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Spanish Language Summer Program Day 2: Matching Number Games in Spanish

Spanish Language Summer Program: Day #2 


Note: I used these to learn the numbers in Spanish, but this can well be done in English as well. 

For our second day of the Spanish Language Summer Program we learned the numbers in Spanish. I used recycled caps and egg cartons. (I had been saving the caps and egg cartons ever since I first saw the idea here.)  I also used numbered googly eye stick puppets that my 4 yr. old made. :) I bought a bag of felt sticker numbers, and wasn't sure what to do with them. Until, my child comes up with the idea of making puppets! He has a thing for puppets like the ones here

Letter To Our Son: Celebrating Your 4th Birthday (2012)

**Next month little man turns 5! So I've been doing a count down to his 5th birthday by writing a letter to him on each birthday he has celebrated. This is his 4th birthday letter. You can read the other letters here: first, second, and third.** 
Dear son:

This year we celebrated your birthday twice,  yes again! One of the reasons why you had two celebrations this year is in part because you won a costume contest.  In the Fall of 2011 Monkey Joe's was running a costume contest with the most likes on Facebook... I literally harassed :) my friends, and our family members to like the picture. It paid off because you won! So on July of 2012, we celebrated at Monkey Joe's.



Versatile Blogger Award

A special shout out and thanks to Olga of the European Mama for nominating me for the Versatile Blogger Award. It makes me happy  to know that fellow bloggers recognize my work! :)

Spanish Language Summer Program Day 1: Learning Spanish With Board Games

Spanish Language Summer Program: Day #1 


This summer I really, really wanted to enroll little one in a Spanish language immersion camp, but it wasn't possible this year. 

However, I wanted to keep my son's "momentum" going. He had just graduated from his Spring Spanish language session, and is soaring with confidence! How was I going to do it? Especially when the opportunities to be exposed to the target language in my community are zero?

The Importance of Multilingualism and Travel in Our Familia

 “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” ~ Augustinus 
As a multicultural familia, multilingualism and travel go very much hand in hand since the target language that I'm teaching our child is Spanish, hence being the minority.

Therefore, my mother who lives in Puerto Rico, and I made an agreement to visit each other every year.  Meaning one year she'd travel to the U.S.A., the other year we'd travel to Puerto Rico. Traveling was our way of preserving the family ties, as well as keeping the culture and language alive especially for our child. During Abuela's visits she'd speak to our child in Spanish, and when we traveled to Puerto Rico he would be directly exposed to the target language because all of the familia would speak in Spanish. Though, I do admit there have been times where my family has spoken to our son in English, instead of Spanish. I am to blame since I started our son's language immersion a little later on. You can read about my initial struggle here, and about his milestones, and my regrets here.

"Hey y’all!" Shrimp n' Grits Bloghop

"Hey y’all!" 

Yes, that's how folks greet a group of two or more people in the South! I must say that having lived up North this was a shocker! :) Funny enough my child was born, and is being bred in the South.... so when he says, "ya'll" it doesn't shock me as much anymore! {Big smile!} 

I'm happy to say that I've also acquired a taste for the food as well! Since I moved to SC, I have learned to love collard greens, and fried green tomatoes

Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop #5


Hi!  Welcome to the Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop #5
This week Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop features: 




My Little Boys with Little Blue and Little Yellow - Move, Eat, Draw and Learn with Leo Leonni
by The Good Long Road a wonderful post with different activities based on the book.


Now that you've checked out our featured posts, link up to our blog hop! 

All Natural Bird Feeder & Bird Watching


Looking for a fun afternoon activity with your children? How about making an all natural peanut butter feeder, and then go bird watching? I found this great post here, and I knew it was something that I wanted to do with my little man.  He had his best friend over, so we had a fun filled afternoon. 

Letter to Our Son: Celebrating Your 3rd Birthday (2011)

**In 1 month little man turns 5! So I'm doing a count down to his 5th birthday by writing a letter to him on each birthday he has celebrated. This is his 3rd birthday letter.**

Dear son:

Oh how I remember your 3rd birthday! We were supposed to celebrate your big day in Puerto Rico but unfortunately we couldn't.  I was brokenhearted that we couldn't celebrate with la familia. However, I was determined for us to go, but God had other plans in store. Wouldn't you know that your Titi Gladys came along to save the day!  She comes up with the grand idea of meeting her up in Florida, and celebrating with you a magical Disney birthday!  That was an offer that we couldn't pass! Not only were you going to celebrate with Mickey Mouse, we were going to spend some time with la familia your titi, tío, and primos. 


We stayed at this beautiful resort with them, and boy was it a fun, and a magical birthday! On the actual day of your birthday we had a birthday cake for you at the resort, and you were showered by birthday gifts from all of us, Titi Gladys, Tio Johnny and your primos Kathy and Kevin. We then hit the pool to cool off on this hot summer day!


