Make language learning a game à la médiathèque

Many visitors ask us why the large black letters above our library desk read médiatheque and not bibliothèque. Although we have more than 30,000 books in our collection, we use the word médiathèque because it includes all of those books plus DVDs, magazines, games, and online resources. We are dedicated to giving you new and fun ways to practice French. Here are some of our favorite ways to make language learning un jeu d’enfant !

Meet Epic!

We’ve added a new way to engage the French side of your brain from the comfort of your home: Epic!

Epic! is an online library created for the use of educators and librarians. It features an assortment of books including picture books, easy readers, novels, non-fiction materials, and audio books for children of all ages—from bébés to ados. To make the process easy, our librarians curated specialized groupings en français and uploaded them to the Center’s iPads. Visit us to try this new resource or email librarian@frenchlibrary.org for instructions on how to access Epic! online.

Apps

Our library’s iPad is loaded with apps from the French App Store, some of which are also available to American customers. Read an album animé, or animated storybook, such as Cendrillon or Jacques et le haricot magique ; play a game based on the Max et Lili books; or discover the boulangerie in the game Perlinpainpain.

Toboclic

Computer games can be an amazing way for kids to engage with language and stories. Toboclic is a magazine on CD for ages 5-8. Each issue has an animated, interactive grande histoire (the featured story that month) and a short comptine. An interactive story lets children learn about anything and everything, from lions to airports to the geography of France. Kids will develop creativity and problem-solving skills with the included games and activities.

Lunii

For a break from the computer screen, try our new story-maker, Lunii. This bright turquoise box holds hundreds of possible combinations for stories and it’s up to you to decide. First pick a story pack - will it be Cache-cache avec les voyelles, or Les Histoires de Suzanne et Gaston ? Maybe Les Inventeurs or Le Pack de l’espace ? After you select a story pack, choose the hero of the story, the villain, and a special object. Then Lunii reads the story you’ve created out loud. A dial on the front lets you make your choices - no screen necessary!

Board Games

Board games are a great way to practice your French with friends and family. Playing games makes you compete, cooperate, and strategize so you practice creative and spontaneous speech in an exciting, but low-pressure setting. Mystery fans should try Witness, based on the Blake et Mortimer bande dessinées. If you’re a real bibliophile, test your knowledge with Le Jeu de la grande librairie. The whole family will love our games based on popular book characters, such as Le Petit Prince or Le Jeu des rois et reines. If you need a hint, pick up a bookmark with helpful game vocabulary.

Rat Costumes

Help us celebrate Halloween by drawing a costume for the rat de bibliothèque ! Pick up a rat at the desk or in the children’s room and get creative. Drawing together is a great opportunity to ask questions and practice French vocabulary. Afterwards, you can try one of the spooky reads recommended on the back of your coloring sheet. Need costume inspiration? We’ve drawn some for you and hung them around the library - pick one and start coloring!

We have many more activities planned throughout the year. Check out our building blocks and coloring table, and be sure to stop by and make a marque-page monstre !