As a proud father of a an inquisitive 8 month old boy, I want him to learn both the English and Spanish language just as I was taught growing up. Being a child of two cultures, American and Latino, my son will have the advantage of understanding both as his brain continues to develop to take in more information. According to this Huffington Post article on Bilingual Education, learning a new language can increase intelligence, increase brain health, improve cognition and allow for greater job opportunities.

To help him prepare to take on this wonderful immersion, I start at the home speaking to him in Spanish, singing to him in Spanish and presenting objects, shapes and colors in both Spanish and English. The more I interact with him the more immersive he’ll become but it’s also ok to use other sources as compliments to your teachings.

In today’s interconnected and tech happy society there’s useful websites and apps available that will continue to educate your child.

While doing my own research on Spanish bilingual education I found a video collection of Spanish nursery rhymes filled with colorful characters. It’s from the baby website GuiaInfantil and the videos can be found under their own YouTube Channel, Traposo TV. My son absolutely loves the videos and it’s a great way to calm him down if he gets in a bad mood. Already he knows the word “beso” by opening his mouth to try to kiss. If you’re looking for some fun and interactive videos, check out what you can find on YouTube, it’s free and there’s a wide selection.

What are some of your suggestions that you have experienced that improved your child’s bilingual education?

Related articles

• U.S. Is World’s Number 2 Spanish-Speaking Country (nbcnews.com)
• Video Blog Post: Emily on Bilingual Skills in PR (prnonsense.marchpr.com)
• Spanish-Language Spelling Bees Catch On Around the U.S. (edweek.org)
• Combining Entertainment with Education (forwardthinking.ashford.edu)