Online English lessons for children in the Netherlands: from hearing English to speaking it

When do children in the Netherlands learn English at school?

English is compulsory by the last years of primary school in the Netherlands, and many schools start it earlier. Children start basisschool at four, and the school years are called groups, from group 1 to group 8. So whether your child meets English in the first groups or only near the end depends on the school.

That means two children of the same age in different schools can have very different amounts of English behind them. Your child's school is the best source for what their class covers and when English begins. If your school starts late, a weekly lesson at home is a simple way to make up the difference.

Why does my child understand English but rarely speak it?

Children in the Netherlands often hear a lot of English in songs, games and online videos. Dutch and English are close relatives too, so many words feel familiar. The result is a child who follows far more English than they can produce, and who may go quiet when asked to say something.

It also helps to know how screens work here. Films and series for older viewers are usually subtitled rather than dubbed, so older children and adults hear the original voices with Dutch text on screen. Programmes for young children, though, are usually dubbed into Dutch. A four- or five-year-old may therefore hear less English than their older brothers and sisters do.

Listening is a strong base, but speaking is a separate skill. Children need to hear their own voice saying English sentences, get a reply, and try again. A class gives each child only a few turns. A 1-to-1 lesson gives one child all of them. If your child is shy about speaking, our guide on a child who is shy to speak English has gentle ideas to try.

Which English sounds and false friends catch out Dutch speakers?

Because Dutch and English are so closely related, the mistakes Dutch speakers make are quite predictable. Most come from reading English letters with Dutch rules.

• The th sounds. Dutch has no th, so words like thumb and this need extra practice.
• Soft endings. Dutch softens the final consonant, so bed can sound like bet and road like wrote. In English, the last sound changes the word.
• The letter j. Dutch j sounds like English y, so jam may come out as yam.
• oe and g. Dutch oe spells an oo sound, so English toe may be read as too. Dutch g is a throaty sound, so the hard g of go and garden needs practice.

English spelling is much less regular than Dutch, which is why phonics helps: it teaches the sounds of English letters directly. Our guide to sight words and phonics explains how the two fit together.

Is four too young to start English lessons?

Four is not too young, as long as the lesson is built for a four-year-old. Children aged 4 to 12 can all enjoy English, but the shape of a good lesson changes as they grow.

• At four to six, in the first groups of basisschool, English should be play: action songs, picture cards, puppets and lots of copying sounds. Short lessons suit short attention spans.
• At six to eight, while your child learns to read Dutch, phonics shows them that English letters follow different rules, so the two systems stay apart.
• At eight to twelve, children can chat about football, games or animals, read short books and write a few sentences, ready for secondary school.

How do I measure progress when my child already knows some English?

The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is used across Europe to describe language levels. For young learners, the first levels are Pre-A1, A1 and A2. A child who has soaked up English from songs and videos may have uneven skills: strong listening, weaker speaking, little reading. A placement at the start shows where each skill really is.

After a few months of regular lessons, look for small, real changes: longer answers, fewer Dutch words mixed in, reading a short sentence without help, or your child starting an English conversation themselves. Those signs matter more than any test score.

What makes a good online English lesson for a Dutch child?

• A live teacher who talks with your child, rather than a video or an app.
• Your child speaking for much of the lesson, with the teacher drawing out longer answers.
• A pace that fits 25 minutes, with games and movement for the youngest.
• Reading and phonics alongside speaking, not only conversation.
• Notes after each lesson so you know what was covered.
• Clear safety rules about teachers and where lessons happen.

How would CurioKids lessons work for a family in the Netherlands?

CurioKids gives children aged 4 to 12 live, 1-to-1 online English lessons with a real teacher, 25 minutes each, in the CurioKids online classroom with video, an interactive whiteboard, lesson slides and games. Most children start with Phonics Starter; a child who already reads can be placed straight into a CEFR-based level after the free first lesson. Phonics Starter is our 52-lesson reading course, from letter sounds to reading sentences. Teachers can't teach until our team has confirmed a background check and they have signed our teaching agreement. Lessons happen only inside the CurioKids classroom, and your child's teacher gives feedback after lessons. See our levels and safety pages for more.

For a Dutch child who understands plenty of English but reads it the Dutch way, Phonics Starter is a chance to sort out which English letters make which sounds.

Visit our Netherlands page to see how lessons work, what your child will learn and how we keep children safe. If lessons for families in the Netherlands haven't opened yet, the page has a waitlist: leave your details and we'll let you know when you can book your child's free first lesson. Plans for families in the Netherlands are priced in euros: see the prices for the Netherlands.