Valentines Day is just around the corner and to celebrate Monarca Language has provided these cute Valentine’s Day coloring sheets in Spanish for our niños. The three coloring sheets feature winter animals and come with phrases that are great for starting conversations with our kids in Spanish.

For the full printable version of the three coloring sheets pictured above click here.

Check out all the Valentine’s goodies we have for you here and our Valentine’s Pinterest board is really cute too!

Grocery shopping with los chiquitos is not always easy, but the store is an excellent place to speak Spanish with children. They are close to you, often right at eye-level if they are small enough to ride in the cart. Also, the language tends to be focused, la comida, and kids can see and touch the things you talk about.

This paper plate shopping list is a great way to take advantage of the setting and the time you spend with your child in the grocery store. Children associate the words they hear with the pictures and with the things you put in your basket or cart. A paper plate is light and easy to hold, even for small children. They fold down the pictures as they find each item on the list.

Making the list is facilísimo! Around the edge of a paper plate, glue pictures of things you need to buy. Click here for printable pictures of common grocery items. Cutting and gluing is a good language activity; talk about the pictures together as you do this step with your child. Cut between the pictures, so that your child can fold them down y listo!

Of course, you can put other pictures, letters or symbols around the edge of the plate for kids to look for when you are running errands.

Here are a few ideas:

- Use markers and put colors around the plate. Kids find an object for each color.
- Write the alphabet around the edge and look for words that start with each letter. With a few letters, like la ñ, it is easier to find a word that contains the letter.
- Draw shapes. Kids find an object for each shape.
- Use clip art to make a list of things you might see: un carro, una bici, un perro, una flor, una casa, un autobus, unas escaleras, un bebé, una persona con lentes.

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

Y ahora pon el gatito en el techo de la casita.
A ver, ¿son igualitos?
¡Sí! ¡Perfecto!

Bueno, it does not always work out that perfectly, but Igualitos is fun, and we always speak lots of Spanish!

Igualitos (Just the Same) is my name for this cooperative game. It is what language teachers call a barrier game; players have the same materials and exchange information without seeing what the others are doing. Playing Igualitos, you work together to make the same picture or arrangement of objects. It is an excellent way to speak Spanish with your chiquitos.

You can play Igualitos with household objects, pictures, stickers or by drawing. Everyone has the same materials and one player gives instructions to the others, or players take turns. You work together to make the sets igualitos, ¡pero sin mirar! You can make a barrier with a book or sit back to back.

A few ways to play Igualitos

You need a set of objects or pictures for each player.
- Put pictures into a scene. Click here for a printable scene and pictures. You will need to print two copies. Inexpensive stickers work well too, and packages often have several identical sheets.
- Collect small objects (plates, cups, spoons, straws, napkins, apples, etc.). Arrange the objects and give instructions to make the same arrangement.
- Put pictures or objects in a row and give instructions to put them in the same order.
- Cut out paper shapes of different colors. Make a pattern and give instructions to make the same pattern. This works well with stringing colored beads, too.
- Print simple coloring sheets (search draw the details coloring pages). Give instructions as you add details to the pictures.
- Use memory cards to play Igualitos with two players. Give one of each pair to each player. Arrange the cards and give instructions to put them in order.
- Use toys like Mr. Potato Head, the Cootie game, Legos or blocks to play. Describe the piece you are putting on and where to put it.
- For older kids, you can use maps to play Igualitos. Print two copies and draw a route giving instructions as you go.
- Make a grid (3×3 or 4×4). Use stickers or give instructions to draw simple objects in different squares: En A-4, pon un sol. Dibjua una cara feliz en C-1.

Tips for playing Igualitos with children learning Spanish

- If you are printing pictures, use cardstock to give them more weight. You can also put a tiny piece of double-sided tape on the pieces so they do not move too easily.
- Explain that you are trying to make the same picture or arrangement of objects.
- Before you begin, talk about the pictures together so that your child hears the words.
- Start with five objects or pictures. Add more when your child understands the game.
- At first, give instructions to your child so she will hear the language. This will help her when it is her turn to give instructions.
- When you have placed all the pictures, take away the barrier and compare. ¿Son igualitos? Talk about any differences.

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