This post is a part of the Hispanic Heritage Month Blog Hop sponsored by Multicultural Kid Blogs. This group of parents and educators has come together to share great resources for celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. We are also giving away fabulous prizes. Enter the giveaway below!
Cooking is a great language activity for so many reasons! It is hands-on and an activity that parents and kids do together. Like language, cooking takes practice, so there is lots of built-in repetition. Cooking is intimately tied to culture, place and family, providing an opportunity to tell stories and share experiences. It is perfect way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! Also, the fun of cooking and the satisfaction of making something to eat are great motivation to keep trying it again and again.
Of course, cooking with kids is not the easiest or fastest way to make a cake or a meal. It would be much easier to do it yourself. Try to remember that spending time together and speaking Spanish are more important than the final edible product.
Tips for Speaking Spanish as You Cook with Kids
- Include kids in choosing what dish to make. Browse cook books or websites in Spanish, commenting on the photos. You will find lots of kid-friendly recipes in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.
- Subscribe to Chop, Chop in Spanish. This amazing cooking magazine for kids comes four times year. It is full of easy healthy recipes, wonderful photos and fun games. I believe it is one of the best Spanish learning resources available. You can read more about Chop Chop in this post I wrote when I first subscribed to the magazine.
- Include kids in grocery shopping. Write a grocery list in Spanish together. Try this paper plate list. Use the vocabulary as much as possible when you are shopping and putting the food away. This will make it easier for kids when you start to cook.
- When you are ready to cook, gather all the ingredients and utensils. This will give you the opportunity to name them so your child can associate the language with each item.
- Refer to this handy printable for Spanish words for cooking utensils. It is perfect to hang on the refrigerator.
- If you are using a recipe and your child can read, let her read the steps of the recipe.
- As you cook, describe everything you do and everything your child does.
- Refer to this printable list of Spanish verbs used in cooking and examples of how to use them if it is helpful to you.
- If you are cooking with preschoolers, chant or sing to a simple tune as they do repetitive motions, like stirring, grating, or peeling.
- Use numbers and fractions as kids measure and cut.
- Share what you make as a gift for relatives or friends and have kids write a note in Spanish. This is a great way to share a Hispanic Heritage Month activity with others.
- Have kids ask grandparents and other relatives for family recipes. Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to talk about heritage and family in general.
- Make “fun food” that looks like an object or animal. You can find lots of ideas on Pinterest by searching “comida divertida” or “fun food.” Kids learn lots of vocabulary as they construct everything from airplanes to mummies.
- Extend language learning by reading Jorge Argueta’s beautiful picture books of bilingual cooking poems and other stories about food.
- Above all, have fun spending time with your child and speaking Spanish together!
Photo Credit: woodleywonderworks via Compfight cc
Welcome to the Third Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Blog Hop, hosted this year by Multicultural Kid Blogs and 22 of our member blogs! Don’t miss our amazing giveaway, and share your own posts at our linky!
Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15 every year, “celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America” (from HispanicHeritageMonth.gov)
Be sure to visit all of the participating blogs (listed below) and follow our related Pinterest boards:
Don’t miss our Twitter party “Celebrating Hispanic Heritage with Kids,” Tuesday, September 23, from 9 – 10 pm ET! Follow #mkbhhm to participate!
MKB Hispanic Heritage Month Blog Hop: Participating Blogs
Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes
Frogs, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
My Favorite Multicultural Books
Hispanic Heritage Month GIVEAWAY!
This year to celebrate we are giving away fabulous prizes! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post for a chance to win!
Please note that there are shipping restrictions on some prizes. In the event that the winner lives outside of the shipping area, that portion of the prize will be added to the following prize package.
Grand Prize Package
Smart Play Pad (SRP $ 24.99): Interactive tablet like electronic toy makes early learning fun and exciting for little ones. More than 30 touch sensitive keys teach language and pronunciation skills to help prepare children for school. Bilingual feature helps kids learn in English & Spanish. Lightweight and truly portable for on-the-go learning. Ships to US and Canada only.
A basket of fun from Escuela Falcón in Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico. This prize includes educational games, ceramic Day of the Dead skulls, a hand-painted ceramic box, wooden toys, and a certificate for 5 hours of Skype Spanish lessons with Escuela Falcón.
A basket from Lanugo that includes Lanugo’s new book, “Lula la Consentida,” a limited edition “Latino de Corazón” infant apparel, and Seventh Generation’s earth conscious baby product essentials. US shipping only.
A Spanish edition of the award-winning game Bananagrams.
DVD of Spanish music videos from Rockalingua.
A Movie in my Pillow and Poems to Dream Together – Books of poetry in English and Spanish from Lee and Low.
First Prize Package
A child’s sweater and bag from Peru courtesy of Kid World Citizen. The handmade, wool sweater is typical from the Andes and might fit a child ages 2-4. The little backpack is also handmade with gorgeous details typical of the region.
A Spanish edition of the award-winning game Bananagrams.
Chocolalala – CD of songs in English and Spanish from Mister G.
Hola Hello – A CD of children’s songs in English and Spanish from Mariana Iranzi.
Mis primeros poemas – A book of poems and audio CD for Spanish learners from All Bilingual Press.
Digital download of Spanish Colors Activities Pack with printable minibooks, games and activity pages from Mundo de Pepita.
Spanish activity book with an audio CD with listening exercises for kids between 3-10 years old (value: 12€) from Lingua Toys.
Hand-crafted guiro (traditional instrument), hand-carved from a gourd in Bolivia with a sun and moon pattern. Great instrument as well as a piece of folk art. From DARIAMUSIC. US shipping only.
Second Prize Package
Handwoven scarf from Nicaragua courtesy of Spanish Playground.
¡Las letras! and Señorita Bienvenida en el aeropuerto – Two children’s books in Spanish from Libros Arellano.
A CD of children’s songs in English and Spanish from Mariana Iranzi.
ABC Fiesta – CD of songs in English and Spanish from Mister G.
Digital download of 6 printable Spanish high frequency words books from Custom Literacy.
Hand woven and leather Guatemala coin purse, a fun and vibrant gift. Given by www.AlarconRestaurants.com – from their Gift Gallery in Antigua Real Restaurant, Mukwonago WI.
Bonus Prize: France Shipping Only!
Beautiful piñata created especially for this contest by Piñatas de Laly.
Enter the giveaway in the Rafflecopter at the end of this post.
Now it’s your turn to share your posts! The linky will be open through October 15, so come back and share throughout Hispanic Heritage Month!
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