Getting children started on learning Spanish at an early age can really give them the edge on becoming fluent. Here’s an easy-to-set-up, fun Spanish lesson to get your kids started!
I call this game The Wizard or El Mago.
EL MAGO Spanish Language Game: Children Turn Into Animals and Learn!
All you will need for this is some sort of silly costume and a wand. Personally, I use a funky scarf and a giant feather bow. I tell the kids that these magical items transform me into a magical being. Technically, I’d be a witch, or a bruja, for the sake of this game I just keep it simple with wizard.
This game can be adapted to teach a few different things, but I find that the most fun is to practice animal words because it allows the children to get silly and make animal noises.
So, put on your wizard outfit and recite this rhyme:
“I am the wizard, the wonderful wizard, alakazam kazoo!
I am the wizard, the wonderful wizard, and I choose you!”
Once you have chosen someone, you tap them with your wand and announce what you have changed them into. For example, if you use the phrase “¡Ahora eres rana!” would turn them into a frog.
Allow the child to hop around and ribbit for a few seconds and them tap them again and say “alakazam kazoo!”
Repeat this process for as long as you like. I also like to eventually change a child into El Mago and allow them to dress up and magically transform the other children and myself.
Basic Animal Names in Spanish Vocabulary
Here are some animal words that are fun and easy to act out to get your started:
1. caballo: horse
2. cerdo: pig
3. elefante: elephant
4. gallina: chicken
5. gato: cat
6. lechuza / búho: owl
7. león: lion
8. mono: monkey
9. pájaro: bird
10. pato: duck
11. perro: dog
12. rana: frog
13. serpiente: snake
14. vaca: cow
15. foca: seal
EL MAGO Spanish Language Game: Masculine and Feminine
Another twist you can add to this game is to teach the students how to identify if a noun is masculine or feminine. During the game, when “the wizard announces” ¡Ahora eres rana!, for example, the student should answerer you using the correct article un or una: Soy una rana.
1. un caballo: horse
2. un cerdo: pig
3. un elefante: elephant
4. una gallina: chicken
5. un gato / una gata: cat
6. una lechuza / un búho: owl
7. un león: lion
8. un mono: monkey
9. un pájaro: bird
10. un pato: duck
11. un perro: dog
12. una rana: frog
13. una serpiente: snake
14. una vaca: cow
15. una foca: seal
You can adapt this game to use other vocabulary words. For example, get some inexpensive props about professions (soy maestra, soy policía, soy bombero, soy peluquera, etc.) or send them to faraway places (estoy en la playa, estoy en la escuela, estoy en Africa, estoy en Alaska, etc.).
Check out these other articles about the Spanish Language.