Day and night, Outside-Nature, Playground, Vocabulary 30 June 2010

Part of summer is protecting kids from the sun. We remind them to put on sun screen, to sit in the shade, and to wear a hat.  Use these phrases in Spanish as you protect your child from too much sun.
Talking about using sunscreen:
Ponte bloqueador. – Put on sunscreen.
Vamos a …

 Animals, Online activities, Outside-Nature 28 June 2010

This is a set of activities designed for native Spanish speakers to practice farm animal vocabulary and numbers.  The activities are simple and short, and they are great listening practice in Spanish.
There are three types of activities. There are two levels of each type of activity, but both are very …

 Outside-Nature, Songs, Toys and Games, Videos, Vocabulary 27 June 2010

This song in Spanish is about rowing a boat to find a lost love.  It is also a hand-clapping game. The meanings of the words el río (river) and el mar (sea) and un día (one day) are reinforced as children sing them several times.
Children also learn the Spanish phrase …

 Crafts, Day and night, Outside-Nature, Vocabulary 26 June 2010

This activity is from Manualidades para niños; thanks to them for the permission to embed the video! Make this sun with your child and at the same time provide the opportunity for her to listen to and understand native-speaker Spanish.  Your child hears Spanish as she listens to the instructions, …

 Outside-Nature, Vocabulary 23 June 2010

Simple, inexpensive materials like this weather chart give parents and teachers an easy way to include Spanish in the daily routine.  Providing input in Spanish is hard work, and a little help can go a long way.  This chart has basic weather vocabulary.  You can use the verb estar to …

 Outside-Nature, Songs, Verbs, Vocabulary 22 June 2010

Children sing Que llueva, que llueva all over the Spanish-speaking world. There are several versions, and all of them celebrate spring rain.  This version includes common vocabulary like pajaritos (little birds), nubes (clouds), sol (sun), and primavera (spring).
In Spanish, the subjunctive mood is used in certain clauses. Que is the …

 Outside-Nature, Vocabulary 20 June 2010

Weather (el tiempo in Spanish) dictates the clothes children wear, the things they do, and the places they play. Talking about the weather is natural, and a good opportunity to use Spanish with your child.  Use these common Spanish expressions to talk about the weather with your child.
Hace frío. – …

 Outside-Nature, Photographs, Vocabulary 18 June 2010

Talking about pictures is a good way to speak Spanish with your child.  The images give the Spanish words context, and make the meaning clear. Simple sentences teach Spanish sentence structure and verb forms to children.
Below are five photographs of trees and flowers. Talk about the photographs with your child …