need duct tape and plastic sheeting. Erect your blobs in the yard and let the children hop between different blobs. Create a DIY slip ‘n slide using a garden hose and a plastic tarp.

4.      Canoe Paddling

Identify a local park complete with swimming pools, water parks, and cones for rent. The whole family can spend the afternoon engaging in fun things. Are you looking for a wide variety of exciting activities? Why not log in to your state park’s website and get a printable schedule of exercises? With a schedule, you will be able to plan your outings with ease.

5.      Organize a Hula Hoops Contest

Organize-A-Hula-Hoops-Contest

Hula hooping is not only a fun activity for kids, but it is also ideal for anyone who wants to improve cardiovascular fitness, strengthen core muscles, and burn body fat and calories. Have a hula hoops competition and see who can hold on to it the longest.

6.       Make an Obstacle Course

An obstacle course is a chain of challenging timed activities that kids in summer camps must navigate. These can include jumping, climbing, running, balancing objects, and swimming. Obstacle courses are ideal activities that test agility, endurance, and speed. There are many obstacle course activities that kids can play indoors or outdoors.

7.      Jump Rope

Rope jumping is a fun activity that can keep kids active and helps them maintain their cognitive and physical health. Jumping rope also has numerous benefits for adults. For example, it helps them burn lots of calories and strengthens the lower and upper body within a short time.

8.      Observe Water Walk

This experiment will help you understand the properties of paper towels and water. You will need simple household supplies that include mason jars, tap water, paper towels, and food coloring.

9.      Plan a Water Balloon Baseball Game

You will need a bucket full of water balloons, a plastic bat, and old towels that you will use as the base.

10.  Play Balloon Tennis

Collect paper plates, a balloon, and paint sticks to play this activity. Fasten the sticks to your paper plates to create paddles, and use your balloon as a ball. Play balloon tennis is a perfect outdoor and indoor activity for the whole family.

11.  Play Mini Golf

When it comes to playing golf, you can either create your course during summertime or visit a local golf course. The benefits of playing golf surpass physical fitness. Playing golf can boost emotional and mental development. Further, it helps nurture emotional and social skills in adults and kids.

12.  Go for a Fun Bike Ride

Many summer camps provide campers with bicycles which they can use along biking trails as they explore nature.

13.  Play Charades

Charades is a word guessing game where one player acts out a phrase or word. The other players will then guess the phrase or word. Kids can play in teams or as one large group.

14.  DIY Sprinkler

Did you know you can make a sprinkler at home using affordable materials? For this activity, you will need a male-to-male adapter and a 2-liter empty bottle. Make holes in the bottle and fasten it to the end of your garden hose with the adapter. Pass the pipe above a tree branch and activate the water.

15.  Create Your Playdough

Create-Your-Playdough

Playdough is a foolproof method of keeping children engaged and excited. It is an ideal fine-motor and sensory tool that is easy to make. If you are a DIY enthusiast, making your playdough at home helps you know the ingredients. You can even customize it to fit your needs. For example, you can add sparkles, color, essential oils, and natural flavors. Kids will be excited to participate in the playdough making.

16.  Hold Marble Races

For this activity, you will need to convert an old pool noodle into a track. Divide it into half to get equal length tracks. Have the kids race their marbles down the tracks. The one with the fastest marble wins.

17.  Create a Lego Castle Using Colorful Plastic Blocks or a Cardboard Box

Lego-Castle-Cardboard-Box

A lego castle is an ideal activity for the whole family. Lego bricks are plastic colorful building blocks that kids can join together to create a house, tower, or even castle. Kids can also use a cardboard box to build various creative objects.

Explore Local Sites

Summertime is a perfect time to explore local sites such as we shall see below.

18.  Plan a Visit to the Fire Station

Visiting a fire station can be fun and exciting for kids. What’s more, kids enjoy meeting firefighters. Visiting a fire station is an ideal way of ensuring the kids understand the basics of fire safety.

19.   Visit a Farmer’s Market

Farmers-Market

Kids and adults get a chance to eat the veggies and fruits in season as well as feast on some locally made street food. This activity is a learning opportunity where kids will learn about the factors that affect food production.

20.  Visit a Local Library

Apart from the fun and educational reading, modern-day libraries offer a wide range of exciting activities that kids will love.

21.  Plan an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Entertain the kids for many hours with an exciting educational outdoor scavenger hunt. There are numerous printable scavenger hunt ideas available online. Use them to help children explore the world around them.

22.  Homemade Bird Feeders

Homemade-Bird-Feeders

You and the kids can create a bird feeder from various readily available things like an old bottle or carton, crusty bread, or an empty bottle. A homemade bird feeder in your backyard gives birds within your surroundings a place to call home.

Cooking Ideas

There are many cooking ideas that kids can try in the summertime. Read on to find out.

23.   Bake Pizza

Kids will enjoy trying new recipes from scratch to finish. Let them pick pizza toppings on their own. Involve them in the process of washing mushrooms, cheese shredding, and chopping vegetable.

