For parents raising Australian-born children with Punjabi heritage, and for kids who can speak Punjabi at home but want to read and write Gurmukhi.
👨👩👧 For Parents: The most important thing you can do is speak Punjabi at home — consistently. Kids pick up spoken language naturally. Reading and writing Gurmukhi takes structured practice, which is where DoZubaan helps.
Where to Start with Kids
Alphabet Flashcards
Click-to-flip Gurmukhi letter cards. Great for 5–10 minute daily sessions. Recognising letters is the first step to reading.
Name in Gurmukhi
Kids love seeing their own name in Gurmukhi script. A great motivator and shareable moment for the whole family.
Numbers
Learn Punjabi numbers 1–100 in Gurmukhi. Counting in Punjabi is a great daily habit to build.
Vocabulary Lists
Colours, family, food, body parts — themed word lists with Gurmukhi script. Print them out and stick them around the house.
Tips for Heritage Speakers
You already know more than you think. If you grew up hearing Punjabi at home, you likely have a passive vocabulary of hundreds or thousands of words. The goal is to activate that knowledge and add reading and writing.
- Start with the alphabet — spend 2 weeks learning to recognise all 35 letters before worrying about pronunciation rules
- Read Gurbani — if your family is Sikh, the Gurbani script is Gurmukhi. Even reading prayers slowly helps enormously
- Label things at home — stick Gurmukhi labels on objects around the house (ਦਰਵਾਜ਼ਾ on the door, ਮੇਜ਼ on the table)
- Watch Punjabi content — Punjabi cartoons, songs, and YouTube channels targeted at children are great even for teens
- Community school — a Punjabi Saturday school gives structure that home learning sometimes lacks
Simple Words to Teach First
| Gurmukhi | Romanised | English | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| ਮਾਂ | Maa | Mum | Family |
| ਪਾਪਾ | Papa | Dad | Family |
| ਪਾਣੀ | Paani | Water | Daily life |
| ਰੋਟੀ | Roti | Food / bread | Daily life |
| ਸੌਂ ਜਾਓ | Saun jaao | Go to sleep | Commands |
| ਆ ਜਾਓ | Aa jaao | Come here | Commands |
| ਸ਼ਾਬਾਸ਼ | Shabaash | Well done / Bravo | Praise |
| ਪਿਆਰ | Pyaar | Love | Feelings |