Mandarin for Toddlers: Rhymes, Action Games and Coloring (Ages 2–4)

By the end you can

• Say hello and goodbye with a wave. Rhyme 1 waves on 你好, hides both hands on 再见 and peeks out on 明天见. A tip explains why 你好 sounds like "ní hǎo".
  再见，再见！ · Zàijiàn, zàijiàn! · Bye-bye, bye-bye!
• Share hugs and kisses with Mummy and Daddy. A family chant with a hug on 抱抱 and a blown kiss on 亲亲, then pointing to Mummy and Daddy when you ask where they are.
  妈妈抱抱。 · Māma bàobao. · Mummy, hug hug.
• Point to eyes, nose and mouth when you ask in Chinese. Touch each part as you say the face chant, then ask 在哪儿？ and let your child point on their own face.
  鼻子在哪儿？ · Bízi zài nǎr? · Where is your nose?
• Count to six with jumps and spins. Count on your fingers, jump on 跳一跳 and spin on 转一转, then count apples and balls and clap three times.
  拍三下！ · Pāi sān xià! · Clap three times!
• Make animal sounds the Chinese way. In Chinese a dog says 汪汪 and a duck says 嘎嘎. Make the sound and your child points to the cat, the dog or the duck.
  汪汪！是谁？ · Wāngwāng! Shì shéi? · Woof woof! Who is it?
• Say a mealtime chant and ask for more. 好吃 for rice and noodles, 好喝 for milk and juice, and a line to ask for more at snack time.
  我还要！ · Wǒ hái yào! · More, please!
• Play Bao says and find colours at home. Clap, stamp and pat your head to the action chant, then point to red, yellow and green things around the room.
  这是红色。 · Zhè shì hóngsè. · This is red.
• Say chants at bath time and bedtime. Wash hands and face to 洗洗手, then a quiet goodnight chant with the moon and stars to say at the bedroom door.
  晚安，妈妈！ · Wǎn'ān, māma! · Goodnight, Mummy!

What’s inside

• Rhyme 1: Say: Hello, Hello · Play: Wave and Point
• Rhyme 2: Say: Mummy and Daddy · Play: Who Is Who?
• Rhyme 3: Say: Eyes, Nose, Mouth · Play: Find My Face
• Rhyme 4: Say: One, Two, Three · Play: Count and Clap
• Rhyme 5: Say: Little Animals · Play: Who Says That?
• Rhyme 6: Say: Yummy Food · Play: Snack Time
• Rhyme 7: Say: Clap Your Hands · Play: Bao Says
• Rhyme 8: Say: Colors · Play: Find the Color
• Rhyme 9: Say: Bath Time · Play: Bubbles and Splashes
• Rhyme 10: Say: Goodnight · Play: Moon and Stars
• Picture cards: Picture Cards
• All together: All the Rhymes

How to use this book

Ten rhymes, each with a Say page and a Play page. The book's routine takes about 10 minutes: play the rhyme twice, do the actions together, then pick one game. Stop while your child still wants more.

1. Before you start: Hear it yourself first. Play Rhyme 1 on the free audio and say each line in the pause, so the sounds feel easy before you say them with your child.
2. Week 1: Hello, family and faces. Rhymes 1 to 3. Wave hello at the door, hug on 抱抱, and ask 鼻子在哪儿？ at odd moments through the day.
3. Week 2: Counting, animals and food. Rhymes 4 to 6. Count the stairs, make the animal sounds with toy animals, and say 好吃 at meals.
4. Week 3: Actions and colours. Rhymes 7 and 8. Play Bao says with 拍拍手 and 跺跺脚, then hunt for red and yellow things at home.
5. Week 4: Bath and bed. Rhymes 9 and 10. Say 洗洗手 at the sink and the goodnight chant every night, slower and quieter each time.
6. Any time: Cards and the little show. Name the eight picture cards on page 23, then put on the show on page 24 and tick each rhyme your child joins in with.

Who it’s for

Parents, grandparents and carers of children aged 2 to 4, and toddler groups or nurseries that want a little Mandarin in the day. You read the words; your child listens, points, claps and colours.

Before you start: Nothing. Every line has characters, pinyin and English, and the free audio reads each Chinese line slowly with a pause to say it back. There is no tracing or reading for your child.

Frequently asked questions

Is it right for a two-year-old?

Yes. It is made for ages 2 to 4: one big picture per page, simple shapes to colour and nothing to read or trace. Your child learns through listening and doing the actions while you read the words.

I don't speak Chinese. How do I get the sounds right?

Play the free audio: every Chinese line is read slowly, with a pause so you can both say it back. Each Say page also has a Mei Lin says tip in plain English, such as why 你好 sounds like "ní hǎo" and why 妈妈 ends short and light.

Are the rhymes songs?

They are ten original spoken chants of four short lines each, with an action for every line, so there is no tune to learn. Say them in a sing-song voice, and slow the goodnight chant right down at bedtime.

Is this workbook free?

Yes. The whole 27-page PDF is free, and you can look through its pages here before you download. There's no card and nothing to pay.

Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can practise speaking with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

Can I print copies for my class or my children?

Yes. Print as many copies as you like for your own class or family. To share it, send this page: everyone can download their own copy.

Keep going

Mandarin Circle Time for Preschoolers: Immersion-Style Routines to Do at Home · Mandarin for Preschoolers: Animal Sounds Coloring Book (Woof, Moo and Quack in Chinese) · Mandarin for Kids: Animals & Fruit · Colors and Numbers in Chinese for Kids: Printable Worksheets (Ages 4–6) · Browse all 294 workbooks