How to Raise a Bilingual Polish-English Child in the UK
Share
How to Raise a Bilingual Polish-English Child in the UK
For Polish-heritage parents — and for grown-up Polish kids now raising children of their own — practical advice on keeping Polish alive at home.
The unique challenge for Polish families in the UK
Polish is the most widely spoken non-English language in the UK. There are over half a million Polish speakers here, a community built across decades of migration — and yet raising Polish-English bilingual children remains quietly difficult.
The first generation of Polish parents who came to the UK in the 2000s and after often spoke Polish at home as a matter of course. Their children — now adults, many of them raising children of their own — grew up with Polish in the house but English in every other part of their lives. For this second generation of parents, the question is sharper: do I speak Polish well enough to pass it on? Is it worth the effort? Will my child actually use it?
The answer to all three is yes — and this post is for you.
Why Polish is worth passing on
Polish is not a small language. It is spoken by over 50 million people worldwide, is the second most widely spoken Slavic language after Russian, and gives children access to a rich literary and cultural tradition that goes back centuries.
Research published in npj Science of Learning found that multilingualism in UK children is linked to higher cognitive abilities — and that the benefits are strongest for children who begin learning multiple languages from a young age.
Beyond the practical arguments, there is something more personal: for children with Polish heritage, the language is a thread back to grandparents, to summers in Poland, to a part of themselves that English cannot reach. Losing it is not just losing a language skill — it is losing a connection that is very hard to rebuild once it is gone.
Start with what you have
Many second-generation Polish parents feel their Polish is not good enough to pass on. It is accented. It mixes in English words. It is limited to certain topics — family life, food, feelings — and falls apart when conversations get complicated.
This is enough. More than enough.
A child who hears Polish spoken warmly and consistently — even imperfect Polish, even mixed Polish — will grow up with Polish. The language does not need to be textbook perfect. It needs to be present and loved.
Books are your most reliable tool
Unlike spoken conversation, which requires confidence and consistency in the moment, books are always there. A Polish book on the bedside table does not get tired, does not switch to English when it is easier, and does not forget to be Polish.
Building even a small home library in Polish gives your child something concrete: evidence that Polish is a real language that exists in books, in stories, in the same format as the English books at school.
Start with a handful of beautiful books your child will actually want to return to again and again:
- For toddlers and young children: How Do You Say That in Polish? On the Beach — vibrant illustrations of beach life with Polish and English side by side. Perfect for little ones who are just beginning to connect words to the world around them.
- For nature lovers: How Do You Say That in Polish? In the Forest — animals, trees, and the great outdoors in both languages. A brilliant book for children who love being outside as much as they love being read to.
- For animal obsessives: How Do You Say That in Polish? Farm Animals — farm animals in Polish and English, with the kind of bright, engaging illustrations children return to again and again.
The "How Do You Say That in Polish?" series is perfect for this age — playful, topic-led, and bilingual throughout. Polish and English side by side means you can read together even when your own Polish feels shaky. No translating in your head, no pressure to be perfect.
Browse our full Polish collection here →
Polish Saturday schools
Poland has one of the strongest heritage language school networks in the UK. Over 180 Polish Saturday schools currently operate across the country — a remarkable network run by dedicated parents and teachers, many of them under the umbrella of Polska Macierz Szkolna (the Polish Educational Society).
These schools are worth finding not just for the structured language learning but for the community: your child discovering that there are other children navigating the same bilingual journey is genuinely powerful. Many schools also cover Polish history, traditions, and culture — so your child gets far more than just language lessons.
The role of Poland visits
Time spent in Poland — with grandparents, cousins, on holiday — is irreplaceable. Even a short visit can reignite motivation and remind a child that Polish is a real, living language spoken by real people they love.
Use the weeks around visits strategically. Before travelling, increase Polish at home — more books, more Polish television, more conversation. After returning, keep the momentum going while the language is still fresh.
When it gets hard
There will be a point — usually around age seven or eight — when your child pushes back on Polish. English is easier, their friends all speak English, and Polish starts to feel like extra work.
This is the most important moment to hold your nerve without adding pressure. A few things that help:
- Return to the books and songs from when they were small — comfort and nostalgia are powerful
- Find Polish peers if possible — motivation shifts entirely when Polish becomes social
- Be honest with them about why it matters — children respond to genuine reasons, not abstract ones
- Keep Polish warm and present even if formal practice stops for a while
The children who come back to Polish most strongly as teenagers and adults are almost always the ones whose parents kept it warm rather than turning it into a battleground.
For parents who grew up in the UK
If you are second-generation — born or raised here, Polish at home but English everywhere else — you may feel like an imposter passing on a language you yourself feel uncertain about. You are not.
Your Polish, however imperfect, is the most authentic Polish your child will ever hear. It comes attached to your voice, your warmth, your family stories. That is worth more than any textbook.
A note from us
Clara's Little Library was built by a mum who knows exactly how hard it is to find beautiful books in your native language — because that search is exactly what started this library. Every book in our Polish collection is hand-picked because children actually want to read them, not because they look good on a curriculum.
Browse our Polish children's books here →
Â
Â