The following day you visited Walt Disney World for the first time.  Upon your arrival you were treated with two special pins: one for your birthday, and another for your first visit to Disney World. 
Having a birthday in the middle of summer in Disney world can be very hot, and humid! You waited patiently in the long lines with your Daddy, and you were a real trooper. Except, when it came to actually meet Mickey and Minnie. You didn't want to be close to them, in fact we struggled to get a family picture with them. :)
You were beyond excited that you were going to Disney World! You enjoyed the rides with Daddy, and had so much fun! By the time we were heading back to the resort you were out!! 


Once back home we had another birthday celebration with your friends. You have grown fond of your new friends, and we celebrated your birthday again at Chick-Fil-A!


It really brings us so much joy to see how you're loved by friends, and family. On your 3rd birthday you celebrated with your familia from Puerto Rico, and you also celebrated with your friends. 

We hope that you’ve enjoyed your 3rd birthday celebrations, and felt even a trifle of the amount of fun, laughter and love that you bless our lives with each day. You’re such a wonderful li’l boy, you’re our sunshine, our li’l angel.  

May all your wishes come true, this and every year to follow. 

Te amamos con todo nuestro corazón,  

Mommy and Daddy

Temporal Concepts, Months, & Days of the Week in Spanish

Please note:  The week and the months of the year in Spanish begin with lower case letters. However, the monthly calendar pages that I laminated came from an actual magazine in Spanish (go figure!); and while typing and printing the days of the weeks, I too mistakenly typed them with a capital letter. Please remember that the days of the week, and months are ALL in lower case letters. 

My child has learned the months of the year by listening to Greg and Steve's song "Los meses del año." You can listen to the song here. (It's actually the only Spanish song in the list). 

Greg & Steve | We All Live Together, Volume 2

To reinforce the months of the year in Spanish I laminated posters from a Spanish magazine that my Mom sent us from Puerto Rico. They are colorful, bright and very pretty!  As he sings we go through the posters, and point out to the names of the months. 

To learn the days of the week in Spanish I purchased from the dollar store a weekly planner that I converted into a bilingual weekly planner. I printed the days of the week in Spanish and taped them underneath the English days of the week.  


To help my son learn the temporal concepts of  "ayer, yesterday; hoy, today; and mañana, tomorrow"  I used Angry Bird pictures that I laminated and made into a card. (My son is a huge Angry Bird fans remember when he gave me the idea to make them? You can check it out here.)   I used velcro so we can change the cards every day. 

Every morning we look at the weekly planner, and I ask him in Spanish what day is it? He tells me, and then I have him place the cards on the corresponding days.  

How do you teach your child the temporal concepts? I would love to hear your thoughts, ideas and comments! Please like, share or pin! ¡Hasta la próxima!

Spanish Language Immersion Spring Graduation

Spanish Language Immersion Graduation 

Finally my little man has "graduated" from his Spring Spanish language immersion lessons.  His graduation was not your traditional "graduation."  It was more of a presentation for the parents from the children to assess the progress during their Spanish language immersion lessons.  The instructor and the children had an indoor picnic in which the children spoke in Spanish.  Afterwards, they were given a certificate of completion that my son very proudly held on to. 
Posing with his Spanish teacher. :) 

Kid Friendly Piña Colada from Puerto Rico

If there's something that I love and crave often is Puerto Rico's official beverage: piña colada (without the rum!) 


Of course, the piña colada is a cocktail that has rum in it, but I make it without! It's just as delicious. It's like having a slushy explosion in your mouth from the sweetness of the pineapple and coconut! Oh so sweet, and delicious. It's also so refreshing during the summer or any other time. 

For me it was a flashback of sipping some piña colada during "Las Fiestas Patronales" while listening to music; and enjoying the festivities with friends and family. My husband and son will most likely not have my same memories, but I hope that when they drink the piña colada it will remind them of the tropical paradise that Puerto Rico is. :)


There are a few recipes out there, but I mine is super simple! The best thing is that it's kid friendly! 

15 oz of cream of coconut
15 oz of crushed pineapples
cup of ice
Put in the blender and mixed until ice is crushed. It's the perfect recipe for kids! 

If you don't have cream of coconut, and have coconut milk then then you can try the following recipe: 

Receta de piña colada

Ingredientes (Ingredients)
64 oz de jugo de piña (64 oz. pineapple juice)
1 lata de leche condensada 14 oz (1 can of condensed milk)
12 a 16 oz de leche de coco (coconut milk)
1 cucharada de extracto de vainilla (1 tsp. vanilla extract)

Mezcle en licuadora y sirva en copa de cristal. (Mix in blender and serve in a glass cup)

What fun, and delicious beverage from your culture do you share with your family?  Please comment, like, share or pin!

¡Hasta la próxima!