tools for learning or retaining spanish through the summer

I know that summer is still a couple months away but if you’re like me you’re looking forward to the warm temps, relaxed schedule, and fun that summer brings. Even with the more relaxed pace of life during those three glorious months I’m already thinking of ways to keep my kids sharp on the skills we have worked so hard for them to learn over the past school year – especially their Spanish language skills.

Whether your kiddo has already started learning Spanish and you need some resources to help them retain that knowledge or you want to get them started on learning a bit of Spanish, here are some great resources (especially if you’re not a Spanish speaker yourself).

1. YouTube :: our Spanish teachers have provided us with an abundance of great YouTube videos over the past year to help my girls to learn various words, phrases, and concepts. Here are some of our favorite channels to find various skill level videos from that entertain and teach my 3, 8, and 10 year olds. Doremi, Payasa Agapita, Canta Maestra, Happy Learning Español, Senor Jordan, and Basho & Friends.

2. Spanish Playground :: this site has a wide variety of resource types including Printables, Games, Poems, Songs, and even a Summer Read and Play Program (much like your local library will have in English). Spanish Playground also shares articles linking to other sites that have great resources which makes them a gold mine of great info.

3. Quizlet :: you can search the already available flash card sets on Quizlet or create your own to match the words or skills your child is currently learning. My kids enjoy the pronunciation provided for new words as well as the games they can play to encourage learning these word sets.

4. Rockalingua :: this is a paid subscription site but if you’re serious about learning Spanish the songs, videos, worksheets, games, and picture dictionaries that become available with the paid subscription are very detailed and extremely kid-friendly. Even my 3-year-old enjoys singing along to the videos on this site!

5. Local Library :: depending on your local library you may have a great selection of age appropriate books in Spanish already available, or you can request some through inter-library loans.

Do you have any resources your kiddos use for retaining a second language during the summer months?