Esperanto | Short History
A short introduction to Esperanto, its creator L. L. Zamenhof and the idea of an international language.
Explore L. L. Zamenhof, the doctor who created Esperanto, and wonder how language can help people understand one another.
If you arrived here by scanning the QR code in your book or PDF, you’re in the right place. Use these read-alouds, videos and activities to keep exploring language, communication and hope.
Choose the paths that spark the most curiosity and let the conversation grow from there.
Meet Esperanto and discover how a planned language grew from one person’s hopeful idea.
A short introduction to Esperanto, its creator L. L. Zamenhof and the idea of an international language.
Hear how Esperanto sounds and explore its origins, spelling, simple grammar and a few useful expressions.
Listen to a simple children’s story in Esperanto and notice which sounds or words feel familiar.
Mara Rockliff’s illustrated picture-book biography follows L. L. Zamenhof from his multilingual childhood to the creation of Esperanto and his hope that a shared language could bring people closer together.
A short animated story with subtitles that offers a gentle first experience of hearing Esperanto in context.
Try the language for yourself through a quiz and a few simple phrases.
Review Zamenhof’s story, Esperanto and the lesson’s central ideas with a short family quiz.
Practise saluton (hello), dankon (thank you), jes (yes), ne (no), amiko (friend) and bonan matenon (good morning). Which phrase would you like to use first?
Follow language into creativity, connection and questions about what helps people understand one another.
Create new words for hello, friend, please, thank you and goodbye. Decide how they sound, how they are written and which patterns might help somebody else learn them.
Can a shared language build understanding on its own, or do people also need patience, kindness and a willingness to listen?
Take this topic further with our beautifully illustrated printable lesson, made for exploring together at home.
Meet the doctor who created a new language and follow one hopeful idea into questions about communication, friendship and peace.
£6.99
Every Sunday we release a new wonder-led lesson: one big question for your family to explore together at home. Here’s this week’s.
Follow the wonder of moving pictures, meet early cinema pioneers and begin a small film story of your own.
£6.99