When I was in Croatia there were two card games I found useful for teaching English. The first was happy families which not only teaches the names of family members plus occupations but also practice with asking questions. You would have to first translate it first of course.
So “Have you got the taylor’s daughter?” would be “ἀρὰ ἔχεις τὴν τοῦ ῥαφέως θύγατρα” if I’m not mistaken (which I might be). Does need at least three players though.
Then there was cheat. With this game take an ordinary pack and keep the cards from 1 to 10 (Ace of course being 1). You both start with half. You look at all your cards and then place one face down and say the number. The other then places a card from their hand a say a number which must either be one more or one less that what you claimed was yours. (plus 1 can follow 10 and the other way round)
you may challenge them by say “You’re cheating” in which case the card is turned over. If they were lying they must pick up all the cards. If they were telling the truth you must pick up all the cards. The winner is whoever gets rid of all their cards first.
Both of those are really post toddler games but there is always snap.
Instead of calling out “snap!” to claim the pile when there is a pair you can lay down it must be “ἴσον”
And once they have got ἴσον you can change what players must call out to claim the pile “to make the game more of a challenge” aka “teach em new stuff”. Perhaps you could ask them to name what is depicted on the cards?
Marcos do you or anyone else here know either of these folks? I’d very much like to get my kid set up in a similar situation. Thanks much for any help!
Teaching youngsters Greek and Latin as a first language is a subplot to Ford Maddox Ford’s Parade’s End. Also compare Anthony Trollope’s Last Chronicle of Barset.
I was visiting a friend recently who speaks German to his daughter, while her mother only speaks English. He won’t do anything for her unless she asks for it in German. The daughter understands German well enough, but uses English for almost everything unless forced.
The subject has been on my mind lately (ἔχει γὰρ ἐν γαστρὶ ἡ γυνή). I feel that if I were to work hard on Sidgwick, I might be able to do something like that in a year or two. However, it would be crazy to be strict about that sort of thing in a dead language. Reading aloud and translating to the child from Homer, Aesop, Plato, etc., seems like a more reasonable middle ground, together with simple conversation practice.