PRIMARY school teacher Jeanie Franks is launching multisensory language classes in Altrincham.

Aimed at babies, pre-schoolers and their parents or carers, the classes combine music, movement and stories from around the world to provide a friendly introduction to language learning.

She says Babel Babies is unique among baby groups because it is something that both parents and children alike can gain from.

“A lot of baby and toddler classes seem to forget that grown-ups’ brains need stimulating too. Accompanying adults in our classes come away feeling more confident in embracing new languages and it’s wonderful seeing them experience and share it with their little one,” says Jeanie.

The company was originally founded in Cheltenham by three mums who wanted to share their love of languages with their own children.

One of the founders, Cate Hamilton, used to work with Jeanie and they have remained good friends ever since. “Cate and I worked in marketing and events together years ago, but we’ve always kept in touch. When she contacted me with the idea of setting up Babel Babies in Manchester and Cheshire, I jumped at the chance.”

Jeanie will be running two classes in Altrincham this November: Parents and children are welcome to join her in Tesco’s community room on Wednesdays from November 4, or in the Velo Espresso coffee shop, on Moss Lane, on Fridays from November 6.

Some free taster sessions are currently available at the venues, where parents can come and meet Jeanie over a coffee and a cake, and join in with a few songs to see what the classes are all about. All sessions can be booked through the Babel Babies website (www.babelbabies.com).

“It’s never too early or too late to start learning languages,” Jeanie explains. “Young children are incredibly receptive to new sounds and languages, and adults pick up the lyrics to our songs surprisingly quickly

“Having fun through singing and exploring other languages together is a great way to boost your confidence as an adult learner as well as giving your little ones a positive attitude towards languages ready for school.”