Learning Resources

Blogs about teaching bilingual children

• http://spanglishbaby.com (This is amazing for tips on teaching your own kids)
• http://teachinglearningspanish.blogspot.com  (another awesome resource)
• http://spanishplayground.net/
• http://teachingespanol.blogspot.com/

Resources for teachers

• http://www.mes-english.com/flashcards/people.php (hundreds of free vocabulary flashcards)
• http://me-encanta-escribir.blogspot.com/

More advanced resources

• http://www.rutaele.es/c1c2/

Websites

• http://www.onlinefreespanish.com/
• http://cvc.cervantes.es/ensenanza/mimundo/default.htm (designed for ages 7-9)
• http://www.mamalisa.com/index.html (incredible resource for traditional rhymes/songs from around the world)
• http://www.cuentosinteractivos.org/

CD's/Music

• Whistlefritz-Jorge Anaya 
• Spanish by Beth Manners (these use a lot of English but are fun to listen to-great for the car)
• Calico Spanish (find these songs on youtube)
• Play and Learn Spanish by Ana Lomba 
• Hop, Skip and Learn Spanish by Ana Lomba 

Apps for phones/Tablets

• Gus on the Go-Spanish
• Duolingo
• Muzzyonline.com
• Rosetta Stone

Immersion videos

BBC Spanish for children

The videos on this site have native Spanish-speaking children & is a GREAT resource but I always have trouble loading the videos. Maybe because it's out of the UK-if anyone has better luck than me, please pass on your tricks!!

Pocoyó
The simple animation & language in this show make it easy for young children to enjoy & follow even though it is completely in Spanish-great immersion starter show.  

Reading Comprehension

https://lingua.com/spanish/reading/

Spanish Tutoring & Lessons

I currently have slots open on Tuesday evening and Saturday morning for more Spanish lessons. If you have a child, small group or perhaps a whole family interested in learning Spanish, I have a progressive, interactive and fun program tailored for you.

You can click on the links to the right to read more about me, my classes and rates.

¡Feliz año nuevo!

Happy new year

And the first time I've updated this blog in 6 months-yikes!

These are some fun new songs we are singing in Spanish class this session. I think I've found a new favorite children's group-the 2nd song is from a Dúo Tiempo de Sol. I'll probably be learning and adding more of their songs in class!

Mi tambor  (My drum)

Mi fuerte suena mi tambor.                      So loud sounds my drum.
Mi fuerte suena mi tambor.                      So loud sounds my drum.

y tan suave suena y tan suave suena         And so soft it sounds & so soft it sounds

Que el león se despertó,                           That the lion it woke up.

Muy suave suena mi tambor.                    So soft sounds my drum.

Muy suave suena mi tambor.                    So soft sounds my drum.

Y tan suave suena, y tan suave suena       And so soft it sounds, and so soft it sounds.

que el león se durmió                                That the lion fell asleep.

El baile de los animales (Dance of the animals)

El cocodrilo Dante camina hacía delante         The crocodile Dante walks toward the front
El elefante Blas camina hacía atrás                   The elephant Blas walks toward the back
El pollito Lalo camina hacia el costado            The chick Lalo walks to the side
Y yo en bicicleta, voy para el otro lado             And on bike I go toward the other side

*Then you repeat and repeat as you do it in different ways!

Saltando en un pie                                     Jumping on one foot
Agachaditos                                                 Bent down
Sacudiendo mucho el cuerpo                   Shaking the body
Saltando en los dos pies                            Jumping on two feet
Con los movimientos muy exagerada     With exaggerated movements
Más rápido                                                    Faster

¡JUEGOS! GAMES!

Tuesdays don't come quick enough for me-I am loving these cute kids and hearing them clap out a rhythm in two rows, chant a counting out rhyme together & pick up these new games so quickly!

Counting out rhymes (to decide who is IT or not IT) like eeny meeny miney mo

We start off class with these to determine the order of our clapping game.

El cielo es azul.                       The sky is blue 

¿Cuánto años tienes tú?           How old are you?

Manzana, manzana,                      Apple, apple

manzana podrida                           Rotten apple

uno, dos, tres, salida                      one, two, three, out!

Cinco ratoncitos                              Five little mice

de colita gris                                    with grey tails

muevan las orejas                            move their ears

muevan la nariz                               move their nose

uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco             one, two, three, four, five

corren al rincon                                they run to the corner

Porque viene el gato                        Because the cat comes

 a comer ratón.                                 to eat the mice.

Clapping games 

(clic links to see videos)

Chocolate

Mariposa

Por aquí pasó un caballo

Por aquí pasó un caballo                   A horse passed by here

con las patas al revés                        With backwards legs

si me dices cuántas tiene                 If you ask me how many he had

te diré que dieciseís                         I would tell you sixteen

uno, dos, tres, etc.                            One, two, three, etc.

More Games (here are the explanations to a few of the games we are playing in class)

La gallinita ciega

Tripas de gato

Mar y Tierra

A la víbora de la Mar

(This is similar to London Bridges & is very popular so far)

A la víbora, víbora                         The snake, the snake

de la mar, de la mar                        Of the sea, of the sea

por aquí pueden pasar.                    You can all pass through here

Los de adelante corren mucho,       Those in front will run so much

y los de atrás se quedarán                And those behind will stay

Tras, tras, tras,                                  Stay, stay, stay, (and get caught)

El transporte

Transportation-we've been talking carros, bicicletas, barcos, trenes y motos. We've been putting together silly sentences about going to the moon on a bicycle, the park in a rocket ship and back home in a boat!  Here are the links to the songs we've been singing in class.

