Experience Report: A 3-Month Parent-Child Study Abroad in Canada with an Elementary School Child

We wanted our child, while still in elementary school, to feel not just English but "how big the world is" firsthand. With that thought, we decided to spend three months in Canada as a parent and child.

We started our parent-and-child study abroad with almost no English. Our days were spent with my child attending a local elementary school, living with a host family, and me attending a language school too. I was anxious, but three months later my child's expression and words had changed greatly.

In this article, we share the real story of our "three-month parent-and-child study abroad in Canada with an elementary school child," including changes in English ability, the living environment, costs, and the discoveries and growth of both parent and child.

We hope this will be helpful for anyone who is thinking, "Someday I'd like to live abroad with my child."

We began considering parent-and-child study abroad when my child was in fifth grade of elementary school. Although my child was attending an English conversation class, lessons mostly involved listening rather than speaking, and we felt we wanted a place to actually use English.

My child was also very interested in going abroad and admired the school life in Canada they had seen on YouTube. As a parent, I also wanted my child to acquire "English they can actually use" rather than "English for entrance exams," so we took the plunge and decided to go abroad together for three months.

We chose Canada for its **safety, high educational standards, and comfortable multicultural society**. Another big attraction was that there were well-established short-term programs allowing children to attend a local elementary school, and that even a child who was a beginner in English would be welcomed with confidence.

Before departure, we were anxious, wondering, "Can we really change in three months?" In the end, though, this period turned out to be such an intense time for us as parent and child that it changed our lives.

We stayed in the **suburbs of Vancouver**, a city in western Canada. It was a residential area about 30 minutes from the city center by train, safe, and with a good balance of nature and city.

Our homestay was with a Canadian couple who work in education, in a household with a child the same age as ours. They had plenty of experience hosting parent-and-child study abroad students and welcomed us "as if we were part of the family."

The public elementary school was a five-minute walk from the house, and the language school I attended was about ten minutes away by bus. In the morning we had breakfast together, I saw my child off on the school bus, and then headed straight to the English school, and this became our daily rhythm.

There were many libraries, community centers, and parks nearby, and after school my child spent more and more time naturally using English while playing with local children.

On weekends we went to farmers' markets with the host family and sightseeing at **Stanley Park** and **Granville Island** in Vancouver. Parent and child fully enjoyed the nature and multicultural atmosphere that are unique to Canada.

I believe this "reassuring environment" and "daily life in which English is used naturally" supported the success of our parent-and-child study abroad.

My child attended a local **public elementary school**. The first week was a series of culture shocks. Teachers frequently asked questions during class, and students voiced their opinions one after another. I was impressed that the emphasis was on "expressing your own thoughts" rather than "giving the right answer."

Since my child could not yet speak English well, at first they seemed to feel a lot of anxiety, thinking "I don't understand" and "What should I do?" However, the classmates were very friendly, and many invited my child, saying "Let's eat lunch together" and "Let's play soccer!" so my child quickly fit in.

Classes included art and science experiments and presentations in a discussion format, many of them learned by moving around, completely different from the study style in Japan. As a result, even without fully understanding the language, my child could learn by "watching, doing, and feeling," and after about a month, the ability to understand spoken English had developed naturally.

The school also had a teacher offering **ESL (English as a Second Language) support**, and my child could take supplementary lessons several times a week for students whose first language is not English. Thanks to this support, my child seems to have been able to continue school life with peace of mind.

In the second month, my child was joking with classmates in English and even trying simple presentations. By the final month, school had become such an enjoyable place that my child said, "I don't want to go home!"

The local teachers also praised my child, saying "The growth in such a short time is wonderful," and I believe this school experience was a big reason we were able to return to Japan with confidence.

While my child was attending the local elementary school, I attended a **language school (ESL school)** in the mornings. To make our life in Canada more fulfilling, I decided to study English again myself. There were many other parents there on parent-and-child study abroad as well, from Japan, Korea, and Brazil, and in class we mainly studied everyday conversation and phrases useful in daily life.

In the afternoons I handled life support such as picking up my child, shopping, laundry, and cooking. There were many chances to use English at local supermarkets and banks, and at first I struggled when I couldn't catch what was said, but once I started thinking "let's get my point across even if I make mistakes," using English became more and more fun.

In the evenings, over dinner with the host family, time to talk about each other's cultures arose naturally. With questions like "Do you have school lunches in Japan?" and "Why are cherry blossoms so popular?" cultural exchange happened in everyday conversation, and the learning was less "English study" than "life itself."

On weekends, parent and child went sightseeing and joined activities. Cycling in Stanley Park, hiking at the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and wandering local markets: building up experiences in English also led to better English skills.

What I felt over these three months was that **"when a parent shows a willingness to learn, it motivates the child."** My child sometimes asked me, "Mom, how was school for you today?" and a relationship of learning from each other formed naturally.

I came to feel that parent-and-child study abroad is not only "for the child" but also has great meaning for **the parent's own growth and broadening of perspective**.

Over the three months of the stay, my child's English ability changed visibly. Before departure, my child could say only simple phrases such as "My name is..." and "Thank you," and could hardly understand any listening.

However, as we built up school life and conversations at home, my child gradually came to use English not as "study" but as "part of life."

In the first month, my child seemed to be concentrating on listening, and often smiled it off when spoken to, but by the second month, my child began using words on their own, such as "Can I play with you?" and "I don't understand. Can you show me?"

