Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to talk about gratitude and being thankful. There are so many fun lessons that you can do with a Thanksgiving theme. Besides creating fun crafts for Thanksgiving, try using this holiday theme for Spanish learning. You can easily integrate fun games like scavenger hunts and matching. Visit the blog at https://spanish4kiddos.com/thanksgiving-bilingual-story-and-resources/ for more fun bilingual reading ideas and strategies. Try the Exclusive Member Area for...

Where do pumpkins go for Halloween? They go around and visit fun places here and there.  In this bilingual read-aloud, you’ll get to listen to a cute Halloween story. Themes like Halloween or holidays are fun starter lessons to learn other topics. In this bilingual reading, bilingual readers learn bilingual vocabulary and Spanish sentence structure. Visit the blog archive at https://spanish4kiddos.com/category/learning-activities/fall-season/ for more fun bilingual reading ideas and...

What’s a fun way to learn Spanish animals and their habitats than a visit to the zoo? Well, at least in virtual form.  The bilingual story, A Day at the Zoo, opens up children's imagination as they explore various animals in the text.  Giraffes are tall and have long tongues for eating. And, seals use their whiskers to find food.  Bilingual listeners can find these and other fascinating animals in this episode. Visit the blog at...

Fall or autumn is an amazing season, full of colors, harvest, and learning. How can you encourage bilingual readers to learn more about autumn?  Bilingual readers will learn about the wonders of harvest time and why it’s important. Perhaps, you visit a pumpkin patch or a farmer’s market.  That time can be a great way to learn about harvest time. Also, it’s an excellent opportunity to learn Spanish too.  Besides learning new vocabulary, use this bilingual story to learn about Spanish...

Ease that anxiety of returning to school with this fun bilingual read-aloud in English and Spanish. These little monkeys are anxious about school. They’re so excited they wonder about and explore many aspects of school. So enjoy this cute bilingual story just in time for back-to-school or the first week of school. For more fun ideas, visit the blog at https://spanish4kiddos.com/spanish-back-to-school-read-aloud/ to explore other activities for back to school. Explore the Back to School...

Hi, my name is Barbara. I’m the owner and founder of Spanish4Kiddos. Join me for Season 5 of the Spanish4Kiddos podcast. I’ll be sharing fun bilingual stories for back-to-school and the fall season. Listen to fun stories, quick strategies to help bilingual students, and so much more. Back to school is the time for a fresh start and new beginnings. So, let’s have fun learning Spanish! Try the Exclusive Member Area for more comprehensive Spanish learning, stories, strategies, and more. See...

Have fun celebrating the Fourth of July with this bilingual read-aloud. Bilingual readers can enjoy this adorable story by listening or watching the video. The video contains both English and Spanish texts that you can follow along with the story. Visit the blog at https://spanish4kiddos.com/spanish-sight-words-patriotic-activities/ for more fun summer reading ideas to encourage bilingual readers. Also, sign up for the Free Bilingual Summer Reading Challenge for amazing bilingual...

What are ways to celebrate the Fourth of July with young bilingual readers? Besides using a bilingual text, you can create various fun activities. Use word matching after you read the text and look for those terms. Add a scavenger hunt list of keywords from the text. Create a patriotic wreath and use it to match bilingual terms. Visit the blog at https://spanish4kiddos.com/spanish-sight-words-patriotic-activities/ for more fun summer reading ideas to encourage bilingual readers. ...

How can bilingual literature support reading at home or in the classroom? I chat with Natalia Simons from Bilingo Books about that. In her latest books, The Spanglish Girl and Mexiglish Girl, the characters immerse into the language. The young bilingual girls enjoy learning about Hispanic traditions and being bilingual. Natalia’s Biography: Natalia Simons was born in England to a Spanish mother and an English father. She grew up bilingual and spent every summer in a quaint village in Spain...

Aargh! In this bilingual story, young bilingual readers can learn about dinosaurs using a simple fun, informational text.  Along with the story, there are adorable after-reading activities you can do. From learning Spanish sight words to writing tips, this bilingual story is ideal for summer learning. Visit the blog at https://spanish4kiddos.com/dinosaur-bilingual-read-aloud-story/ for fun summer reading ideas to encourage bilingual readers. Check out the Spanish Bilingual Story Set: Earth...

Social-emotional learning skills are necessary for the classroom or homeschool group to help students with difficult emotions or feelings. Today, Miriam Campbell shares her tips for SEL and her book, Bubble Double. Miriam discusses how a ‘bubble’ can actually support students with friendships and relationships. This approach is a wonderful way to help special education students to express their emotions in a healthy way. Miriam Campbell Biography: Miriam Campbell is a Speech Therapist,...

Summer reading can be adventurous. Dr. Dawn Menge discusses her books of marvelous characters that venture into amazing adventures. In her stories, Dragon’s Breath and Queen Vernitas, characters explore different places while learning valuable lessons. The series of adventures help characters develop emotional skills to understand valuable life lessons. Dr. Dawn Menge’s Biography: Dr. Dawn Menge is the creator of the Queen Vernita’s Visitors educational series and Dragon’s Breath, which...

