What is the best way to teach your toddler Spanish?

Teaching toddlers Spanish: Why it’s critical for kids to begin learning a foreign language early

Have you ever heard of brain plasticity? Probably not, but it’s a critical component of how young children learn.

Plasticity (sometimes also referred to as “neuroplasticity of the brain”) is the concept that the brain is pliable or plastic, meaning that it is able to change it’s structure and function in response to changing stimuli. It accomplishes this by forming new neural connections

Teaching an old dog new tricks?
This malleability, as it is called, is much more present in young children and gradually decreases as we age. That is why children seemingly pick up new skills with relative ease, while an adult may struggle to master the same task.

How to teach a toddler Spanish

This is no different for language learning; kids are much more able to rapidly learn a foreign language than an adult could ever hope to do so. In fact, kids who start learning Spanish early not only learn quicker but actually reach a greater level of proficiency and retain information longer than an older child with a similar amount of practice and exposure later in life.

Critical period: a maturational stage in the lifespan of an organism during which the nervous system is especially sensitive to certain environmental stimuli.

Source: Wikipedia

Unfortunately, many schools begin teaching pupils languages at a grade that is well beyond the optimal age for neuroplasticity. Researchers believe that people who have passed what is known as a “critical period” would not acquire the first language as fluently as their peers. By the time kids enter middle school, they may be well past the critical period for rapid language learning (this is not to say that kids or adults should be discouraged from beginning a new language at any point in life; only that they should be aware that it will be more difficult than had they started sooner).

We can take advantage of this knowledge by encouraging language learning in our children well before they ever step foot in a classroom. By providing them with a foundation of foreign language learning prior to formal schooling, we can prepare them for continuing success.

There are many ways to help expose toddlers to Spanish. Here are some tips:

Ten steps to teach your toddler Spanish

#1 – Play with Spanish or bilingual toys

One of the best ways of exposing kids to Spanish is to incorporate bilingual English/Spanish toys into play. This will permit them to absorb language skills passively, before we begin active instructions. Here are some of our favorite Spanish language learning toys for toddlers.

#2 – Incorporate children into your own language practice

If you are learning Spanish yourself, whether it’s by continuing education, audiobooks, DVDs, tutors, apps, whatever – incorporate your kids into your practice. Drill your vocabulary out loud so they can hear you. Remember, kids learn a lot through visual cues: point to object and say the English word and Spanish translation (or for verbs, translate the action as you perform it).

It’s also beneficial for you to learn together – this will give them more motivation, you as they are already driven to emulate parents. This parallel learning acts as a very effective parent-child bonding time. Plus, you will be able to monitor them and correct their mistakes, in a process known to psychologists as scaffolding.

Teachers (or parents) help the students master a task or a concept by providing support… the support and guidance provided by the expert, is gradually removed as the learner becomes more proficient.

Source: Wikipedia

And since you have to practice anyways, why not let some skills rub off on your kids while you do so? Just remember to go slow and not get frustrated; after all, they are learning English and Spanish simultaneously.

#3 – Read Spanish (or even better, bilingual) children’s books with toddlers.

Next time you sit down for storytime with your kids, throw a Spanish children’s book into the mix. If they have an English storybook that they love, and are beginning to memorize, read the Spanish version to them while they look that the photos and follow along.

This is another fantastic method of visual vocabulary learning, because they can use the visual cues from the picture book to begin to understand the nouns and simple verbs. It is particularly powerful if they are familiar with the story and already have a good understanding of the concepts in the story. Here is our list of the best Spanish-English bilingual board books.

#4 – Use Spanish media – radio, television, movies, podcasts, etc. – as a tool

One of the most important techniques for language acquisition is immersion. True fluency and understanding of a language come from hearing native speakers talk. This is also one of the best methods of learning nuggets of Spanish that you can’t get easily from a book, such as idioms and other common phrases. If you really want your kids to pick up conversational Spanish, this is a surefire method.

When kids have programs they already love to watch, they may get a kick out of the SAP function. Seeing characters they are already familiar with using Spanish can really help them engage in the learning process. Hulu and Netflix are good resources to teach a toddler Spanish if you have them, as they often have a lot of Spanish programming. Read more about using Netflix to learn Spanish.

#5 – Spanish audiobooks

Just remember not to give them too much screen time. Although the AAP has recently relaxed their guidelines on screen time for children under two, it’s still a good idea to keep it to a manageable amount.

This is another reason why we recommend audiobooks for toddlers to learn Spanish. Many kid’s books are available as audiobooks through Audible, which you can try for free with this link: Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks. If you’re looking for a good place to get started, check out our list of the best Spanish audiobooks for kids. They’re all 100% free with the Audible trial, and truly are one of the best ways to teach kids Spanish.

#6 – Musical language learning

Similarly, music with Spanish lyrics is a great way to engage kids. Plenty of experts have validated the use of music to teach a toddler Spanish. Lots of children’s songs in Spanish can be found on YouTube or other video hosting sites.

There’s a reason most children’s educational programming includes music – it not only keeps kids entertained, but helps them learn and retain a language. This is also a great way for toddlers to learn Spanish in the car, making good use of the time you are preoccupied with driving.

#7 – Utilize local classes, resources, and groups

If you are wondering how to teach a child to speak Spanish, rest assured that you are not alone! There are likely a myriad of preschool classes and programs available locally, if you know where to look. See if there’s a language learning center nearby that you can bring your child to; otherwise, a local preschool, church, or other religious institution may have classes that you can enroll your child in. If possible, try to participate in the classes together – many parents find this type of parallel learning to be the most efficacious for them and their child.

#8 – Take a vacation to a Spanish speaking country

Speaking of immersion, there’s no better way to surround a child completely not only with a foreign language but also a foreign culture, than by visiting! Depending on where you visit, there will be different dialects, slang, idioms, traditions, foods, and more, but don’t worry about that yet; the important​ thing is exposure.

This may be one of the more expensive steps in this list, but had the potential to be one of the most valuable, both for language immersion and also for memorable family experiences!

#9 – Take some traditions home!

Research some of the cultural traditions or common foods from a Spanish speaking country, and have a night at home celebrating that culture. Have your kids participate in making a common dish, and try to name all of the ingredients in Spanish as you go. Teach a toddler Spanish by helping them take part in a celebration, game, or other popular activity.

Here are some ideas for holidays that you can celebrate to get you started:

Cinco de Mayo, an annual celebration held on May 5 in Mexico to commemorate the Mexican Army’s unexpected victory over French forces during the Battle of Puebla.

Semana Santa, a weeklong celebration of the holy day in Spain (and several other Spanish speaking countries) that takes place immediately prior to Easter.

La Feria de la Virgen de Suyapa, festivities that are held in honor of the patron saint of Honduras, The Virgin of Suyapa, during the first week of February.

#10 – Play Spanish games

It should come as no surprise that in order to teach a child Spanish, it has to seem like fun and not work. Spanish games are a great way to teach a child Spanish at home. Impromptu games like Spanish “I Spy” can be useful to practice vocabulary during long car rides, while outdoor activities like hopscotch or jumping rope can be excellent opportunities to practice counting in Spanish. Eventually, your kids will advance to more complex games, such as Simon says (or “Simon Dice”, as it is called in Spanish), which is useful for mastering verbs and mandates.

All of these techniques will help you teach your child Spanish at home faster. Remember, the earlier your child begins to learn, the better!

We’ll let you decide the best way to teach your kids Spanish, but we hope this article gets you well on your way. Want more Spanish language learning resources? Please use the contact us page to let us know what would be helpful for you. Thank you for reading!

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