The Parents Page

Bringing up Gaelic-speaking Children

Growing through Gaelic encourages early use of Gaelic in the family, even if the parents are starting with no Gaelic. The program is based in Inverness County, Nova Scotia, but its ideas and tools are useful to parents everywhere. In particular, they have a wonderful YouTube series teaching Gaelic for things like changing diapers or dressing your baby. If you have or are planning for children, definitely check out the program.

Foghlam Gàidhlig  and Òrain na Cloinne are interactive resources designed to introduce young children to Gaelic song. These resources are suitable for a wide age range and all levels of fluency in Scottish Gaelic.

Gaelic4Parents:  Resources for parents with children in Gaelic medium education including live homework help in the evenings during term times; however also beneficial for beginners of all ages and for any one bringing their child up to speak Gaelic.  There are many audio files of bedtime stories.

Gaelic Nursery Language Links:  Gaelic Nursery Language Links is a series of colorfully illustrated story books for parents to read to their children. The books are aimed at helping non-Gaelic-speaking parents learn basic Gaelic phrases of the sort used every day in Gaelic nursery schools, and have proved very popular with parents and nursery schools.

Storlann:  A website for learners in Gaelic Medium Education, but lots of good exercises, and resources for learners of all ages contained within, including streaming audio files of books, some of which are read by the authors themselves.

Ainmean Chloinne: Scottish Gaelic names for children; published by Taigh na Teud, available from www.gaelicbooks.net.

Comhairle nan Leabhraichean / The Gaelic Books Council:  Based on Scotland, sells most books published in Gàidhlig, and ships worldwide.

Acair Books:  Acair Books publish a wide range of Gàidhlig, English and bilingual books.

Amazon: A wide range of Scottish Gaelic books for children can be found on Amazon.