Teach the children Spanish songs. Melodies help children to remember words. Songs can be engaging as well as fun because of their interchangeable nature. A child can play a song repeatedly in his head, reinforcing the new vocabulary and syntax. The Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers provides examples of songs for Spanish learning.
Play games during learning. Traditional Mexican and Spanish games teach children about the culture behind the language, which increases their interest in learning. Introduce new words during games, such as numbers in a game of counting. The game Loteria, mentioned on the Festival of Mexico website, has similarities to bingo and is a fun way of learning for kids.
Bring puppets into the learning process. Have the children perform puppet shows where they interact with the puppets. Tell the children they must speak to the puppets in Spanish because the puppets cannot speak English. Encourage the children to help each other to remember words they forget.
Work in sensory immersion. Perform activities such as standing in a circle and signing together as you repeat the Spanish words for different parts of the body, as well as expressions and movements. Make a simple Spanish meal and eat it together, saying the name of each food as it is eaten. In this way, each word becomes natural to the child as she learns it in a fun environment.
Give children a story to read in Spanish once they have become familiar enough with the language. Have each child take turns to read part of the story and stop before it comes to the end. Let them sit in groups and discuss what they think will happen at the end. Each group should then write an ending in Spanish. Have the groups share the endings before you read the end of the original story.