Hand clapping games are great Spanish language activities for children. These two games are each based on just one word, so they are simple to learn. One is Chocolate and the other is Mariposa (butterfly). They are both excellent for practicing correct Spanish pronunciation. The games break the word into syllables and put it together again. Both rhymes reinforce the short, clear vowel sounds of Spanish.
The words to Chocolate are:
Choco, choco, la, la
Choco, choco, te, te
Choco, la, choco, te
Cho-co-la-te
Here is a video of two girls playing Chocolate. These are the traditional hand motions, but any simple pattern will work.
This link is to two boys playing the hand clapping game Chocolate. And this is a video of two girls doing the same rhyme, but stepping in time to the rhythm with their feet.
Mariposa is a similar hand clapping game that works well with Spanish language learners. It uses the same pattern to break the word apart and then put the syllables together. This is a good rhyme to practice pronouncing the single Spanish r correctly. It is a quick flap of the tongue against the front of the palate, similar to the tt in the English word little.
The words to Mariposa are:
Mariposa
Mari, mari, po, po
Mari, mari, sa, sa
Mari, po, mari, sa
Ma-ri-po-sa
This is a video of Mariposa.
Thank you for linking up with “Say it Two Ways Thursdays”! I think this is a good idea,especially with long words. Maybe just plain clapping will work with my two year old.
These are both traditional rhymes that children do all over Latin America, as you can see from the videos. I’m sure you could do it with any four-syllable word, as long as the emphasis falls in the next-to-the-last syllable.