Meals provide an opportunity and context for speaking Spanish to your child. In addition to food vocabulary, there are many common verbs that you can use at the table. These are some common Spanish phrases that are used at mealtime. They are not word-for-word translations of the English because often word-for-word translations do not make sense or would be something that no one would say. These are phrases that you can learn and use with [...]
Your child can practice the colors in Spanish and pronunciation with this activity. These games are from Spain and have audio, so that children can hear and learn to pronounce the sounds of Spanish. The activities are simple and have images, so you can use the color vocabulary in context. The menu screen will show the words Vamos a jugar con los colores (Let’s play with colors), and then you will hear four options: vamos [...]
This is another activity for practicing colors and pronunciation. The games on this site from Spain have audio, so that children can hear and learn to pronounce the sounds of Spanish. The games are simple and incorporate images that make it possible to use the color vocabulary in context. The menu screen will show the words Vamos a jugar con los colores (Let’s play with colors), and then you will hear four options: vamos a [...]
The activities on this site from Spain have audio, so that children can hear and learn to pronounce the sounds of Spanish as they learn the colors. The games are simple and incorporate images that make it possible to use the color vocabulary in context. The menu screen will show the words Vamos a jugar con los colores (Let’s play with colors), and then you will hear four options: vamos a vestir a Kika, vamos [...]
If I could choose one song for my university students learn as children, it might be this one. In addition to correct Spanish pronunciation and useful vocabulary, it exposes children to several key structures that are much more difficult to learn later. These are just a few examples of the Spanish that children learn as they listen to and sing this song: Correct pronunciation of the words ahora and hacia – The “h” is silent. [...]
This simple vocabulary activity is designed for native speakers who are beginning to read, but can also be used with Spanish language learners if you do it together and read the text aloud. Match the Spanish word to the picture. As you do the activity with your child, use the words in a sentence to give them context. For example: For the word nido – Hay pajaritos en el nido. For the word abeja – [...]
This activity for making a butterfly from a paper plate is from Manualidades para niños; thanks to them for the permission to embed the video! Make this butterfly with your child and at the same time provide the opportunity for her to listen to and understand native-speaker Spanish. Your child will hear Spanish as she listens to the instructions, and the images make the meaning of the language clear. Follow these simple steps to make [...]
This short, simple song asks the sun to warm the Earth. It is a good example of how word families extend a child’s vocabulary as she learns Spanish. Children can hear the relationship between the common words calor (heat) and frío (cold) and the verbs calentar (to heat something) and enfriar (to make something cold) that are used in the song. Also, most children are introduced to the word sol early in their contact with [...]
Children are familiar with the concepts and vocabulary related to the seasons of the year. Using this knowledge, they can understand the same ideas expressed in Spanish. As children relate the concepts they know to the Spanish language, they use their ideas to clarify the meaning of the words. This allows children to understand longer sentences and new vocabulary, and is an excellent way for them to learn Spanish. Reading both of these books children [...]
This story is an excellent introduction to Spanish vocabulary related to the four seasons. It is made for native speakers, and has audio, so it teaches children Spanish pronunciation, and listening skills. The images clarify the meaning of the text, teaching the important words associated with each season. The sentences will appear on the screen. This is what you will hear in Spanish and a translation. Use the questions to talk about the pictures and [...]
This song is lots of fun to sing and to dance to, and it teaches the parts of the body in Spanish. It is all about moving, and playing a little air guitar as you sing the pie, pie, pie lines. Each time you sing a verse, you add another part of the body, always above the last one, and then sing your way down the body to your feet – pie, pie, pie – [...]