“My 5 year old loves playing the games, and more importantly, actually learns the Chinese vocabulary. It’s very intuitive and some of the games build on each other to reinforce the objectives of the lesson.
It’s screen time that we approve of!”
Angela (Parent. Pleasanton CA)
“Nini is a great teacher who is intriguing, encouraging, caring, and assertive with her students. She was our kids’ Montessori school lead teacher who heads the Mandarin immersion program and one of the best teachers our kids have had. We continued online Mandarin tutoring with Nini for years after our kids completed preschool with her. She is highly sought after by many of her other prior students as well. Nini developed her own teaching materials and unique approach that emphasize practical, day-to-day application of the language which has kept the kids engaged. She masters child psychology and can keep them engaged and firmly bring kids back to focus on learning if their attention occasionally draft away, which is critical for a virtual learning environment. Our kids’ have progressed a lot in Chinese and remain interested in learning thanks to Nini’s excellent teaching.”
Annie (Parent. Pleasanton CA)
“I highly recommend this site as it has motivated my son to practice his Chinese for several years now. I especially like the vocal practice it offers and the ease of use. “
Asli (Parent. Pleasanton CA):
“….Ms. Nini checks in with us often to make sure that we understand each lesson. I like the updated website. It includes fun learning games like the memory match… “
Student (11 yr old. Pasadena CA):
“….It’s kid friendly and easy to navigate throughout the website…”
Student (14 yr old. Pleasanton CA):
Illustrated stories is a fun and engaging way to introduce new content after students have gained a basic foundation in Chinese. All stories are original. To further enhance: an audio assistant is always available to support new vocabulary and provide guidance for accurate pronunciation. The visuals not only add an element of enjoyment but also help students better understand and connect with the stories. By combining imagery with sound, this activity keeps learners motivated while deepening comprehension.
This activity is found in the Elephant Jungle
Most of the new content on this website is introduced in the format of dictation. Along with each sentence, audio support is provided. Students are asked to input the pinyin themselves, reinforcing their knowledge.
This exercise is the centerpiece of every lesson: students spend much of their time here, becoming as familiar as possible with the texts. When they encounter something unfamiliar, the audio assistant is available to guide them.
By combining reading, speaking, listening, and pinyin, this activity not only ultimately paves the way toward digital writing skills, but also lays a strong foundation for long-term fluency and confidence in Chinese.
This activity can found in Bee Hive, Crabby Bay and Donkey Farm
Drag and Drop is another common activity designed to introduce and reinforce vocabulary learning. In this activity, learners drag a written word and drop it into the slot that matches the associated image.
There are two variations of this exercise:
1. Guided Practice: In the first stage, when a learner drags a word, a black frame appears around the correct spot to guide them. This helps students focus on connecting the word with its meaning while gradually building understanding through repeated practice.
2. Independent Challenge: Once the learner has practiced enough and gained confidence, they move on to the second stage. Here, the visual hints are removed, requiring them to rely entirely on memory and understanding. This stage serves as a self-test to check true mastery of the vocabulary.
This progression gently shifts learners from guided exploration to independent application, ensuring both confidence and accuracy in their learning journey
This game is found in Armadillo Hill
One of the main activities is the memory game, with three progressive stages:
Introduction: Match images with audio to learn new vocabulary in a fun, accessible way.
Recognition: Match images with Chinese characters, with audio support to connect sound, meaning, and form.
Mastery: Match images and characters without audio, testing true understanding and recall.
This interactive approach makes vocabulary learning more effective and enjoyable. Repeated practice is essential—true mastery comes from consistent review, not just completing an activity once.
