3 Must-Have Resources for Parents with Spanish-Speaking Preschoolers | Alldonemonkey.com

3 Must-Have Resources for Spanish-Speaking Preschoolers

Thank you to MommyMaestra for this post on 3 must-have resources for parents of Spanish-speaking preschoolers!

Many parents feel that the best time to learn multiple languages is when children are small and their brains are more efficient at processing language. And today, more and more parents are working hard to pass on their heritage language to their children. For Hispanics, that means Spanish tools and resources are in high demand, but sometimes hard to find. While children can learn languages simply through communication with family and friends, there are a few tools that parents should stock up on to help them make the learning process extra fun.

If you have Spanish-speaking preschoolers at home, check out these must-have resources.

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3 Must-Have Resources for Parents with Spanish-Speaking Preschoolers

Bilingual Books

Lucky for us, the number of Latino children’s literature is increasing (albeit slowly). But for preschoolers, there are quite a few exceptional titles that not only teach them basic skills such as numbers, colors, shapes, and letters, but they teach these concepts in Spanish! And don’t forget books with traditional nursery rhymes and fingerplays which were originally created to help children learn. Some of my favorites include:

Dale, Dale, Dale / Hit It, Hit It, Hit It: Una fiesta de números / A Fiesta of Numbers by Rene Saldaña Jr.
Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos by Alma Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy
ABeCedarios: Mexican Folk Art ABCs in English and Spanish (First Concepts in Mexican Folk Art) by Cynthia Weill
Arroz con leche: canciones y ritmos populares de América Latina / Popular Songs and Rhymes From Latin America by Lulu Delacre

Bilingual Music

There are so many great musicians who have recently come out with fun and educational albums in Spanish for children. Research shows that music is a great learning tool for children because the repetitive rhythms help children remember the concepts being taught. And it is easy to see how this works when you listen to the joyful songs available for kids. Make listening to music a part of your daily routine. And some of these musicians even have fun music videos to enhance your child’s learning. From dinosaurs to opposites, your children will move and sing their little hearts out to these outstanding albums currently available for purchase online as MP3 downloads or CDs:

Arriba Abajo from 123 Andrés.
Más Canciones en Españolfrom Music with Sara
Cuando era pequeña (When I was Your Age) from Nathalia Palis-McLaughlin
Hola Hello by Mariana Iranzi

Spanish Apps

While I strongly advise limiting your child’s access to tech, you might as well ensure that their time spent staring at a screen be educational. There are quite a few remarkable apps that are available for both iOS, Android, and Kindle. All of them are vibrant and engaging, but I encourage parents to sit with your child the first time or two to ensure that the app is appropriate for their age. Here are my favorite apps for preschoolers:

Mundo Lanugo: Juega y Aprende
Aprendes Con (has many different Spanish apps available for preschoolers and kindergartners)
PlayTales Gold

About the Author

Monica Olivera is a homeschooling mother of two and a freelance education writer. Her site, MommyMaestra.com, helps Hispanic parents get more involved in their children’s education by providing resources, tips, and opportunities. She is also the co-founder of Latinas for Latino Lit and the content creator of the Latino Children’s Summer Reading Program, the first national, online program designed specifically for Latino families. Her education articles have appeared in numerous online sites such as NBCNews, latinamom.me, and PBSParents. To learn more, visit her About.me page.