Encouraging bilingual learners to develop vocabulary can be fun with activities that encourage specific language skills. Besides using rhyming, you can also use silly songs. In learning bilingual body parts, you chant to the traditional Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes song or clap to the lyrics. In this brief bilingual story, bilingual readers learn about the different words for common body parts. You can also use this lesson for matching or a cut-and-paste activity. Listen to the...

Implementing different instructional texts can encourage bilingual learners to read. Using how-to instructional bilingual texts helps students grasp the sequence of events and instructions.  Perhaps, using projects can sometimes be challenging for bilingual learners. There are many steps to follow, and they may wonder how to start. Use simple projects like making s’mores or a bird feeder to encourage following a sequence of events. In this brief bilingual story, bilingual readers practice...

Discover the wonders of the ocean with this fun bilingual reading in English and Spanish. As part of the summer reading challenge for bilingual readers, this bilingual story is ideal to start your summer reading. Check out these lessons and reading ideas: Ocean Animal Names in Spanish - includes a list of ocean zones and ocean animal terms as well as ideas to use the ocean as part of your bilingual lesson. Learn more at https://spanish4kiddos.com/ocean-animal-names-in-spanish/ Spanish...

Start summer reading with this informational text about ocean life. Bilingual readers learn about various marine organisms that live in the ocean and their special features. Along with this bilingual story, you can also add other after-reading activities like matching, puzzles, and virtual field trips. Check out these lessons and reading ideas: Ocean Animal Names in Spanish - includes a list of ocean zones and ocean animal terms as well as ideas to use the ocean as part of your bilingual...

Summer is a refreshing time to relax and take a moment to renew. After all, school is out and learning is done. Well, that’s what the kiddos like to think. However, every summer students go into the summer slide. The summer slide is the loss of learning during the summer break. Perhaps, your children may experience a lack of engagement or get bored easily. That is why encouraging your children to participate in summer camps helps them to regain that learning loss. You can enroll in free...

Earth is a unique planet that sustains life. Learning about outer space can be a fun experience.  However, having to memorize many challenging words is not. In this bilingual story, you’ll learn about the planets and Earth. Then, discover how Earth is special in many ways.  Many of these features include knowing about planets, space, and the Sun. Then, add fun activities to integrate Spanish learning based on the reading. Visit the blog at...

How do little ants enjoy a picnic? Find out in this adorable bilingual story the amazing things ants can do. This English-Spanish text is ideal to start summer reading camp. Enjoy bilingual stories that can also engage students with after-reading comprehension and activities. Visit the blog at https://spanish4kiddos.com/category/summer-reading-activities/ for more fun bilingual summer stories. Other summer ideas include: Bilingual Summer Reading Challenge -...

Create a wondrous adventure of learning with life cycles. For instance, with the ladybug's life cycle, young bilingual readers experience how ladybugs grow.  But, they also discover how essential these tiny bugs are for plants to survive. While the life cycle of the ladybug has four simple stages, each part is crucial to the development of the ladybug. This bilingual reading encourages students to develop various language and science skills as part of any informational text. Visit the blog at...

The Grimm brothers’ stories were so popular during their time. But, how can these children’s stories be scary yet fascinating to read? In this bilingual version of the story, discover how this traditional tale can help bilingual readers learn about story elements and comprehension. This version of Little Red Riding Hood takes bilingual readers into the concept of helping and understanding how to ask for help. Likewise, your bilingual readers get to explore the five elements of a story in...

In this episode, I chat with Isai Gutierrez about his book, Miguel Goes to Eagle School. Overcoming difficult situations is not easy for children, especially when others are not supportive. Isai points out how Miguel wants to go to Eagle School but feels he doesn’t feel welcome. Miguel goes through several obstacles as a duck until he soars with eagles. This book is an excellent story to read with children and discuss overcoming difficulties that can prevent following dreams. As Miguel...

Today, I chat with Arlene Steinberg to discuss her book, Room for One More, a fascinating story of three dogs and friendships. In this book, as many children learn, it may not be easy to make friends. In Arlene’s book, you’ll enjoy reading about Marshall and Dewey as they find meaningful ways to make friends with Ozzie. Sometimes children need a little help when it comes to dealing with rejection and making friends. This book is ideal for opening the discussion about including new friends in...

In this episode, I chat with Shoshona Chaim to discuss her fantastic children’s book “I am A Peaceful Goldfish” and help children develop SEL techniques. From personal experience with her son, Shoshona explains how difficult tantrums can be. She shares parts of her book and simple breathing technique to calm those tantrums. This book is a great way to engage your students to understand their feelings and take actionable steps to relax. Shoshona Brief Biography: Shoshana Chaim is a former...

What’s a fun way to learn Spanish vocabulary that engages learners? Use farm animal terms, for example, to discuss farm living, new words, and language skills. Along with bilingual reading, you can implement other activities.  You could use task cards or a fun nursery rhyme like Old MacDonald Had a Farm. In this way, you can emphasize many aspects of bilingual learning. For more fun ideas, visit the blog at https://spanish4kiddos.com/farm-animals-names-spanish/ to learn about farm animals...