Hear the poetry. Discover the beauty of Chinese.Spring Dawn
Listen for birdsong and the patter of spring rain.
Choose one activity and enjoy a little time together.
Listen together. Share a word, a movement and a little time.
Listen to the sounds of poetry
Listen with music, then practise with voice-only audio and pauses for your turn.
Having trouble playing? Open audio ↗
Listen to the recording and follow the pinyin.
A note for grown-ups
After a sound spring sleep, the poet wakes to birdsong all around. Remembering the wind and rain during the night, he wonders how many flowers have fallen.
Read together, one turn at a time
Say the first syllable of a line, then let your child continue.
Where are the hidden lines? Let’s find them.
Start with two syllables as a clue, then try just one. Swap roles when you are ready.
Words for grown-ups
Play the Mandarin recording, then use these prompts together.
New to Chinese? Listen, point and move together.
Play your way through three days
Listen, read and play. Follow your child’s curiosity.
When did you hear that sound?
Choose a sound, then choose its time.
Try it together.
Find 雨 (yǔ, rain). Say: “I hear ____. It sounds like ____.”
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Bring the poem to paper.
Choose a page to read, draw or write together.
The print pack contains pages 4, 9 and 10 from the workbook: the poem, a game and an extension activity.
These are the current Chinese-led worksheets with English support. The fully English guide is on this webpage; an English-localised PDF edition is still in preparation.
POETRY BUDS
Let’s keep in touch
Questions about reading together, a correction to share, or an idea for working together? We’d love to hear from you.
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