Dancing, listening to music, going to the playground, painting, snacking, playing with friends, watching a movie, coloring,…. the list goes on and on. Notice how “studying vocabulary” wasn’t listed in the activities your child begs you to do every day. What if I told you that learning Spanish didn’t have to be a boring, dreaded chore, but with a little creativity and effort it could be one of those activities your child looks forward to? In our opinion, here is the most fun way for kids to learn Spanish:
1. Attitude Adjustments
Have you ever said something in passing and were astounded when your child repeated it later in the day? As the parent, everything you say is heard and everything you do is seen by your child. If you are frustrated or unmotivated to continue in the Spanish-learning process, then it will show up in your face, inflections in your voice, and your entire attitude surrounding it. If you want learning Spanish to be a ‘fun’ activity that should be celebrated and looked forward to every day, then show your eagerness to your child (or fake it till you make it on the difficult days) and invite participation.
2. Incorporate Spanish into Your Daily Habits
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” so the saying goes. The easiest way for your child to have fun while learning Spanish is to incorporate the language into activities they already enjoy doing. For example…
A. Storytime in Spanish
If you are already reading stories to your child, then introduce children’s books in Spanish, as well as Spanish-English bilingual books into your weekly storytime routine. You’d be amazed how much of the story your child is able to understand. While the colorful colors and illustrations engage their eyes and help to tell a story, your child will start to hear how the language sounds and skim over the shape of the words even if they can’t read them yet.
- Search Spanish Read-a-louds on YouTube such as This One
- Must Read Children’s Books for Learning Spanish
B. Television/YouTube
YouTube is a world of entertainment and education all of its own. Does your child like dancing? KIDZ BOP En Español is the way to go. Cartoons? Peppa Pig Español is one of the many child-friendly cartoons. Live skits? Pica – Pica Oficial won’t disappoint. Whatever type of entertainment your child has fun watching and learning from, there’s surely an appropriate Spanish-alternative you can find on YouTube if you’re willing to do a little hunting.
C. Friends
No matter what age you are, life is better with friends by your side. Try to convince some of your own friends with kids to join your family on this language learning journey. If not, be bold to make some new friends in your city or online communities so that both you and your child will have support and encouragement.
- Best In-Person Spanish Camp for Kids (Los Angeles)
- Best Online Spanish Camp, ViLaCa (more advanced Spanish required)
- Check out community centers in your area for Spanish classes and events.
D. Outings
Few things will make your kids race to put on their shoes faster than the words, “field trip today.” There are many activities you can find around your city.
- Hispanic/Latino restaurants (order your meal in Spanish)
- Spanish Karaoke
- Zoo (practice Spanish vocabulary for animals)
- “Treasure hunt” (hide items in a park and tell the Spanish names of the items)
- Celebrate Hispanic/Latino Holidays (Cinco de Mayo, Dia de los Muertos,…)
- Top Latino Museums to Visit Near Los Angeles
In review, the most fun way for kids to learn Spanish starts with YOU. It’s a mindset first before a method. With the right attitude in place that is equipped with the right tools, you can build habits into your child’s life that make learning Spanish fun. If you’re looking for more language learning opportunities, Cultural Bytes’ online classes are the place where students and teachers have so much fun together!
