6 Spanish Podcasts Your Bilingual Kid Should be Listening To
Podcasts can be a fun way to nurture your child’s bilingualism. Here’s our favorite for Spanish speakers.
By Christina Montoya Fiedler
There are many benefits to raising bilingual children: academic enrichment, cultural awareness, competitiveness in their future job market, are just some of the advantages being bilingual gives them. But, for many Latinx parents it’s the way language creates cultural pride that creates the real incentive to encourage a second language. So, we’re always looking for ways to keep our kids excited about their second language in a world where English is so dominant. In a world where technology seems to take up most of our days, podcasts are a great screen-free alternative to keep learning fun and engaging. They can be listened to just about anywhere, making it perfect for families who are often on the go.
“When you have a screen in front of you, everything is given to you already. With a podcast, we can use sounds to create beautiful paintings, colorful landscapes, and even entire worlds inside of someone’s mind,” says the host and creator of Eat Your Spanish podcast, Vanessa Blum. “I love this exercise of imagination, and how it involves the listener in creating their own unique images and scenery to fit the sounds and environments they are hearing. In my opinion it’s a much more personal experience, and those sorts of personal connections are invaluable when you’re learning.”
Thirteen percent of the U.S. population speaks Spanish, making it the most popular language next to English. Consequently, the US has the second-largest population of Spanish speakers in the world, with Mexico being in the number one spot. So not only is learning a second language about cultural immersion, but it also puts kids at an advantage as they head out into the world.
“I was fortunate enough to grow up in a bilingual household. I can say from experience that growing up in a Spanish-speaking country and being able to speak both Spanish and English at home really helped me connect not only to my incredibly rich and beautiful cultural surroundings, but also to all of the wonderful people around me simultaneously,” says Blum.
6 Spanish Podcasts Your Bilingual Kid Should be Listening To
Tumble en Español
Have you ever wondered why the moon disappears during the day or why we dream while we sleep? Tumble en Español is the Spanish adaptation of Tumble, a high-quality science podcast for kids. Using children’s questions as a starting point, hosts Nuria and Alvaro guide listeners on a journey through curiosity.
Eat Your Spanish
Filled with games, sing-along songs, funny characters, and engaging stories, Eat Your Spanish is a great podcast for beginning and native Spanish speakers alike. Listeners can look forward to a Spanish word of the week, plus special holiday themed episodes.
Brains On en Español
Brains On’s mission is to encourage kids’ natural curiosity and wonder using science and history as a tool. Each week, a different kid co-host joins Molly Bloom to find answers to fascinating questions about the world. With over 100 episodes currently archived, there’s lots to choose from.
Allegro Magico
Calling all music lovers! Allegro Magico teaches listeners about famous classical musicians through well-known musical pieces and symphonies. Chopin, Mozart, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky are all covered as well as lesser-known composers that children will love hearing about.
Tres Cuentos
Tres Cuentos is a literary podcast dedicated to stories from Latin America. Each episode is beautifully narrated and accompanied by original music. Later the hosts discuss the author, culture, or history behind the story.
Sesame en las Communidades
There’s a reason Sesame Street is a favorite in so many households. And, now you can get it in Spanish podcast form with Sesame en las Communidades. In this podcast, Grover and his furry friends address a wide variety of topics that affect children in the areas of health, personal and emotional wellness, and school readiness.
