Tag: spanish at home

The problem? You want to speak Spanish to your kids, but you keep forgetting to speak to them throughout the day… For some people it can be so easy to switch their brains into Spanish and speak to their kids 100% en español. For me, not so much. Even as a Spanish teacher with a whole toolbox of strategies, it still took me months (maybe years) to find reliable ways that allowed me to build Spanish into our daily routine so that it became effortless. Fear not! You can too. Here are some tips: •Use a timer: Start small with just 5 minutes of speaking only Spanish. Gradually increase the time as your brain adjusts. It might feel silly at first but it works! •Create your bilingual story time: Make reading three Spanish books a daily habit for your kids. This is a great way to stay consistent and increase exposure •Embrace music, poems, and podcasts: Integrate Spanish songs, poems, and podcasts into your daily activities. You could listen to my Spanish podcast for kids ¡Hola Nature! in the car or while cooking 🤩 •Make screen time Spanish-only: Set a rule that the audio during TV or movie time is in Spanish at least 95% of the time. We’ve done this since the beginning with my kids and it’s an amazing and easy way to guarantee a little more Spanish each week! These are a few things that have helped me! Having Spanish built into our routine is a huge help, especially in times when I just don’t have the energy to think about it or try to bring in more, we’ve spent the years weaving it in seamlessly so there is always a little bit around! If you’re wanting even MORE support - check out my Spanish courses for kids and families of all ages. I have courses for beginners learning side by side with their littles, Spanish nature study for teens and older kids, and a hands-on early nature study Spanish courses for kiddos. Let me know if you have any questions and share your tips with families below!

A new episode of my Spanish podcast for kids ¡Hola Nature! is out 🤩 If you’re looking for a fun,free, and engaging way to teach your kids more Spanish at home or in the classroom, don’t miss this great resource. I also create free Spanish printables to go with each episode to help you get even more Spanish learning at home. Check it out and tune in whenever you listen to podcasts 🎉🤗

12 Spanish APPS that my bilingual kids love: •PBS parents play and learn •Sesame Street Breathe App •Canticos •Leo el Camión •Tiny Tap •Tiny Bop •Lee Paso a Paso •Unite for Literacy •Spanish Schoolbus •ABC Mágico •Pili pop •Fabualingua These apps are either already in Spanish, or they allow you to set the language settings to Spanish. From learning to read, to exploring the natural world, stories, songs, and games there are so many amazing resources to help our kids learn even more Spanish, and take some of that weight off our shoulders! These are a mix of free and paid apps – most have a free trial! Almost all of them are available on iOS and most are available on other providers too, but just do a quick google to see where you can find each one! Am I missing any of your favorites? Share below to help other families find even more Spanish apps for kids!

👇🏻 The best bilingual parenting advice I have ever received? I’ll share mine but share yours too! Help other families on this journey with your lessons learned and experience! Mine has changed so much over the years. As a Spanish teacher my advice would have always been to focus on immersion and providing consistent comprehensive input (Spanish that they can decode and understand) - but as a bilingual parent whose been on this journey for almost 7 years my best advice is now this: Something is always better than nothing. We can strive for best practices, and always try to be doing more or to be doing it better, but the reality is that this worry about “doing it right” often stops us before we even really get started. Or maybe we find an amazing rhythm and we’re crushing it and then life happens and it all falls apart. So this is my reminder that SOMETHING is better than nothing. Singing on Spanish song a day with your kids is better than doing nothing. Reading one Spanish book is better than not reading any. Don’t underestimate your efforts, no matter how small. Alright your turn - what’s the best bilingual parenting advice you’ve ever heard? 🍿