Online Flash-animated games help kids to learn the Arabic alphabet and vocabulary. (See References for links to some free online games.) Sites such as hello-world.com offer learning games for many languages, including Arabic. Kids can identify what is different from one picture to another, play connect-the-dots using Arabic letters and numbers, or match clothing items to body parts to dress an animated person. Digital Dialects (See References) also provides learning games that teach kids Arabic letters, numbers, animals and colors. Given vocabulary words, children then match them to the right animal, number or color.
Software that will help both children and adults learn Arabic is available both for purchase and for downloading online. (See Resources for free downloadable Arabic software.) One is Arabic School software, found at arabicsp.com. It was given four out of five stars by CNet.com editors, and five out of five by CNet user reviewers. Many other program, including encyclopedias, 3D games and character-based interactive lessons are available at Aramedia.com, linked in the Resources section.
Classroom and homeschooling materials include DVDs, activity books and puzzles. Some are listed in the Resources section; they can be pricy, however, at $100 or more. If you have an Arabic-to-English dictionary and alphabet available to you at home, consider using one of the most tried-and-true language learning games by creating your own set of Arabic flash cards. Using them in reward-based games or competitions among children can raise the level of enthusiasm. Have kids race to get 10 flash cards right against a timer, or have them use a word successfully in three sentences throughout the day to earn a reward.