Bravo! You want to help your child learn French. Enrolling your petit bébé in a French Immersion (FI) or French As A Second Language (FSL) program at school is a great start, but it’s not the whole story. The truth is kids need to speak, listen, and read & write in French on a regular basis to truly learn the language.
You might be at a loss as to how you can help your child succeed if you don’t speak the language yourself. Workbooks are a great resource your child can use to learn French at home.
I have 3 daughters enrolled in the Immersion program at school. I am also an elementary school teacher – teaching French to kids in the English program (Core French).
There is a difference in the amount and complexity of French taught to kids in a French Immersion versus Core French program. So, I’ve created this list of the best french learning books for kids in both FSL streams. Some of these workbooks I use in my classroom and some I’ve purchased for my own girls to work from at home.
No matter how fluent you and your child are (beginner to très bon), you’ll find something in this list of the best french workbooks for students at every skill level.
There are affiliate links in this post. This means if you make a purchase through one of my links I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you. Read my disclosure policy to learn more.
Best Workbooks For French Immersion & Core French Students
Programme canadien complet (Grade 1 – Grade 3)
Our Pick For Best Primary French Immersion Workbooks
Programme canadien complet is a series of workbooks developed for French Immersion students to use in school and at home.
Each workbook in this series covers the four important subject areas – Math, French Language, Social Studies, and Science. Each unit covers expectations from the Canadian curriculum. By the end of each unit your child will learn the concepts and necessary skills for their grade level.
These books contain vivid illustrations and interesting activities, and are designed to make learning a second language fun. I’ve used these workbooks with my young daughters at home to help them improve their French skills on weekends and during the summer.
See Programme canadien complet Workbooks On Amazon
Read: Best Canadian Workbooks For Students
Complete FrenchSmart Series (Grade 4 – Grade 7)
Our Pick For Best Overall French Workbooks
Complete FrenchSmart series workbooks are designed to help kids practice learning and mastering the French language. All the FrenchSmart series books are aimed to help English speakers learn French as a second language.
I have used these books with both Core French and French Immersion students. With FI kids, I suggest selecting a book that is at a higher grade level.
Simple explanations, with examples, guide children along and ensure that they learn easily. The activities cover the key areas of learning – vocabulary building, grammar, reading, and oral communication.
See Complete FrenchSmart Workbooks On Amazon
Free Shipping at Mabel’s Labels
Read: Best Hands-On Educational Kits For Kids
Canadian Curriculum FrenchSmart Series (Pre-K – Grade 8)
Our Pick For Most Affordable French Workbook Series
Canadian Curriculum FrenchSmart helps supplement what your child has learned at school in their French class. This series is designed for kids who are learning French as a second language.
The engaging activities cover the major areas in learning a new language: vocabulary building, grammar, reading, and oral communication.
The illustrations are in English for students who need to boost their confidence while they learn.
See Canadian Curriculum FrenchSmart Workbooks On Amazon
Read: Smart Ways To Save Money On Back To School Expenses
FrenchSmart Tutor Series (Grade 4 – Grade 8)
Our Pick For Best French Oral & Listening Skills Practice – Downloadable Audio clips
I’m pretty excited about this series of books! Time spent listening to and speaking french is so important for my students but hard to come by outside of the classroom.
With the FrenchSmart Tutor series, children are guided along by a Smart Tutor in the workbook. The “Tutor” provides explanations, definitions, and examples throughout the activities. You can listen for free to the downloadable audio clips on the Popular Book Company website.
Each workbook covers three strands of the French curriculum: Oral Communication, Reading, and Writing. Each unit begins with a brief tutor session followed by four pages of exercises. There is a review section and accompanying audio clips that help children develop their oral and listening skills.
See FrenchSmart Tutor Series Workbooks On Amazon
Read: 7 Ways Practicing Yoga Makes Me A Better Mom
Popular French Immersion School Series: Maths faciles (Grade 1 – Grade 6)
Our Pick For Best French Immersion Math Workbook Series
Maths faciles is a series of math workbooks designed for French immersion students to help them understand math concepts and master skills step by step.
The activities and exercises are fun. Children are shown helpful examples and illustrations before each activity so they can enjoy and develop an interest in math.
These workbooks cover curriculum expectations such as number patterns, numbers up to 10 000, addition, subtraction, angles, quadrilaterals, 3-D figures, multiplication, division, problem solving with numbers, data management, money, time, mass, capacity, coordinates, transformations, fractions, decimals, length, perimeter, area, patterning with numbers, patterning with shapes, and probability.
See Math Faciles Workbooks On Amazon
Read: How To Make A Budget For A Big Family – Free Printable Budget Planning Package
Skill Builders French 1 (Kindergarten – Grade 5)
Our Pick For Best Workbooks To Practice Basic Skills
The Skill Builders workbooks are designed to keep children current during the school year or prepare them for the next grade level.
The activities are engaging and challenging with the goal of providing elementary students with the basic skills needed to learn French.
The activities are interactive and include graphics.
The 6″ x 9″ size makes this book perfect for at home learning or bringing along on road trips. And, there is an answer key so kids or parents can check the work.
See Skill Builders French Workbooks On Amazon
Ultimate Back-to-School Combo Pack
Read: Best Canadian Curriculum Resources For Home Learning
Collins Easy Learning Primary Languages – French (Kindergarten – Grade 4)
Our Pick For Best Workbook For Early French Learning
The Easy Learning Primary Language Series is by the Collins publishing company, known for their French-English Language dictionaries.
These workbooks are packed full of activities for children learning French for the first time.
The colorful, fun activities are structured to keep kids engaged. Collins promises plenty of support and guidance for parents in these books if French isn’t your thing.
The colourful activities teach children how to use words and phrases in context, and there is info about French culture. You and your child can also access additional resources available online.
See Collins Easy Learning French Workbooks On Amazon
Other French Workbooks For Kids
Are you are looking for other ways to support your child while they learn French? If so, Canadian Parents For French is an organization that helps both parents and students. They offer information and resources for children, and their families, enrolled in French as a second language (FSL) education programs.
Bonne Chance in your child’s journey learning French!
Other Popular Posts:
6 Ways Homeschooling During Coronavirus Is Kicking This Teacher’s Butt!
How To Budget For A New Baby: First Year Checklist
How To Prepare Your Finances For A New Baby In Canada
Investment Ideas For Low And Middle Income Earners
Thank you for this comprehensive list. Just wondering if you would recommend using FrenchSmart Complete or FrenchSmart Tutor of both at the same time for my daughter who has been in French Immersion for the past 3 years but will be homeschooled for grade 5. We will also sign her up for a 1 hour/week French speaking circle. Thanks for your time.
Hello, I would use both together just because the Frenchsmart Tutor includes the listening clips. Speaking and listening skills come first when learning a second language, just like when kids are babies and learn their first language. I always focus on listening and speaking first with my students…it helps them read and write later on. I hope this answers your questions.