Learn Dutch: Summer – Picture Crossword for Kids

Naming things and spelling them — that is what your child practises here, in Dutch. They look at the sunshine, ice creams and beach balls, work out what each is called in Dutch, and enter it letter by letter into the grid. Because each box holds exactly one letter, your child naturally attends to every sound and every quirk of Dutch spelling. Where two words cross, the shared letter has to match, so Dutch vocabulary and writing come together as they puzzle. Your child may hardly notice how much early Dutch they are absorbing along the way. Puzzling, guessing, writing — without any rush and without any contest, simply at their own speed, until the final Dutch word slides neatly into the grid.

As they solve, your child looks closely: what are the sunshine, ice creams and beach balls called in Dutch? Then each letter travels neatly into its box. Because the Dutch words cross and help one another, the spelling turns exciting and gets practised along the way. Let your child puzzle and explore at their own pace. The loveliest moment is when the last Dutch word fits the grid exactly. Until then your child may think and try as often as they like — here there is neither a clock nor a single right speed to keep. Dutch likes to join small words together, so a single word can grow surprisingly long.

Has your child caught the joy of naming and spelling in Dutch? Then keep going! The crosswords about the pets and the ones with summer things hold fresh pictures, new Dutch words, and new crossings to puzzle over. And once your child is really in the swing of it, there is a whole free collection built around the summer things — free to print or simply to play online. That way learning Dutch stays varied and gives a little fresh pleasure each day, all at your child’s own pace. Have fun discovering, writing, and puzzling together!