24.  Have Kids Prepare Dinner

Teach the children how to create a meal plan. Have them come up with a menu and even go shopping for the ingredients they plan to use. Let them cook dinner for the whole family but keep an eye on the younger ones. If you have teenagers, let them prepare dinner without supervision.

25.  Make Ice Cream

Ice-Cream

Kids love ice cream. One of the summer bucket list activities you should include in your day trip is marshmallows, hot dogs, and ice cream parties. Kids can either enjoy ice cream as is or make ice cream sandwiches. You can also teach them how to make healthy popsicles.

26.  Have Sun Tea or Fresh Lemonade

Are you planning a day trip? If you are, why not drive-in through the lemonade stand and buy a glass of lemonade? Lemonade comes with various benefits, such as supporting weight loss. Lemonade is also a perfect source of vitamin C.

Educational Activities

Here are some fun educational activities for your children to try.

27.  Demonstrate That Science Is Fun

While many kids are afraid of science, it can be a fun subject. All you need are simple and interactive science experiments that kids will love doing. There are many of these available online, free of charge.

28.  Learn a New Skill Together

Learn roller skating, how to make peanut butter from scratch, sew, or even play the harmonica.

29.  Tell Stories or Read Storybooks Loudly

Story time and book reading is ideal when the night falls, and kids are seated by the fireplace. Divide the kids into two groups. Let one group tell stories while the other reads a chapter out of a storybook loudly.

30.  Write in Shaving Cream

This activity can be a messy but fun method the kids can use to write. They will enjoy it better outdoors.

31.  Nighttime Fun Activities in Summer Camps

Nighttime-Fun-Activities-In-Summer-Camps

When seated around a campfire, you want to have bug spray to keep those annoying insects at bay. One of the exciting things you can do on a summer evening is to roast and munch on s’mores, hot dogs, and marshmallows. You can also listen to your favorite tunes while stargazing under the moon.

With Summertime Comes the Fun

Summer brings about lots of enthusiasm among children and adults alike. Favorable temperatures allow the whole family to engage in various exciting activities. Often, children become more creative during this period.

If you have been waiting to decorate your walkways, summer is the ideal time. Kids can use store-bought or even DIY sidewalk chalk, made with food coloring, distilled vinegar, and cornstarch. We are amid a pandemic, but that does not mean kids and adults cannot enjoy fun times in summer.

Do you want a lifetime experience? Register now and choose from the various outdoor activities available.

