Drawing, or coloring, with your child can be a wonderful Spanish language activity. The key is to talk about what you are doing in Spanish. The picture clarifies and reinforces the meaning of what you are saying. Also, the process offers the opportunity to repeat Spanish vocabulary and structures many times.
1. Draw or color a picture with objects that your child know the name of in Spanish or that are words that she is learning. Include, for example, the sun or moon, trees, birds, a house, a car, or a dog.
2. Talk about your picture as you draw or color. Repeat the same sentences, or variations. For example, as you are drawing a tree you might say:
Estoy dibujando un árbol. – I am drawing a tree.
El árbol es grande. – The tree is big.
El árbol es verde. – The tree is green.
Me gusta el árbol. – I like the tree.
El árbol es bonito. – The tree is pretty.
¿Te gusta el árbol? – Do you like the tree?
3. Talk about your child’s picture as you draw together. Point to the objects as you say them. For example, you might say:
Me gusta el sol. – I like the sun.
La casa es bonita. – The house is pretty.
La mesa es azul. – The table is blue.
4. When you finish your picture, talk about it one more time. Count objects and talk about what you see. Point to the things you mention. For example, say:
Hay tres flores. – There are three flowers.
Veo un gato negro. – I see a black cat.
Me gusta mucho el dibujo. – I like the picture a lot.
El dibujo es para ti. – The picture is for you.
5. Hang the picture in her room, or on the refrigerator, where you can talk about it later.
Remember, your child is learning as she listens and understands what you say. If you want to ask questions about your pictures, consider using the progression described in Steps for teaching vocabulary successfully.
Useful vocabulary:
dibujar – to draw ¿Quieres dibujar? – Do you want to draw?
pintar – to color ¿Quieres pintar? – Do you want to color?
la crayola – crayon Voy a usar la crayola roja. – I’m going to use the red crayon.
el marcador – marker ¿Dónde está el marcador negro? – Where is the black marker?
el papel – paper/sheet of paper Necesito otro papel. – I need another sheet of paper.
el dibujo – a picture to color Hay una casa en este dibujo. – There is a house in this picture.
pragmatic mom
Apr 27, 2010
Love your blog. Just added you to my blogroll.
http://pragmaticmom.com
pragmatic mom
type a parenting for the modern world
i blog on children’s literature, education, and parenting.