Había un barco chiquitito (clic the link for video)

En el auto de papa (this one is short and mainly plays the chorus which is what we've learned in class)

And here is a fuller version  (with all the stops, tunnels, curves & potholes)

Here are the lyrics and translation of the chorus

En el auto de papa                En Daddy's car

nos iremos a pasear.             We will go for a ride

Vamos de paseo pipipi         We go for a ride  beep, beep, beep,

en un auto feo                       In an ugly car

pero no me importa              But I don't care

porque llevo torta                 Because I  have cake

Las ruedas del autobús (The wheels on the bus...)

Songs from Winter session

It took me the whole session to get these songs up but just in case you are still humming the tunes over and over without the exact words hopefully this will help!

Hola & Adiós 

(We begin and end each class with this little song)

Hola (Adiós) a todos aquí          Hello (Goodbye) to everyone here
Hola (Adiós) a todos aquí          Hello (Goodbye) to everyone here
Hola amigos                               Hello friends
Hola (Adiós) a todos aquí          Hello (Goodbye) to everyone here

Voy a ponerme...  (I'm going to put on...)

(To the tune of Twinkle Twinkle little star-mostly ;)

Voy a ponerme                              I'm going to put on

botas, botas, abrigo                       boots, boots, coat

gorra, bufanda y guantes.              hat, scarf and gloves.

(be sure and unwrap your scarf 

and say "Boo" right here)

media, media y zapatos                sock, sock and shoes           

pantalones o falda                         pants or skirt

(trip on your skirt and fall when you say falda)           (don't forget to giggle and get right back up)

camisa y suéter                             shirt and sweater

Voy a ponerme                              I'm going to put on.

Los copos de nieve (The snowflakes)

(To the tune of London Bridges falling down)

Los copos de nieve se cayerán, cayerán, cayerán
Los copos de nieve se cayerán
Hasta que en la tierra estarán.

The snowflakes will fall down, will fall down, will fall down
The snowflakes will fall down
Until on the ground they will land.

Canciones para el otoño (Songs for the Fall)

A sick donkey, Five pumpkins & 10 skeletons

These are the fun songs we've been working on this fall in Spanish classes.  I've included the lyrics, translations & links below if you'd like to practice at home :)

El burro enfermo

A mi burro, a mi burro le duele  la cabeza y el médico le manda una gorrita negra

To my donkey, to my donkey hurting him is his head the doctor gives him a black hat.

• la garganta, una bufanda blanca                   the throat, a white scarf
• las costillas, una chaqueta amarilla              the ribs, a yellow jacket
• el corazón, gotitas de limón                         the heart, lemon drops
• nada, trocitos de manna                               nothing, slices of apple

*There are lots of versions of this song-these lyrics are form José-Luis Orozco-slightly different than the link above.

Cinco Calabazas

Cinco calabazas sentadas en su casa, una calabaza se siente  muy cansada.

Cuatro calabazas sentadas en su casa, una calabaza se siente asustada.

Tres calabazas sentadas en su casa, una calabaza se siente  enojada.

Dos calabazas sentadas en su casa, una calabaza se siente  muy frustrada.

Una calabaza sentada en su casa, una calabaza se siente sorprendida.

Cinco calabazas duermen en su casa, cuando sale el sol, se sienten muy feliz.

Five pumpkins sitting in their house, one pumpkin feels very tired.

Four pumpkins sitting in their house, one pumpkin feels scared.

Three pumpkins sitting in their house, one pumpkin feels angry.

Two pumpkins sitting in their house, one pumpkin feels very frustrated.

One pumpkin sitting in his house, one pumpkin feels very surprised.

Five pumpkins sleep in their house, when the sun comes out, they feel very happy.

Diez esqueletos

Cuando el reloj marca a la una, un esqueleto sale de su tumba.

Cuando el reloj marca a las dos, dos esqueletos comen arroz.

Cuando el reloj marca a las tres, tres esqueletos se vuelven al revés.

Cuando el reloj marca a las cuatro, cuatro esqueletos van al teatro.

Cuando el reloj marca a las cinco, cinco esqueletos pegan el brinco.

Cuando el reloj marca a las seis, seis esqueletos se ponen un jersey.

Cuando el reloj marca a las siete, siete esqueletos montan en cohete.

Cuando el reloj marca a las ocho, ocho esqueletos comen bizcocho.

Cuando el reloj marca a las nueve, nueve esqueletos juntos se mueven. 

Cuando el reloj marca a las diez, diez esqueletos bailan a la vez.

Cuando el reloj marca a las once, once esqueletos  corren veloces.

Cuando el reloj marca a las doce, doce esqueletos descansan por la noche.

When the clock strikes one, one skeleton comes out of his tomb.

When the clock strikes two, two skeletons eat rice.

When the clock strikes three, three skeletons turn backwards.

When the clock strikes four, four skeletons go to the theatre.

When the clock strikes five, five skeletons start to jump.

When the clock strikes six, six skeletons put on a sweater.

When the clock strikes seven, seven skeletons ride on a rocket.

When the clock strikes eight, eight skeletons eat cake.

When the clock strikes nine, nine skeletons move together.

When the clock strikes ten, ten skeletons dance at the same time.

When the clock strikes eleven, eleven skeletons run fast.

When the clock strikes twelve, twelve skeletons rest for the night.