Teaching Your Toddler a Second Language

Knowing more than one language is incredibly valuable in our culture today. Research has also shown that the earlier you can expose a child to a second language, the better their brain is able to comprehend and retain it.  For the longest time, I have been planning on teaching my daughter some Spanish, but I just didn't know where to start!  A little over a month ago, I decided to go for it and started by exposing her to a few Spanish kid's songs that she already knew in English. It's amazing how quickly she caught on! I started with the "Head, Shoulders Knees and Toes" song in Spanish because it's one of her favorites. She follows along with this song pretty well in English, so she caught on to the Spanish words pretty well.

 

From there, I went on to teach her the rest of her body parts in Spanish. We often play this game where I ask her, "Where's your eyes? Where's your nose? etc...), and she loves it. So I started asking here "Donde esta tus ojos?, Donde esta tu nariz? etc...) while pointing to the correct part. In no time at all she was able to point to most of her body parts in both English and Spanish! 

Here's how we do it. I promise I'm not showing her. She knows!

I was concerned that teaching her Spanish might confuse her, but it hasn't seemed to at all. I am excited for her to have a head start when it comes to learning a second language and I will continue to share updates as we learn even more! 

Colossians 3:17 
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.