Encantos - Stories with purpose inspired by culture

Coloring Sheet

SUPPLIES NEEDED

WHAT TO PRACTICE

Get in the holiday spirit by singing along with the Canticos Jingle Bells video. See what new holiday-inspired words your child can identify as they color; tree, star, ornament.

NOTE TO GROWN UPS

Encourage your kids to explore different colors as they shade in their activity sheets. Can they name each of the colors they’re using in English and Spanish? Use the Canticos video “All the Colors / De Colores” to help with vocabulary.

Download Activity Sheet:


Download PDF](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/60f5a89e108c2683c870592d/6142e8f6a3fc1a5091f7caa6_CT-ColoringSheet.pdf)

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Ask a Bilingual Expert

Raising a bilingual child? On this page, our very own Director of Learning Design and Efficacy, Sophia Espinoza, addresses some of the most common questions, concerns, and curiosities around the benefits of bilingualism. Get the scoop below!

Sophia Espinoza is a career educator and curriculum designer with seven years of experience teaching in private and independent schools across the country. She is an expert in 21st-century education, including technologically-powered personalization, multilingual and multicultural curriculums, and social-emotional learning.

Benefits of Bilingualism (FAQs):

Any advice on managing two Spanish dialects in the household? Does this cause confusion for kids?

Now that our world is more interconnected than ever, there are plenty of families where each parent could be from a different country in Latin America, with distinctive dialects, vocabulary, slang, and culture. And that’s totally ok for kids to be exposed to. Their perspectives are broadened and they learn to communicate cross-culturally, it’s a thing to be celebrated. Sometimes kids may switch vocabulary when talking to different parents, which is absolutely fine. They’re not confused; if anything, this shows their flexibility. They could have as many as five words for one item, three in Spanish two in English, giving them a stronger sense of language in general. For parents that may feel the need to find a neutral ground with their native dialects, not to worry, all research says that you want to encourage and expose children to different languages.

What do you recommend if I’m not completely fluent and my child’s school doesn’t have an immersion class?

I always encourage as much Spanish exposure as possible. Don’t worry about immersion classes' availability or not being completely fluent as a parent. Use the Spanish you know, even if you may need to speak Spanglish. Try to find ways to fill the gaps in your language knowledge, through apps, books, and music. I recommend the Canticos Bilingual Preschool App, which gives kids so much exposure through stories, activities, and music, allowing them to learn in an authentic and engaging way, perfect for parents with limited fluency. TV, as many of us know as immigrants and English learners, is a great way to strengthen a second language.

Do you recommend teaching different subjects in different languages? For example, the solar system in English and the days of the week in Spanish? Or is it better for kids to try to learn in both languages all the time?

Parents who live in an English-speaking country need to remember that children are always going to learn English; Their world is in English, their peers speak English. However, it’s important to give kids as much education as possible in the home in Spanish. They will inevitably learn English, and it will be even better if they learn their native language first. If you want to teach something like the solar system to kids, you should teach it in their second language. They will most likely have the opportunity to learn everything in English at school.

We speak Spanish and English in our home, but my child almost always answers or talks back in English. How can I go about encouraging her to respond and speak more in Spanish?

Many kids may be in a classroom where they hear English all day, before going home and hearing Spanish. While this might worry parents, the biggest advice I can give is to ask your child in a very low-pressure way to try again in Spanish. For example, if you ask your child a question, and they replied in English, try saying "can you tell me that in Spanish?" framing it like a question and lightly encouraging your child.

Should I set aside time or create activities for each language, or is it okay to mix them both together?

It’s very important to provide authentic opportunities for children to speak both languages. Authentic learning opportunities allow kids to organically find the things they really love in another language, whether through reading, entertainment, music, or movement.

Any advice for households where one parent speaks Spanish and the other English? Can this be confusing for children?

It’s fine if there are two, or even three languages spoken in the household; what’s most important is that parents freely speak their native language around their kids. It’s not confusing, in fact, you’re actually providing kids with a foundation in each language.