The child can learn Spanish Easy - Help your child learn Spanish

In the preschool years, around ages 2 1/2 to 4 1/2, children are known to absorb an amazing amount of information as they learn about themselves and their world. Teachers consider this time to be a special moment in time, where learning is at it's best, and children learn by huge leaps. Because this is the age when children love to learn new words, it can be a perfect time for learning Spanish.

Preschoolers are busy with learning the names of colors, numbers, shapes, animals, and all sorts of things they find at home. They learn so quickly that parents often call their children "sponges" because they soak up everything so well. It is this time when learning Spanish, or any other language for that matter, will come as naturally to children as learning their primary language.

One distinctive aspect of preschool learning is that children this age don't really need to practice memorization or drill vocabulary. They really just learn it by hearing it, using it, and repeating it as part of their play. For them, playing is learning.

A good Spanish language-learning program for preschoolers will involve lots of fun, interactive playing with the language, and time to repeat sounds. They will enjoy learning new words in their own language and then learn what those same words are in their second language. It helps to involve them visually, with colors and action, aurally, with sounds and music, and kinesthetically, with movement and touching, using games and books to hold.

Parents of preschoolers can help them to learn Spanish by making interesting materials available, such as colorful and active DVD's, interactive and musical CD's, and also by spending time playing games and reading with them. Games might include color and shape flash cards in Spanish, concentration games using object cards in Spanish, or using colorful plastic beads or dice to count in Spanish.

Local libraries are a wonderful source for Spanish language picture books. Check with your local children's librarian for books with few Spanish words to start. Or, you may ask for any Spanish language learning books available for very young children. World favorite authors such as Eric Carle or Dr. Seuss are often available published in Spanish language format. This is wonderful, because your favorite childhood stories can be your preschooler's favorite Spanish childhood stories.

The best thing you can do when helping your preschooler to learn Spanish is to always assume that you can find the same materials in Spanish that you hear about in English. This goes for books, games, movies, CD's, DVD's, television programs such as Sesame Street, and many online learning resources. Then, find what you need, and use what works.