Kids are naturally curious about the world around them, especially when it comes to jobs! Whether they dream of being a doctor, a veterinarian, or a nurse, learning about different careers is an exciting way to expand their vocabulary and spark their imaginations. This month, in honor of Take Your Child to Work Day, we’ve created a fun-filled free resource to help kids learn Spanish, French, Italian for kids, and German. Plus, we’ve got an audio file to help with pronunciation and engaging printables to bring learning to life!
And guess what? There’s more job-related fun coming soon! Our next post will introduce even more exciting professions—including musicians and chefs—with vocabulary in Spanish, French, Italian, and German! Ready to start your child’s language adventure? Get started with One Third Stories here.
1. Play Pretend: Become the Professional!
Who doesn’t love dress-up? Grab a toy stethoscope, some bandages, and a few stuffed animals—it’s time to turn your little one into a doctor or veterinarian! Role-playing is a fantastic way for kids to use new vocabulary in a real-world setting. Let them “diagnose” their patients and practice saying words like “el termómetro” (Spanish for thermometer), “la visite médicale” (French for check-up), or “das Stethoskop” (German for stethoscope). For an extra challenge, have them give directions as the doctor and you follow along as the patient! Check out our guide to boosting foreign language clothing vocabulary with dress-up bins.
2. Spot the Professionals: Job Hunt Challenge!
Want to turn learning into a fun scavenger hunt? Challenge your child to spot doctors, nurses, and veterinarians in their everyday life—whether in person, in books, or on TV! Each time they see one, they can mark it off on a special tracker or make a tally. Once they reach a certain number, they can earn a small prize like a sticker or extra storytime. This activity not only reinforces vocabulary but also encourages observation skills and excitement about learning new words! Try reinforcing the new job vocabulary by saying phrases like “Je vois un médecin” (I see a doctor in French), “Vedo un veterinario” (I see a veterinarian in Italian), or “Ich sehe eine Krankenschwester” (I see a nurse in German). Need more active learning ideas? Explore 8 creative ways to boost foreign language skills with treasure hunts here.
3. Storytime with a Twist
Books are a great way to reinforce vocabulary in context. Read a story about a doctor, nurse, or veterinarian and pause to ask questions like, “What tool is the doctor using?” or “What does a nurse do to help people?” Let kids act out parts of the story to keep them engaged! To make it even more immersive, try reading a simple book in Spanish, French, Italian, or German and encourage your child to listen for familiar words. Want to know why stories work so well for language learning? Want to focus on Italian for kids? Choose beginner-friendly storybooks in Italian and point out job-related words like dottore, infermiera, or ospedale as you read together. Discover 8 powerful ways that reading and listening to stories support foreign language learning.
4. Hands-On Fun with Printables
Our free activity sheets include matching games, word searches, and label-the-tool exercises to reinforce key job words. Print them out and let kids work through them while pretending to be job experts! Each printable includes job vocabulary in Spanish, French, Italian for kids, or German, making it easy for children to learn while having fun.
5. Listen and Learn: Audio Fun!
Hearing words spoken aloud is key to building vocabulary, so don’t forget to check out our free audio file! Play it while your child colors, plays, or even gets ready for bed—repetition is a great way to lock in those new words! The audio resources feature pronunciation guides for job words in Spanish, French, Italian, or German, helping kids get comfortable with speaking new languages.
6. Take Your Child to Work (or Bring the Work to Them!)
If you work in a setting where kids can visit, Take Your Child to Work Day is the perfect opportunity for hands-on learning. If not, no worries! Set up your own “workplace” at home where kids can act out different jobs and get creative with what they learn. Encourage them to practice saying what job they are pretending to do in their new language, such as “Soy un médico” (I am a doctor in Spanish), “Je suis une infirmière” (I am a nurse in French), or “Ich bin ein Tierarzt” (I am a veterinarian in German).
7. Did You Know? Learning Through Play is Science-Backed!
Research shows that hands-on, interactive activities help kids absorb and remember new vocabulary much faster than passive learning. Role-playing, storytelling, and movement-based activities not only reinforce job-related words but also make learning fun and meaningful! Studies also show that kids who are exposed to languages at an early age have an easier time picking them up later in life.
At One Third Stories, we love making Spanish, French, Italian, and German language learning an adventure. Our unique Story Boxes use stories, activities, and audio to introduce kids to new words in a way that feels effortless and exciting! Ready to begin your child’s language learning journey? Get started with One Third Stories today.
Stay tuned for our next free resource post!
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One Third Stories courses are available in French, Spanish, Italian and German.
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Choose a language
Our courses are available in French, Spanish, Italian and German.
Select a subscription
Choose between monthly or annual payment options.
Start learning
Receive your first audiobook and Story Box, and let the learning begin!.