Learn Mandarin Chinese Through Play With Lingo Buddies
When I was a child, I attended a Chinese School on Saturdays. The rote memorization and lack of structure made it difficult for me to succeed. Fast forward to my own daughter who I enrolled in Chinese School to learn Mandarin Chinese. Though the school had textbooks, she found it challenging to learn beyond memorizing enough information to pass tests.
Thankfully, today there are other options for children to learn Mandarin Chinese in ways that go beyond rote memorization, heavy homework loads, and test taking. Lingo Buddies taps into children’s natural curiosity of learning through play. It’s something I wish had been available when I was a child and when my daughter was younger.
I had the opportunity to interview Julia, founder of Lingo Buddies. Read on to find out more about this unique way of helping your children learn Mandarin Chinese.
What inspired you to start creating printable activities for learning Chinese?
LINGO BUDDIES: I started creating printable activities back when I was teaching English in Taiwan. A lot of the worksheets I came across felt outdated and not very engaging, so I made my own—more open-ended and fun for kids. When I moved back to the U.S., I wanted to help my nephew learn Chinese, so I kept designing activities with that in mind. Before I knew it, I had a whole collection, and I thought, why not share them with other families, too?
How does Lingo Buddies set itself apart from other Chinese language learning programs?
LINGO BUDDIES: At Lingo Buddies, we focus on play rather than memorization or repetitive writing. Instead of traditional tracing sheets, we try to make learning more engaging—turning it into a maze, a storytelling adventure, or a hands-on game. Every activity is hand-drawn, giving it a personal touch that feels warm and familiar to little ones.
In a world filled with screens, we hope our printables inspire kids to enjoy creative, hands-on learning. They’re designed to encourage exploration and imagination, rather than just completing a worksheet and moving on.
What have you learned from creating so many printable activities?
LINGO BUDDIES: I’ve learned that the most loved printables are usually the open-ended ones. Parents and educators keep coming back to them because they hold kids’ attention longer and spark more creativity. When an activity gives children the freedom to explore and take the lead, it becomes more than just a worksheet—it turns into a meaningful experience.
How do you balance fun and educational value in your printables?
LINGO BUDDIES: For me, it’s all about sparking curiosity while keeping learning goals in mind. I try to design activities that feel like an adventure—so kids don’t feel like they’re just studying.
At the same time, every printable has a clear purpose, whether it’s reinforcing vocabulary, practicing sentence structures, or building reading skills. I love adding puzzles, coloring elements, and matching games to keep kids engaged while encouraging them to think and apply what they’ve learned. The goal is to make language learning feel natural and enjoyable—because when kids have fun, they learn better without even realizing it.
What tips do you have for parents who feel overwhelmed about teaching their kids Chinese?
LINGO BUDDIES: Take a deep breath and start small—Chinese doesn’t have to be another “to-do” on your list. The best way to teach it is by weaving it into what your child already loves.
Storybooks are a great place to begin. Read together, talk about the characters, act out scenes, or add fun activities to bring the story to life in Chinese. Beyond books, look for simple ways to make Chinese part of daily life—naming foods while cooking, singing songs in the car, or adding a little bilingual fun to pretend play. The key is to keep it light, fun, and natural. When kids enjoy the experience, they’ll want to keep learning on their own.
Can you share an example of an activity you created for a popular children’s book?
LINGO BUDDIES: I created a full set of activities for The Very Hungry Caterpillar, but a simple way to start is with bilingual flashcards. As you read the story, your child can match word cards to the different foods or expressions in the book—turning it into a fun, interactive way to learn new words.
You can also make it a “find this picture” game, where your child listens for a word and points to it in the book. These little moments of play help make learning Chinese feel natural and engaging.
What are some common mistakes parents or educators make when teaching a new language?
LINGO BUDDIES: One common mistake is focusing too much on curriculum checklists. I totally get it—it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to cover every topic. But in doing so, we sometimes forget the bigger goal: to keep our children’s love for learning alive.
Children are natural learners—it’s hardwired into them. They absorb new information effortlessly when they’re interested and engaged. Our job is to ride the waves of their curiosity, spot teachable moments, and pull back when they need a break.
What are some ways to create an inspiring language learning environment?
LINGO BUDDIES: Your child is your best guide! Tune into their interests and moods, and build a language-rich environment around what excites them.
For example, my son is obsessed with cars. So, I borrow car-themed books from the library, pair them with printable activities, and put up a word wall featuring different vehicle names in Chinese. We also make up games—counting cars in Chinese, pretending to run a mechanic shop, or acting out little road trip adventures. When language learning is woven into what kids already love, it doesn’t feel like work—it just becomes part of their world.
What has been the most rewarding moment in your journey of creating printable activities?
LINGO BUDDIES: For me, it’s when teachers and parents send photos of kids using my printables in ways I never even imagined. Seeing children take an activity and make it their own—that’s when I know I’ve done my job. It makes all the late nights of drawing and formatting completely worth it.
What printables are in the works?
LINGO BUDDIES: After creating over 600 printable activities, we’re now focusing more on storybook-based printables—something parents and teachers have been asking for.
We’re also partnering with authors to create printables that go along with their books, making it even easier for families to bring stories to life in Chinese. It’s been exciting to see how much kids love learning when it’s tied to a story they enjoy.
About the Founder of Lingo Buddies
Julia, known as Auntie Juju to her six playful nieces and nephews, is a mom, designer, and educator passionate about making Chinese learning fun for kids. Born in Taiwan and raised in Canada, she grew up learning Mandarin at home, surrounded by picture books and well-loved activity books passed down from her siblings. With experience teaching English to children ages 3-12 in Taiwan, she developed a love for creating hands-on learning materials. This inspired her to start LingoBuddies.Fun, where she designs playful, story-based activities that help children learn Chinese naturally and joyfully. Now living in the Philadelphia suburbs with her husband and their three-year-old son, she finds inspiration for her activities while exploring nature with her little one—whenever the weather allows!
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