Editor’s Note: The following is a list of activities to accompany the blog post “PEEP Science Videos and Activities in Spanish“. You can also click the link at the end of the article to download and print.
Las sombras–el sol, la sombra
Play Sol y sombra, a variation of the traditional game Mar y tierra. Line up along the edge of the shadow of a tree or building. The leader calls out sol or sombra and the others players jump to the correct space. For example, she might call sombra, sol, sol, sombra, sombra, sol. Players jump in place if they do not have to cross the line. Like Simon Says, the goal is to trick players into jumping in the wrong space.
El agua– flotar, hundirse
Play A flotar. This is a variation of tag. Choose a space with several places kids can be above the level of the ground. These can be steps, playground equipment, benches, big rocks, or anything that is slightly raised. These places are “safe,” they represent land and the rest of the space is water. The player who is “it” calls Una, dos y tres, a flotar otra vez. The other players try to reach land before they are tagged. When the person who is “it” tags someone, she says ¡te hundiste! and that person becomes “it.”
Las plantas –la semilla, la hoja, la flor, el sol, la tierra
Make seed mosaics using sunflower seeds, corn, bird seed, dried beans and other seeds. Talk about the semillas and the plantas that they produce as you make your pictures.
Search online for the poem Semilla by Haydé G. de Guacci. Read the poem with your child. If your child likes to draw, she can illustrate the poem and display it.
Los colores – color words in Spanish: rojo, azul, amarillo, etc.
Have a color treasure hunt. Assemble small pieces of paper of different colors. Save the red piece to give to your child as the first clue. She will look for something red to find the next clue. Hide the blue piece with something red. Hide the yellow piece with something blue. Hide the purple piece with something yellow. Hide the green piece with something purple. Hide the white piece with something green and so on. In the last place, put a premio. Be sure to use Spanish color words as your child does the treasure hunt!
El sonido – sonido, sonar, fuerte, suave
Make maracas. There are lots of instructions online for different kinds. Try playing the maracas más fuerte and más suave.
Use the maracas or another noise maker to play ¿De dónde viene el sonido? One person with a noise maker hides and the others follow the sound to find her.
Play ¿Qué suena? One person goes out of sight and makes noises with different objects. The others try to guess what is making the noise.
Los patrones – el patron, la unidad, repetir
Talk about patterns you see around you, in clothes for example, by pointing out la unidad - the segment that is repeated.
Make fruit brochetas. Make patterns by repeating una unidad of two or more different fruits.
Las rampas – rodar, inclinar
Make Atrapar el frijol, a game with a shoe box lid and a small box. Cut a door in one side of small box and tape it to the inside of the box lid. Place a bean in the shoe box lid. Tilt the box lid and try to roll the bean into the door of the box. As your child plays, ask ¿Qué pasa si inclinas más el juego? ¿Qué puedes hacer para que no ruede tan rápido el frijol?
Refranes with Basic Science Vocabulary
Many proverbs have their origin in the physical world. They are an excellent way to share culture with children and to reinforce basic science words and concepts.
Consider using proverbs like these with your child when the opportunity arises:
Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr. –Literally, if you do not have to drink the water, let it run. If something has nothing to do with you and will not affect you, do not get involved. Mind your own business.
Agua que va río abajo, arriba no ha de volver. –Literally, water that runs downstream, does not return. What is done, cannot be undone. Don’t cry over spilled milk or It’s water under the bridge.
Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente. – Literally, the shrimp that sleeps is carried by the current. If you are not paying attention, you will miss an opportunity.You snooze, you lose.
Cuida de los pequeños gastos, un pequeño agujero hunde un barco. – Literally, beware of little expenses, a small leak will sink a great ship. This is a translation of Benjamin Franklin’s quote that has found its way into other cultures, much as All that glitters is not gold (Cervantes) has found its way into English.
Quien a buen árbol se arrima, buena sombra le cae encima –Literally, whoever stands next to a good tree, will be in good shade. It will work to your advantage to know someone powerful. If you surround yourself with good people, you will benefit.
Lo más agradable del sol: la sombra. – Literally, the best part of the sun is the shade. You can have too much of a good thing.
El sol sale para todos. – Literally, the sun rises for everyone. No one is better than anyone else.
De buena semilla, buena cosecha. – Literally, from a good seed, a good harvest. What you begin well, will turn out well.
Árboles y amores, mientras tengan raíces tendrán hojas y flores. – Literally, trees and love, as long as they have roots, they will have leaves and flowers. Love with a strong foundation will flourish.
To download and print these activities, click here.
PEEP and the Big Wide World airs in Spanish on Vme, Monday thorough Saturday from 9:15-9:30am.
For more fun Día de los Niños articles, giveaways and activities, check out these posts:
Celebrating Bilingual Readers Contest–over $500 in prizes, including books and a Kindle Fire!
Celebrating Día de los Niños with PEEP–we´re hosting a bilingual Twitter fiesta with lots of cool prizes! Follow #PEEPDia hashtag on Twitter this Tuesday, April 24 from 1pm-2:30pm EST.
Día de los Niños Parachute–your kids will have a blast making this parachute, inspired by PEEP!
PEEP Science Videos and Activities in Spanish–useful tips from a bilingual teacher and Spanish Playground blogger on how to use the Spanish-language videos and activities on the PEEP website with your kids.
Photo credit: Jonf728 on Flickr
Disclosure: We’ve partnered with WGBH Boston and are receiving compensation for a series of posts and a Día de los Niños twitter party.
Great list of games! I will be trying some of these with my kids this summer!
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