Teaching Spanish to Children

Here at Rock A Lingua we know that the key to learning a foreign language is through repetition, practice, and cultivating an interest in that language.  Because of that, we strive to create materials that not only catch and hold the interest of children learning Spanish, but also repeat vocabulary and grammar structures in many different ways that are natural and unforgettable.  Our songs, videos, and worksheets are all created with the young learner in mind and aimed towards active participation.  Each unit presents an opportunity for your students to become involved in the learning process by singing, dancing, listening, watching, and completing activities that are aimed at making the material memorable.  We don’t simply want them memorizing vocabulary or grammar structures for an exam, instead we want them living them.  For that reason we often suggest taking the activity off of the page and getting your students up and moving around during the class.  We want them interacting with each other in the language, playing with the language, speaking the language and doing TPR activities to help create a strong bond with the language. 

Each of our Spanish programs for kids includes teaching resources that cater to many different learning styles.  Let’s take a look at what we have!

Spanish songs for kids 

Not only are our songs original, but they are created to teach grammar and vocabulary without sacrificing the quality of the music.  They range from simple topics such as numbers and colors to more complex themes like expressing feelings, following recipes and exploring Spanish speaking cultures.  All of the songs have corresponding worksheets that can be used to follow along with the song, reinforce what’s being heard, or used as a review after playing the song.  Some of the songs include an "easy" or "difficult" version allowing you to decide what level best fits your students' needs.  The best part about using songs is that they are a blank canvas and you can add any movement you’d like to accompany the music.  Imagine that you’re teaching daily routines or parts of the body.  You might introduce the vocabulary using images or using gestures before listening to the song.  Once you’ve listened to the song you can either add body movements yourself or ask the students to listen and create their own dance to the song either in groups or as a whole class.  By combining music and movement you’re not only practicing the vocabulary but helping your students to make a connection with it.  

Spanish videos for kids 

Videos are a fantastic teaching resource for kids because they combine vocabulary and grammar with a visual element that is sure to capture your students interest.  This year we’re taking our Spanish videos a step further and creating video comics for all of our themes.  Our videos and video comics for kids combine the vocabulary with grammar in a real way.  To see more about our video comics for kids and ways that you can use them in your classroom check out our last blog post here! 

Another great resource for videos with shorts stories for kids can be found at 123teachme.  The videos combine a short story with visual elements and include a quiz to check for understanding.   They can be a supplement to a unit or something you use in addition to our resources.

Spanish worksheets for kids 

Once you’ve introduced the topic and target language, it’s time to work with it both orally and on paper.  When we think back on our educations, many of us probably recall copying notes and doing endless worksheets with the goal of finishing in order to move on to something more fun.  We’ve designed our worksheets with the goal of having them be the something fun!  During the parts of the body unit your students will be introduced to the vocabulary associated with the body, dance along to a song about the different parts of the body, color a picture dictionary and flashcards, and work with descriptive adjectives in the form of a video with unique characters, and the worksheets that go with it.  All of the images are designed with the kids in mind and more interesting than your traditional textbook.  

Spanish games for kids

With all of the technology currently available and the current tendency of children to gravitate towards online games, what better way to practice than through online games designed with education in mind?   Many of our games are free and all of them are interactive.  They can be played individually on tablets or individual computers, or as an entire class by bringing one student to the front of the classroom to answer one of the questions.  The images are just as colorful as our worksheets and are sure to engage your learners. 

More interactive Spanish games for kids can be found here or on the PBS Kids Spanish website.  

Spanish flashcards for kids 

Flashcards are an incredibly diverse tool and can be used in so many ways we can’t even begin to count them all.  From memory games to partner interactions they can really help to bring the language to life.  Our flashcards are designed with unique images that your students can color while practicing the words.  Once the flashcards are colored and cut out you can use them as a warm-up, during class, and to review throughout the year.  To see more ideas for using flashcards check out our post: Ten ways to use flashcards in your Spanish classroom this year! 

Spanish picture dictionary 

Our colorful dictionaries are a fun way for students to familiarize themselves with the vocabulary that they’re working.  A great way to use them is as a resource for your students to constantly review the words.  This is a great occasion to teach something more than the language.  Teach them the skill of using resources when they don't know the answer.  When they forget something, don’t always tell them the answer, instead remind them that they can look it up themselves!

Thanks for reading along with us and please feel free to share any tips for teaching Spanish to kids below!  Hope you're having a great October and happy teaching!