For the past three years, Mandarin House has organized summer camp for both expat kids in Shanghai and children from abroad. The growing number of participants shows growing interest in Chinese language learning, even from a small age.

This comes as no surprise since learning Chinese is increasingly popular worldwide, and scholars will tell you that when it comes to learning languages, the younger the better.

Students range in age from seven to 17 and come from more than 10 countries across the globe. This creates a uniquely diverse environment, not only for developing language abilities but also social skills.

Shanghai expat children mostly take part in the day camp and spend evenings and weekends at home with their parents. The students who come from abroad usually participate in the full camp, which also provides accommodation and weekend trips.

After a healthy breakfast, and while everyone is full of energy, mornings are spent on the language lesson. There are four lessons a day, and children learn to speak, listen, read and write with Mandarin House in-house-developed professional learning books.

In between, a break and a few snacks make sure the children can stay concentrated the whole morning. Participants all benefit from the interactive teaching methods and experienced teachers.

In the afternoon, there are a variety of activities. Calligraphy, cooking classes and paper folding help students learn more about Chinese culture. There are sports activities such as martial arts, ping pong and bowling so children can get some exercise. Afternoon trips and weekend excursions within Shanghai or to nearby towns make for a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of the downtown city. Our activities all allow students to practice their new language skills in real-life situations.

After summer camp, participants will have gained the confidence to speak Chinese; they'll have discovered more about China and also made many new friends.

Mandarin House is pleased to see so many of our students who keep coming back every year.

For more information, visit www.mandarinhouse.cn or call 021-6137-1987.

(Shanghai Daily July 1, 2008)