Chinese character flashcards are a fun and helpful Chinese language tool. You can purchase a set of flashcards or make your own. One side of each card has a Chinese character to learn and the other side has the phonetic pronunciation and the explanation of the meaning of the character. You try to guess the meaning behind the character and can flip it over to see if you are correct. You can carry the flashcards with you and pull them out for a quick review during the day. You can also test others' knowledge of Chinese with the cards.
An electronic Chinese dictionary is much more helpful than a paper dictionary. Choose one that has the option of writing a Chinese character onto the screen for a search of the meaning and words using that character. This kind of dictionary is helpful and fun. You can pull it out to translate Chinese characters or words you come across and you can work on your Chinese writing while also learning new characters.
Download a set of Chinese listening exercises onto your MP3 player. You can listen and learn Chinese on your way to work or listen and repeat during your free time to work on your pronunciation. Advanced learners can listen to Chinese music, radio or audio books using an MP3 player.
One of the best and most enjoyable ways to improving your Chinese language ability is by watching Chinese films with subtitles. Watch the movies the first time with English subtitles, again with Chinese subtitles and finally without subtitles. You can learn new characters and also work to expand your vocabulary and comprehension.