Have you ever thought: I wish my kids could speak Spanish. But then thought: classes are too expensive or I don’t know Spanish so how would I be able to teach them? These Spanish lessons for kids will help you whether you already know some Spanish or are going to learn with your kids!
I think most of us want our kids to learn another language because we all know the amazing benefits (such as empathy for others, increased creativity, and more job opportunities) that come from learning a second language. But you might be asking, “How am I going to teach my kids?”
With the detailed lessons I’ve created! They include parent instructions, commonly used Spanish words, and a variety of fun activities for all types of learners based on the latest research in language acquisition. The lessons include audio recordings 🔊 that you and your kids can use if you need to review Spanish or are learning with your kids.
Listening is the most important part of learning another language, and I haven’t been able to find a lot of high-quality audio resources for kids that go beyond the basics. So I started a YouTube channel to provide free audio for my conversation scripts and stories (the best way to learn with kids!).
The lessons build on each other, so if you haven’t started teaching your kids Spanish yet, check out my Start Here page for the best way to begin! Once you start following the instructions and complete the activities, you and your kids will be able to understand and speak Spanish!
Download the FREE printables and instructions here:
8. Video – First Version of Mariana y las latas
This Is How I Use Spanish Lessons for Kids to Teach My Kids Spanish
Total Physical Response (TPR)
I start lessons both with my students and with my kids using TPR. It’s a great activity for including movement in the lesson AND helping kids learn the vocabulary. Once kids connect the action with the Spanish word, you can prompt them with the action. Aidan forgot what quiere meant, so I did the action and he remembered the meaning right away.
TPR was first developed by Dr. James Asher. When doing TPR, I typically use actions for verbs and pictures or props for nouns and adjectives. For actions, I like to use a combination of ASL signs and making up our own actions. For this lesson, we used the ASL signs for get in (sube) and needs (necesita). I showed Aidan the ASL sign for thinks, but he changed it a little, so we are using our thumbs to point at our heads.
And if your kids need to move around, this is an activity you can do any time without preparation. Just follow the instructions that I’ve given, and you can take a little movement break while still practicing Spanish!
Conversation and a Mini-Story
Aidan and I continued listening practice with conversation. The conversation script has lots of questions (with examples of answers for you to use if you are learning Spanish), and this part of the lesson is my favorite part. I love hearing the creative answers both my kids and students come up with! I’m usually able to turn the fun answers into a little story to tell the class.
The stories I tell my class get the best response (probably because the stories are always about them!), and I’m pretty sure this is Aidan’s favorite part too. He gets really into the details of the story. Kids are getting listening practice, but I don’t think they realize they’re learning because you’re just talking with them and making up a story.
Since I know you might be learning Spanish with your kids, I’ve created a mini-story outline for each conversation script. That way, all you have to do is ask the questions (more listening practice 🎉🙌) and then fill in the blanks of the story with their answers. Voilà! You have a fun story that you and your kids created! If you need help with making the story, make sure to write your questions in the comments below so I can help you!
Reading
After listening to the story, kids can read it! The next most important part of language acquisition. I like to have my kids (and students) read the mini-story to start the lesson the next day.
I had Aidan watch the video for the first version of the story Mariana y las latas and answer the questions on the video. Then we read the next two versions of the story and did the reading activities together. The story is an embedded reading, so each version builds on the previous version.
This helps readers because as they read the next version, a lot of the story is already familiar to them so reading and understanding is not as difficult. And I like to have twists or cliff hangers to build curiosity at the same time.
Aidan enjoyed this story and had some interesting predictions about what was the unusual thing that the Mariana, the main character, found at her grandpa’s house. He was close but didn’t quite guess correctly!
Games
I love teaching Spanish with games (or for teaching anything, really), so you will find at least one game in each lesson! In this lesson I created another Spanish puzzle. 🧩 I like variety too, so some games are competitive, and some are more laid back like this puzzle.
In lessons that have flashcards, you can play several games with those. I don’t have flashcards with this lesson, so it’s a good time to play Peces, Memoria, or Matamoscas to review vocabulary from previous lessons.
Don’t wait to teach your kids Spanish! Start today, so your kids won’t miss out on the great benefits of learning another language and spending time with you. (I’m having so much with fun with Aidan!) It’s easy if you use my lessons because the fun (and researched-based) activities are already planned and include different types of activities, audio resources, and instructions. If you’re wondering where to start, do one activity from this lesson and start teaching your kids today!
Did you do these activities or know anyone who wants to start teaching their kids with easy and affordable Spanish lessons for kids? Please share with the buttons on the left!
What did your kids predict Mariana would find at her Grandpa’s house? Tell me about it in the comments below!
P.S. Are you looking for a quick and fun way to help your kids start learning Spanish? If so, check out my free Spanish for Kids Starter Guide! You can immediately use any of the 9 simple tips to introduce your kids to Spanish. Know what the best part is? You don’t have to know Spanish to use it!
