Songs are a great way to teach Spanish to kids because they are fun, creative, and engaging. Additionally, songs can help kids learn new vocabulary words, grammar rules, and pronunciation.
In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the best Spanish songs for kids!
What Spanish Song Does Everyone Know?
When you think of Spanish music, what comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you probably think of a few specific songs that everyone seems to know. While there are many great Spanish songs out there, these are some of the most popular:
- “La Bamba” by Los Lobos: This traditional Mexican folk song has been covered by many artists over the years, but the version by Los Lobos is perhaps the most well-known.
- “Macarena” by Los del Rio: This catchy tune became a global phenomenon in the 1990s and is still widely played today.
- “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi: This massive hit from 2017 took the world by storm and introduced many people to the joys of Spanish music.
These are just a few of the Spanish songs that have become popular around the world – but they’re mostly for adults, not kids. In this post, we’ll tell you about the Spanish songs for kids so everyone can enjoy the language.
Ready to get started with these Spanish songs? Make sure you and your child have brushed up on the basics of the language, like what you see in the video below, and be sure to ask your child’s Spanish teacher for help in learning the essentials:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arZ9PCqmCa4
Popular Spanish Songs for Kids to Help Your Child Learn
Experts say kids should begin learning other languages at a young age – the younger the better. And with over 37 million Spanish-speaking residents in the U.S., making it the second most common language after English, learning Spanish is a great choice! But how can you make Spanish lessons for kids fun?
Singing with your children is a great way to introduce Spanish lessons for kids!
Start with the ABCs.
Spanish lessons for kids should always start with the ABCs. This Spanish alphabet song above, recorded by a mother and her young daughter, resembles the English ABC song and features pronunciation help with each letter. Learn the song, then cement the idea with the help of this short video by Clever Little Peas.
Learn your numbers.
Start simply with this straightforward song above, introducing the numbers 1-20 to the familiar tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Rock out and push it to 50, then get groovy after Spanish language skills progress.
Color their world.
Teach kids their colors in Spanish the help of this simple, catchy little English/Spanish color tune. If your younger children haven’t learned colors yet, this short tutorial and song is a perfect start.
Perfect personal pronouns.
This fun little finger puppet presentation helps introduce the concept of personal pronouns to children.
Sing it in Spanish just for fun.
There are a variety of familiar songs translated into Spanish that will aid in both the education and enjoyment of your children, such as these renditions:
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
5 Little Monkeys
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Happy Birthday Song in Spanish
Cantar las mañanitas is a very special way to celebrate a birthday in Mexico. The tradition is to sing “Las mañanitas” to the birthday boy or girl at dawn on their special day. The lyrics of the song are about nature and how everything is blooming for the birthday person. It is said that if you sing Las mañanitas to someone, they will live a long and happy life.
“La la la…
Que bonita es esta vida
Yo no me canso de vivirla
M’atan sólo las penas
Y es que feliz cumpleaños te deseo yo cantando.
Happy Birthday to you!”
Spanish Christmas songs
Christmas is a special time of year for many people, and music is often an important part of the holidays. Spanish Christmas songs can be a great way to teach kids about the language and culture.
Many popular Christmas songs originated in Spain, and they often include traditional instruments like guitars and castanets. singing along with these songs can help kids learn new vocabulary words and phrases. In addition, listening to the songs can also help kids develop an ear for the Spanish language.
“Los Peces en el Rio” is a catchy tune that’s perfect for kids. It tells the story of some fish who get caught in a river while trying to escape from a hungry fisherman. The song is also great for practicing numbers, since it includes counting from one to ten.
“Campana Sobre Campana” is another classic Spanish Christmas song that’s perfect for teaching kids new vocabulary. The song talks about all of the different things you can hear on a Christmas night, from sleigh bells to church bells. It’s also a great opportunity to talk about different sounds and how they’re spelled in Spanish.
Finally, “El Burrito Sabanero” is a fun song that tells the story of a little donkey who is chosen to carry Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. This song is perfect for helping kids learn about the Nativity story, and it also includes some important vocabulary words like burrito (donkey) and sabanero (shepherd).
