Bilingual
Beginnings
in August
A Parent-Child Guide to Practicing Spanish at Home
Parents, whether you know some Spanish or none at all, you can review and practice Spanish at home with your child. Use the resources below that have been specially designed for you! Be sure to play the fun audio files while practicing Spanish along-side your child. It's a win-win...you'll sharpen your Spanish skills too!
Where Is Thumbkin?
"Where is Thumbkin?" is a nursery rhyme that your children are probably familiar with in English. We will learn the rhyme in Spanish too! In Spanish it's called: "Pulgarcito".
As you may recall, the nursery rhyme involves our fingers greeting each other. The purpose of this activity is to have fun while learning language that is relevant to everyday life, including greeting each other and saying "goodbye."
See the picture of the hand and practice saying the names of each of the fingers with your child. The pronunciation for the Spanish words is included. Play the audio file and it will teach the vocabulary
Let's Go Swimming!
To prepare for this activity, find one of the following items in your home: swimsuit, flip flops, beach towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, floaty, swim goggles, beach ball. As you listen to the audio file hold up the items. You can also use the actual items and put them in a beach bag as they are introduced on the audio file. When ever you go swimming try to incorporate these Spanish words into your dialogue together.
Game Idea 1: Gather each of the items and lay them on the floor in the living room. Take turns naming the items in Spanish and the other person has to touch them as fast as they can.
Game Idea 2: Hide the swimming items in the room. Call out one at a time in Spanish and see how many seconds it take your child to find them. Count out loud in Spanish. Let your child count and you have to find the items. When you find an item put it into a beach bag.
the flip flops = las chanclas
the beach ball = la pelota de playa
Farm Animals
Children enjoy learning about animals. This month we focus on eight farm animals: dog, cat, chicken, sheep, pig, duck, donkey, cow. Click on the slideshow below and play the audio file, it will help you! It takes you into a barn where you will sing the names of the animals to the sound of a harp! (Download the Farm Animal Guide pictured below to help you.)
Number Review: 5 Minutes
Materials Needed: Download number cards and play the audio files!
Children love showing off that they can count in a foreign language. Use the visuals and audio files below to do quick number review mini-lessons whenever you have an extra 5 minutes in your day! The audio files uses a alternates using a normal voice, a high squeaky voice and a robot voice. If you use these silly voices, your child will too. Get silly while counting together in Spanish!
