Dramatic Play Helps Your Child Learn Spanish

Dramatic play creates memorable situations that help your child learn Spanish and stimulate the imagination. Play restaurant, go on a picnic, and meet new friends --- can all become Spanish lessons for kids.

It is fun, practical, easy and memorable to learn through dramatic play.

Let’s Go On a Picnic

Put out a picnic basket and gather some food. And let your child pack the basket. Great activity for a group too. Together, say each item in Spanish as your child is holding it and putting it in the basket.

Here are some foods (with indefinite article).

Un Pan - Bread

Un Queso - Cheese

Una Manzana - Apple

Una Naranja - Orange

Una Zanahoria - Carrot

Un Pastel - Cake

Other items

Una Canasta- Basket

Una Servilleta - Napkin

After packing march around and settle down with the basket and eat. And say…

Yo como….(I eat) … and fill in the blank.

Do you like it? Say…

Me gusta….and fill in the blank.

If you need help creating these dramatic situations, try Spanish in a Basket, which I created to help children learn Spanish through play. It includes all the picnic and restaurant materials you will need, plus stuffed animals who "only speak Spanish". The set has 4 CDs to do the teaching, using dramatic play, stories and original songs -- like the Touch Your Head song, which you can sample.

Let’s Play Restaurant

Real life situations are a practical way to help your child learn Spanish. Let your child be the server. First set the table. Together, say each word in Spanish as he or she touches the item.

Un Tenedor - A Fork

Una Cuchara - A Knife

Un Cuchillo - A Spoon

Un Plato - A Plate

Greet the server. Say...

Buenos días - Good morning

Or

Buenas tardes - Good afternoon

What would you like to drink? Lemonade? Ask the server. Say…

Querio una limonada . - I want a lemonade.

Por favor. - Please.

Some other possibilities (listed with the definite article).

La Leche - The Milk

El Agua - The Water

El Jugo - The Juice

El Café - The Coffee

EL Té - The Tea

Have your child serve you and say…

Aquí tienes una limonada. - Here is a lemonade.

And you say...

Gracias. - Thank you.

Are you hungry? Say...

Tengo hambre - I am hungry.

Ask for some food.

Quiero- I want

El desayuno- Breakfast

Here are a few choices:

Los huevos - The Eggs

El pan tostado - The Toast

El cereal - The Cereal

Or perhaps it is lunchtime.

El almuerzo - The Lunch

La sopa - The Soup

La hamburguesa - The hamburger

Las papas fritas - The French Fries

Yo como la sopa. - I eat the soup.

Would you like something more interesting?

Tacos

Enchildas

Tostadas

Burritos

Now Reverse Roles

These are just a few examples of fun Spanish lessons for kids – and adults too! Use your imagination to think of more to help your child learn Spanish through dramatic play. Go to the supermarket, play ball , use puppets and plush and … ask your child for ideas.

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