Babo the Dragon wins the European Language Label 2026!
We are delighted to share some wonderful news from our European network: Babo the Dragon – Bilingual and Bicultural Outlook has been awarded the European Language Label 2026, recognising its innovation and excellence in language education.
For Mother Tongues, this achievement is particularly meaningful. We were one of the key organisations involved in the Erasmus+ project, contributing to the co-creation, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of its educational resources and working alongside partners from across Europe.
We’re also delighted to have contributed to a project receiving this European recognition once again. Our flagship programme, Language Explorers, was awarded the European Language Label in 2024, making Babo the Dragon’s 2026 recognition another special milestone for Mother Tongues and our ongoing commitment to innovative multilingual education.
Supporting multilingual learning through play
At the heart of Babo the Dragon is a playful approach to early language learning.
The programme helps young children encounter and develop languages through stories, songs, games, digital resources, animation and creative activities. Drawing on multilingual education, multiple intelligences, gamification and emotional learning, Babo the Dragon creates an environment where children can develop language skills while also building creativity, communication, confidence and intercultural awareness.
This approach reflects something we know well at Mother Tongues: languages are about much more than words and grammar. For children growing up with more than one language, this is closely connected to family, identity, culture and belonging.
Creating joyful and positive experiences around languages from an early age can help children see multilingualism as an opportunity to explore, connect and express themselves.
A European project with a growing impact
Babo the Dragon was developed through a three-year Erasmus+ partnership involving nine organisations from five European countries: Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Austria and Portugal.
Together, the partners developed a wide range of resources for preschool language learning, including:
- pedagogical guides for teachers
- educational board games
- digital games
- interactive applications
- an animated series featuring Babo the Dragon.
Mother Tongues contributed throughout the project, including through the development and validation of educational resources, international cooperation, pilot experiences, quality assurance and dissemination of the results.
The impact of this collaboration is already reaching well beyond the original project partnership. Babo the Dragon resources are now being used by schools in more than ten European countries, while the project’s educational videos have attracted over half a million views. This is helping teachers, families and children access high-quality multilingual learning materials.
Recognising innovation in language education
The European Language Label is part of the European Innovative Teaching Awards (EITA 2026), an initiative of the European Commission recognising outstanding projects that improve language learning and educational innovation across Europe.
For Babo the Dragon, the award recognises both the quality of its educational approach and its wider European relevance. It highlights the project’s contribution to multilingualism, inclusion, intercultural dialogue and lifelong learning from the earliest years of education.
These principles are at the heart of Mother Tongues’ work too. We believe that children’s languages deserve to be valued and celebrated, and that multilingualism can enrich children’s learning, relationships and understanding of the world around them.
Proud to be part of the Babo the Dragon journey
Babo the Dragon is a great example of what can happen when organisations across Europe come together around a shared vision for more inclusive and creative language education.
The international consortium was pedagogically coordinated by Baby Erasmus British International Preschool and administratively coordinated by the University of Extremadura, alongside educational institutions, universities, technology organisations and audiovisual specialists.
We’re proud to have contributed our expertise and experience to this collaboration and grateful to all of the partners who helped bring the project to life.
For Mother Tongues, the European Language Label 2026 is not only a recognition of a successful project. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the importance of giving children meaningful, creative and inclusive opportunities to experience languages from their earliest years.
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