In the third month, just before returning home, my child was able to joke in English with the host family's daughter and even explain meanings while watching a movie together. In particular, the biggest change was that the "resistance to speaking" had disappeared completely.

My child gained not only English ability but also the **ability to express their own thoughts in words**. A child who had felt "embarrassed to make mistakes" in Japan became able to take on challenges positively in Canada, saying "Let's try!"

I also gained listening skills and courage while living in English as a parent. Conversations at the supermarket and dealings with the school, an everyday environment where we "had no choice but to use it" naturally led to improvement.

Even in a short period of three months, I feel the appeal of parent-and-child study abroad is that **confidence grows far more than language ability**. After returning home, my child continued online English conversation lessons and began to keep learning on their own, saying "Next time I want to go for longer."

The cost of parent-and-child study abroad in Canada varies depending on the city, type of school, and form of accommodation. The following is an estimate for **a typical case using a homestay in the suburbs of Vancouver**.

Tips for Reducing Costs

• **Early application discount**: Some language schools offer a discount of JPY 20,000-30,000.
• Staying with the **same host family for parent and child** can save around JPY 50,000-80,000 a month compared with separate accommodations.
• Choosing a **homestay with meals** keeps dining-out costs to a minimum.
• **Book airfare early** (three to four months before departure) and it tends to be significantly cheaper.

A three-month parent-and-child study abroad is certainly not cheap. However, in addition to improved English ability, its greatest appeal is the value you gain that cannot be measured in money: **"an intense time of learning spent together as parent and child."**

During our three months in Canada, what both parent and child kept in mind to deepen our learning was "**blending English into daily life**." We tried to create as many chances as possible to use English not only at school but also at home and around town.

Morning routine

We got up around 7:00 and had breakfast with the host family. Talking about the day's plans in English became a daily habit, and even in short exchanges such as "Today we'll go to the park." and "I have math class today." we naturally picked up phrases.

After-school time

After school, my child's routine was playing with local friends at the park or doing homework at the library. All the homework was in English, so at first I helped by looking things up in a dictionary together, but gradually my child began to try to understand things on their own.

For me too, conversations at the supermarket and the post office and using English in daily life became "training." I remember feeling a small sense of accomplishment the moment I could naturally say "Could I get a bag, please?" while shopping.

How we spent weekends

On weekends we took short trips with the host family and other parent-and-child study abroad families. Cycling in Stanley Park, wandering the Granville Island market, and whale watching: there were many chances to **use English through experiences**.

We also actively took part in events that let us experience Canadian culture (Canada Day, school festivals, etc.). They became the trigger for switching from "English to learn" to "English to use."

Evening reflection

In the evenings, my child and I set aside just five minutes to talk about "the English we used today" and "what we couldn't do." When we wrote them in a notebook, we could feel daily growth even in short phrases, which was very effective in keeping up motivation.

In this way, by treating English not as "study" but by being mindful of **"using it naturally in everyday life,"** both parent and child were able to improve our English without strain.

After returning to Japan, the first thing I noticed was the change in my **child's confidence**. Before departure, my child was embarrassed to speak English in front of others, but after returning, my child began talking naturally even with the school's ALT (foreign assistant English teacher).

My child had come to feel that "English is not for studying but for speaking," and their pronunciation was more natural and listening skills had improved dramatically. In English class at school, my child sometimes taught classmates the "pronunciation learned abroad," and the sense of being bad at English seems to have disappeared completely.

My child's **proactiveness and flexibility** also grew greatly. Through the experience of expressing their own opinions in a different culture, the "ability to have one's own thoughts and convey them to others" developed.

As a parent, the greatest joy was being able to see my child's growth up close in daily life. Even now back in Japan, my child naturally uses English phrases at home and has started watching overseas news and videos in English as they are.

I too gained the realization that "you can get your meaning across even if your English isn't perfect," and the barrier to using English dropped considerably. My understanding of other cultures also deepened, and "time spent learning and growing together with my child" became an irreplaceable experience.

Three months may seem short, but it was a thoroughly meaningful time for parent and child. I feel it was a chance to develop not only English ability but also **independence, a willingness to take on challenges, and empathy**, qualities needed in the times ahead.

Even after returning home, my child's words, "I want to go to Canada again!" speak more than anything about the value of this study abroad.

A three-month parent-and-child study abroad in Canada with an elementary school child was not just about learning English; it had great meaning as **"time to grow together as parent and child."**

Though our days were at first filled with anxiety and tension, we gradually became able to communicate in English, and when I saw my child laughing with local friends, I genuinely felt, "I'm glad we came."

Canadian education values "the willingness to try to communicate" over "not making mistakes." In that environment, my child took on challenges without fear of failure, and I too came to acquire "English I can use" alongside my child.

It takes money and time, but the experience gained in these three months affects how we learn, how we think, and even our outlook on life after returning home. Elementary school age in particular is a time of high flexibility, and children show surprising absorption even in a short period.

To anyone hesitating about parent-and-child study abroad, I want to say that **"the courage to take a step matters more than perfect preparation."** Even if you are not good at English, there are many people who will help you on site. And above all, children grow by watching their parents.

The three months we spent in Canada were so important to us as parent and child that I would call them "a turning point in our lives." Even after returning home, holding on to those smiles and that spirit of challenge, we want to keep taking on new worlds together as parent and child.