Spanish love songs
There are many classic Spanish love songs that children will enjoy, such as “A mi manera” and “Besame mucho.” And for older kids, there are plenty of modern pop hits like “Despacito” and “Mi gente” that they can sing along to. So dust off your old Spanish CDs or find some new ones online, and let your kids enjoy learning Spanish the fun way – by singing along to some beautiful love songs.
Tips for Teaching a Song in Spanish
As any Spanish teacher knows, teaching vocabulary and grammar can be a challenge.
However, one way to make the task more fun for both teachers and students is to use songs. Popular songs offer a great way to review vocabulary and grammar in a fun and engaging way.
And, because they are already familiar to many students, they can provide a valuable starting point for learning new material. There are a wide variety of Spanish songs available online, ranging from traditional folk songs to modern pop hits.
Here are some tips.
Integrate it into all aspects of their daily lives.
There are also a variety of televisions shows aimed at educating and entertaining your child in other cultures and languages. Shows such as Disney’s Handy Manny, Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go, and PBS’s Oh Noah! and Maya and Miguel feature both Spanish and English dialogue interspersed with music to help immerse your child in the concept of multilingual environments.
How young is too young?
Children can discriminate between two different languages at as early as 4-6 months, however the ability to detect differences fades around 10-12 months without the introduction of a second language. Your window of opportunity has not closed, however. Research indicates preschool-aged children are still far more adept at learning a foreign language than older children and adults. They develop a second language in the same area of the brain as their native tongue, versus older learners who develop and store it in a completely different region.
Choose Age-Appropriate Songs
If you’re teaching young children, look for songs that are simple and catchy with basic vocabulary. For older kids, you can choose songs with more complex grammar and subject matter. Additionally, be sure to consider the lyrical content of the song when making your selection. Some songs may have mature themes that are not appropriate for younger children.
Add Movement
Kids love to move, so why not incorporate some dancing or simple movements into your lesson? This will help them stay engaged and have fun while they’re learning. If you’re not a dancer yourself, there are plenty of resources online that can provide dance moves that go along with popular songs.
Use Visuals
Props and visuals can help bring the song to life and make it more engaging for kids. For example, if you’re singing a song about animals, you could bring in stuffed animals or puppets to help act out the lyrics. Or if you’re singing a song about food, you could bring in real food items or pictures of food for the kids to reference as they sing along.
Make it a Game
Turn learning into a game by incorporating competition into your lesson. For example, you could divide the class into two teams and see which team can sing the correct lyrics the fastest. Or you could play “name that tune” by playing snippets of popular songs and seeing if the kids can guess what song it is before it’s over. Games like these will get the kids excited about learning while also helping them
A Few More Benefits of Spanish Songs for Kids
Still not convinced? Here are a few more reasons why you might want to introduce your child to Spanish songs and help them learn this beautiful language:
- Learning another language is fun!
- A second language helps widen the world of your child, introducing them to and offering them opportunities with other cultures, at home and abroad.
- Foreign language study improves reading and communication skills, boosting SAT scores.
- Bilingual children and adults are better at staying focused, problem-solving, and recognizing and acting on new inputs, making school and business life easier.
- Simply thinking in another language has been shown to help people make quicker, better decisions.
- Speaking a foreign language presents better educational and career prospects, as well as the opportunity for a higher standard of living.
- Learning foreign languages even prevents dementia later in life.
Use Spanish Songs Today
Songs are a great way to teach Spanish to kids because they are fun, creative, and engaging. When choosing a song for your lesson, be sure to select one that is appropriate for your students’ age and level.
Additionally, consider incorporating movement into your lesson, using props or visuals, or making it into a game to keep the kids engaged and excited about learning Spanish!
Whether you’re a monolingual parent unsure how to progress past basic Spanish lessons for kids, or a multilingual parent looking for the most effective foreign language teaching methods available, a great tutor can help get you there.
Ready to broaden your child’s horizons with Spanish lessons for kids? Find a tutor in your area today!
Photo by reynermedia
Suzy S.