We want Spanish to be fun and relevant for kids. This photo challenge in Spanish is an engaging, kid-centered activity. It’s creative, personal, and learners of all levels can take and talk about photos.
Summer Photo Challenge 2019
The challenge is to take a photo for each theme during the course of the summer. There are 27 themes expressed with vocabulary familiar to language learners.
Native speakers can also have fun with the photo challenge, and there is plenty of opportunity to grow language skills as you talk about setting up a shot and then talk about the photo afterward.
If you have a young child, an adult can take the photos. Your child can be part of the picture or not, either way works for learning language. Kids who know how to use a camera can take their own photos.
For the challenge, you can take the photos in any order and represent the theme words however you like.
There is a printable version of the Spanish photo challenge below. You will also find ideas for using the photo challenge to reinforce Spanish learning.
Photography for Kids
We created this photo challenge as a language activity, but photography is a fabulous skill. If you are interested in introducing your child to photography, there are excellent suggestions online.
For example, Tots100 has ideas for introducing kids to photography, and Kids Camera Guide has an article specifically about teaching kids photography with your iPhone.
Photo Challenge for Language Learning
Use these suggestions to get more language learning out of the photo challenge in Spanish.
Before the photo
First, choose the theme. Then, let kids brainstorm possible places, objects, people that might work for that theme. Use the theme word and related vocabulary as you talk about the ideas.
Taking the photo
The process of taking the photo offers another opportunity to use the theme vocabulary and related words.
What you say will depend on the theme and your child, but as your child chooses the subject of the photo, describe the objects or people. Use the theme word and related language. For example:
(una planta) Ese árbol es una planta. Es un árbol hermoso. Tiene muchas hojas ahora.
After the photo
- Check the theme off the printable challenge.
- Talk about the picture. With beginners, look at photos together and use theme word. Or, for kids with more language, describe the photos together.
- Make a photo collage, either print or digital, and label the pictures. You can also write full-sentence captions for the photos.
- For kids who are learning to read, make matching cards. Print the photos and put them on index cards. Next, write the theme words on cards, then match the two sets. You can do this once you have a few photos and keep adding to the game.
- Play a guessing game with friends or extended family. There are two ways to play. 1) Show them a photo and have them guess which theme it represents. 2) When you have several photos, ask which photo represents a certain theme: ¿Cuál foto es “muy pequeño”? ¿Cuál es “contento”?
- Make a book with favorite pictures from the challenge. This is a great way to keep talking about the photos once you’ve finished the challenge.
- Put digital photos or a digital collage where kids can see them, such as in a separate album on your phone or on a screen saver, and talk about them with your child.
- Photos are most fun when they are shared, and it’s easy to do! Ask a friend or grandparent to do the photo challenge, too. Send each other the pictures with the theme word or a caption in the message.
Printable Photo Challenge in Spanish
Get a PDF of the photo challenge in Spanish.
More Challenges for Spanish Learners
Summer is a great time to learn while you are having fun. Try another photo challenge or these bingo card reading and play challenges with your kids.
Share Your Photos
Photos are a wonderful record of your child’s summer, and they also support language learning. We would love to see your child’s photos of theme words! Please share on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and tag Spanish Playground.