Parents are Investing in Luxury Camps to Keep their Kids Active this Summer

The health department of New York State stopped all sleepaway summer camps officially this year to curb the spread of Covid-19. The move left wealthy tri-state region parents in a state of panic, wondering how to keep their children occupied. Many parents today are not willing to choose a day camp and expose their children to the risk of contracting COVID-19. Instead, they are investing thousands of dollars for private luxury summer camps across the world. Some of these luxury camps cost up to $150,000. Exhausted parents admit that while luxury camps are costly, the investment is worth every coin. They are doing this to ensure their kids take a break from many months of homeschooling amid a pandemic. luxury summer camps across the world One Manhattan mom said: “I cannot entertain a 4-year-old all summer in the way that he needs to be”. The mum who wanted to remain anonymous said she had teamed with other parents to share $38,500 for a specialized program. She said: “I started to get a little bit stressed out because I realized it was looking like camp was not going to happen, [and] I needed to find some activities”. Arlene Streisand, an expert from Big Apple Camp, says that the previous two weeks have been a series of bad news as summer camps closed down one by one across New England. Streisand, who is also the director and founder of Camp Specialists, says: “parents are not happy. They have been home with the kids, cooking, and cleaning, and there are not a lot of choices for them right now”. A managing partner at Embark Beyond, a travel agency, Julie Danziger predicted the ongoing trend. She leveraged that foresight to introduce a new luxury summer camp. However, her program is not an ordinary bunk-bed project. It (the camp experience) comes with a range of 5-star resorts to choose from. Some of the activities at the camp base include; hot-air balloon rides, horseback riding, and go-kart racing for children. On-site chefs are also available as well as private jets to help clients reach their destinations fast and with ease. Julie says the biggest attraction of this extraordinary experience is blocking the outside world off. According to Julie, most of her clients come from the tri-state region. She says; “we really take privacy to another level. The destinations we chose are a combination of a place that has plenty of activity options, but also have a lot of space and acres and acres of land.” So far, Julie’s company has organized more than 50 camp stays. Their highest price tag of $150,000 involves a 10-day stay at the Brush Creek Ranch in Saratoga, Wyoming. the luxurious Magee Homestead of the resort Three families chose to rent out the luxurious Magee Homestead of the resort. This luxury facility is a 1,929-square-foot chalet that comes complete with an on-site spa, a grotto soaking pool, and three meals per day. Nine kids aged between 5 and 16 are attending and will participate in daily activities that include; kayak races, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding, a family chopped-influenced game, wacky Olympics, and zip-lining. Professional chefs will be on-site led by Lynda Levy, owner, and entrepreneur of a summer camp in New Jersey. She will customize the camp itinerary to meet individual family needs, but parents will need to pay an extra $1,000 for this experience dubbed the gold package. According to Lynda, “if a child loves ‘Harry Potter,’ let’s say, and the standard package offers relay races, on gold, it would be more like Harry Potter trivia races, or if a kid loves Disney, it would be Disney-themed.” There is an on-site expert tasked with training staffers. All on-site staff has gone through an interview and vetting process to play the role of counselors for the program. The camp is ideal for kids between the ages of 5 and 14. However, Danzinger adds that; “if you want six 20-year-olds to have a camp experience, sure, we’ll do it”. Other booked locations currently include Nevada, Mustang Monument in Wells, the Resort at Paws Up in Greenough, Amangiri in Canyon Point, Utah, and Montana. One of the clients booked Amangiri in Canyon Point, Utah, for a whopping $80,000 per week. According to Danziger, the ranch destinations are particularly big sellers. “It’s something a lot of luxury travelers have wanted to do, but have never done because these are the same families that every year are going on their regular trips to Saint-Tropez or the Amalfi coast. Now they’re taking the opportunity to do something out of the box. It’s nice to see the 1 percent looking at [America] with a fresh set of eyes and saying, ‘Wow, I live in a beautiful place.” Danzinger says. Wealthy parents are also opting to send kids to international summer luxury camps in countries where Covid-19 is not yet widespread. Les Elfes International for instance is a summer camp located in Switzerland. Campers pay $9,000 for a three-week stay but this does not include airfare. American parents have been particularly interested in the camp in recent weeks. According to Les Elfe’s sales and marketing assistant, Carlotta Ceruti, “In the last two weeks, the bookings increased. “Studies have proven that Switzerland is the safest country in the world. “It seems like that news arrived in the US because parents are ready and willing to send their children here”. A NY post suggests that parents from Los Angeles, New York City, Maryland, Potomac, West Palm Beach, Washington DC, and Florida are sending their kids to Les Elfes, Verbier this summer. enrichment workshops Apart from the ordinary outdoor activities, the classy camp that accommodates children between 6 and 17 years old offers a range of “enrichment workshops”. These include Swiss watch-making and table manners and etiquette. The camp has adopted stringent measures to guarantee safety. For example, they have installed a robot that will monitor the temperatures of staff members and children every day. Kids will have to undergo testing before arriving at the camp. While they want to send their kids to luxury camps, some New York parents are comfortable with having their children closer home. As a result, they are choosing the Home Camp program that is run by MySuperSitter. The program involves sending trained experts to host camps in the client’s backyard on Long Island and in the city. The cost of sessions per week for up to six kids is $5,500 for full-day camps. Individual families pay $3,900 per week. Activities include swim sessions, safety lessons, arts and crafts, sports, and a range of outdoor games. The Lower Manhattan mom we mentioned is spending summer with her family in East Hampton. She signed up for her 4-year-old son for Home Camp with a group of his friends. She chose the Home Camp program after deciding she was not comfortable with sending him to Hampton Country Day Camp again this summer. She says, “I knew it was not going to look the same as it had, and I didn’t want this new normal to be what my son thinks of when he goes camping”. Her main concern was the requirement to wear masks and having a few kids at the site. Whether the experience is expensive or not, parents want their children to experience social interaction after months of being in isolation. The Manhattan mom concludes by saying “we are hoping that this can provide these kids with some normalcy. And when I see him with other kids, I might cry with happiness.”

Tips to Help You Make Your Camping experience more Luxurious

Camping, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic that has denied enthusiasts freedom for months is an opportunity to reconnect with nature. While luxury camps will give you an unforgettable experience, sometimes you may have to let go of some comforts. Do you want to go camping but still maintain some level of sophistication? If you are, read on for tips on how to make your camping stay more luxurious.

·         Purchase the Right Tent

Have you had a bad experience with tents before? If you have, then you need to invest in a proper luxury tent. Often, luxury tents can give you the right balance of ventilation and insulation. Further, they are secure from the wind and are fully waterproof. Luxury tents are large but still easy to set up, which makes your camping experience convenient and cozy.

·         Carry an Airbed

A sleeping bag or sleeping mat provides some comfortCarry An Airbed for some people. However, carrying an airbed with you could make your nights more comfortable. Some air beds come with a layer of memory foam for more comfort than you would not get from a mattress.

·         Choose Glamping over Camping

Glamping is the idea of staying in a pre-assembled tent complete with furnishings such as chairs and beds. The tent also comes with electrical sockets to help you charge your electrical gadgets. With such provisions, you do not have to carry a tent. Instead, you will be assured of some basic luxuries while still experiencing an intimate camping feel.

·         Carry Your Power Source

Portable power sources are what you need to ensure your electronics are charged fully on the go. Other electric appliances like hairdryers and kettles can make your experience more luxurious. These appliances will come in handy for you if you are planning a long term camping trip.

If you can Afford Luxury Camps go for it

Luxury camps give you an experience of a lifetime. They are an ideal choice for busy parents who want their children to enjoy camping and still be safe. Register today and enjoy an extraordinary camping experience.