Little Pim, the cute panda who teaches foreign languages, is one of our favorite characters for Spanish-language education. We have reviewed several Little Pim resources in the past, including the Word Bag app.

This PBS Kids iPad app, Little Pim Spanish, follows with the award-winning quality of other PBS Kids products. It is a simple, effective way for preschoolers to learn new vocabulary – 60 words and phrases, in fact. Aimed at English-dominant children who are learning Spanish, Little Pim Spanish is narrated by the title character in English, with just the new vocab words being presented in Spanish. In this way, it also supports code-switching skills for those who may already be comfortable in Spanish.

Rather than just being a touch-responsive app with pages and pages of icons, this is an interactive game that is easy for kids to follow on their own. There are three categories of words with three levels each, progressing from nouns to verbs, then short phrases. Little Pim asks you to repeat the new word aloud, then reinforces it by having you find the item on the table and in a bubble.

If you love other Little Pim products or just want a fresh, engaging game for your 3-5 year old, this app is a great choice!

Find Little Pim Spanish in iTunes

Available for iPad

Recommended for preschoolers

Price: $2.99

Check out Little Pim’s other products and additional apps from PBS Kids as well as our list of favorite Spanish-language resources and online games from PBS Kids.

Since we’ve been sharing so many kid-centered apps with you lately, I thought it was time to find one that’s more versatile – for intermediate Spanish learners of all ages. Play & Learn Spanish HD from Selectsoft Publishing is an iPad app that packs a serious learning punch.

Use different scenes, such as the classroom or city streets, or choose categories, like numbers and body anatomy, to see and hear the corresponding common Spanish vocabulary. Each time you tap an item in “Learn Mode,” the word pops up on the bottom of the screen in both Spanish and English. In “Game Mode,” you will hear and see the word in Spanish and have to tap the correct item to win points in each section. Add multiple profiles to allow the whole family to take the quizzes individually and compete!

Kids can use this app to quiz themselves or simply explore the graphics, but teenagers and adults that are learning or refreshing their Spanish will benefit most from Play & Learn Spanish HD. Recommend this one to your friends who are desperate to learn Spanish or will soon be traveling to a Latin American country.

Find Play & Learn Spanish HD in iTunes

Available for iPad

Recommended for ages 4 and up

Price: $3.99

Check out Selectsoft’s website for more.

It is natural for our chiquitos to play with the sounds of language and for us to play along. If you have little ones, you probably find yourself silabeando together – pronouncing words syllable by syllable.

In Spanish, syllables define how to read, spell and accentuate words. Because syllables are so important, they are the basis for learning to read. In English, children learn to “sound out” individual letter sounds, but in Spanish children “sound out” syllables.

Being able to separate words into syllables is an important prereading skill, so activities that help children learn to divide words by syllables get them ready to read. Also, syllable games are divertidos!  Try simple ones like these:

- Clap out the syllables in a word, with one clap for each syllable.

- Chant words and phrases in time with your steps (ca-mi-na-mos).

- Recite rimas de sorteo, or counting-out rhymes, to start a game, choose between two things, or just for fun. Tin Marín is probably the best known rima de sorteo, but you might want to try these other short rhymes:

El cielo es azul.
¿Cuántos años tienes tú?

Zapatito blanco, zapatito azul.
Dime ¿cuántos años tienes tú?

Manzana, manzana
manzana podrida.
Uno, dos, tres, salida.

En la casa de Andrés
todos cuentan hasta tres.
Uno, dos y tres.

En la casa de Francisco
todos cuentan hasta cinco.
Uno, dos, tres, cuatro y cinco.

Counting the number of syllables in a word is another way to practice this important prereading skill. Try these simple games with your niños:

-Take turns choosing a number (1, 2 or 3) and finding something in the room with that number of syllables.

-Choose a number and alternate saying words with that number of syllables.

-Play Veo, veo (I Spy) and give information about the number of syllables to help your child guess: Veo algo verde con dos sílabas.

- Sort pictures by the number of syllables. Click here for a printable Cuenta sílabas game with pictures. To play, cut out the pictures. Take turns choosing one and putting it in the correct place on the game board. The number of stars indicates the number of syllables.

The structure of Spanish makes it natural to use syllables to learn to read. Parents can help prepare children for that important step jugando y silabeando juntos.

Special thanks to Spanish Playground for providing this article. Visit their site for more activities to teach Spanish to kids.