CANTONESE CAMP FOR HERITAGE SPEAKERS
July 27th - August 7th
Perfect timing after LAUSD summer camps end
A joyful summer experience designed for kids growing up with Cantonese at home.
Only camp in Los Angeles focused on helping young heritage learners build confidence speaking Cantonese through immersive play, conversation, culture, and hands-on activities.
Keep Cantonese Strong Through Summer
Designed for children with varying Cantonese backgrounds — from shy speakers to conversational kids — this camp focuses on helping children feel comfortable, proud, and excited to use Cantonese in everyday life.
Camp includes:
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conversational Cantonese
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immersive speaking & listening activities
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structured play and role-play
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Cantonese culture & food themes
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movement, games, and team challenges
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confidence-building through social interaction
Students receive:
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2 hours of structured Cantonese speaking & listening immersion
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30 minutes of guided Cantonese lunch conversation practice daily
After 11:30am, campers merge with the larger summer camp group for STEM projects, dance, games, and afternoon activities.
Founder of Little Panda Scholars, USC Marshall MBA Instructor & Dual Language Curriculum Developer
Meet Wong Lou Si
Sharon Tom brings a unique combination of heritage language fluency, educational curriculum experience, and modern teaching philosophy to Little Panda Scholars' Cantonese Immersion Camp.
Cantonese was Sharon's first language growing up, and many people are surprised to learn she was raised in the United States due to her native-level pronunciation and strong connection to Cantonese culture. As a student, Sharon was consistently recognized for excellence in Chinese language studies, including receiving a writing award from the Southern California Council of Chinese Schools.
In addition to her work in education, Sharon teaches at USC Marshall, where she leads workshops for MBA students. She also has extensive experience designing engaging dual-language curriculum for elementary-aged children, with a focus on making language learning interactive, confidence-building, and culturally meaningful.
Sharon's passion for Cantonese preservation has only grown stronger in recent years. During a visit to Guangdong, China, she was struck by how quickly Cantonese use has declined among younger generations. In many communities where Cantonese was once spoken by nearly everyone, fewer children today are growing up speaking the language fluently.
That experience reinforced something she had observed here in Southern California as well: many Cantonese-speaking families deeply value the language and culture, but often have limited opportunities for their children to practice Cantonese outside the home. For Sharon, this camp is about much more than vocabulary and conversation practice. It is an opportunity to help children build a meaningful connection to their family heritage, communicate with grandparents and relatives, and develop pride and confidence in a language that has connected generations of Cantonese-speaking families around the world.
Rather than relying on traditional drills or memorization-heavy instruction, Sharon's teaching style emphasizes immersive conversation, structured play, storytelling, movement, and real-world language use. Her goal is to create an environment where children feel comfortable speaking Cantonese naturally while having fun with their peers.
She is excited to welcome young heritage learners into a camp experience that celebrates language, culture, community, and the joy of speaking Cantonese.
Cantonese Mornings
Students practice conversational Cantonese through engaging activities and immersive play experiences.
Activities include:
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conversational games
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role play & storytelling
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movement-based language activities
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Hong Kong café & market themes
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team challenges and collaborative games
Heritage Learner Focus
Because students enter with varying levels of Cantonese exposure, activities are designed with flexible participation levels so every child can succeed and build confidence.
Examples:
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younger students may answer with single words
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older students practice complete sentences
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stronger speakers help lead and support peers
Speaking & Listening First
This camp prioritizes:
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conversational confidence
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listening comprehension
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natural language use
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positive cultural connection
Rather than heavy worksheets or memorization.
Students spend 2.5 hours each morning immersed in Cantonese before joining the afternoon STEM and enrichment camp program.
Choose Afternoon
STEM Adventures Track:
Pokémon or K-Pop Demon Hunters
In the afternoon, campers come together for hands-on STEAM projects inspired by themes kids love. Campers will choose between Pokemon OR K-Pop Demon Hunters at registration. Projects include:
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🧪 Explore science concepts like motion, balance, air, and force
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🎨 Design and create characters, tools and habitats
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🧠 Solve team challenges and strategy games
Each project encourages campers to build, test, and create while developing creativity, teamwork, and confidence.
Campers also enjoy daily dance lessons from a professional dancer and movement sessions, along with team games and obstacle course challenges. Afternoons are designed to feel exciting, social, and creative, giving kids a chance to collaborate, build, and stay active.
More About Summer Camp
