Now, don't get me wrong, I'm ALL for stopping EVERYthing when we go on vacation. Life is learning, learning is life, but sometimes you need a COMPLEte departure from EVERYthing that's "normal" for a nice full re-set. I'm not talking about THAT vacation. I'm talking about the vacation that is happening when you JUST hit your stride on sticking with Spanish lessons, and you don't want to lose your momentum!
The kids are making progress, YOU'RE making progress, you've been speaking Spanish and grabbing words faster and faster, and NOW you're supposed to go away and you don't want to lose the rolling rhythm you've achieved in the foreign language acquisition journey.
Here are FIVE ways to keep Spanish lessons going, from easiest to most expert level:
1) Grab the week's flashcards cards from the kitchen table (or silverware drawer, if you followed my advice) on your way out the door and shove them in your purse.
One morning, while the kids are getting to the breakfast table, pull them out and flip through them. Have speed rounds, or peek-a-boo, or charades, or just make sentences with them. That's it.
2) Lay older review Flash cards out in columns to make potential sentences on ANY currently unused surface. Here are a few on the pool table - yep, royal blue felted pool table - at our last little vacay getaway. And yes, the kids (even though the youngest is 16.9 years old) did stop through and create their silliest, most off the wall sentences, leading to a gigglefest. But hey - practice is PRACTICE.
Can you "read" these sentences in Spanish?
Top: ¿Quieres comprar una tele? (Do you want to buy a TV?)
Bottom: ¿Puedo tener un avión? (Can I have a plane?)
I told you they were over the top! LOL! But Everyone knew exactly what was begin said, and it got us speaking Spanish only for a good long while. Try it!
3) No flashcards required for this one: Review ONE word you know and ask your kids if the thing you're pointing at is that thing. They LOVE correcting you!
Watch as I explain:
https://youtube.com/shorts/coVorBYLl0I?
4) Turn any noun into a question in Spanish. "¿Quieres?" - "Do you want....?
Worried about pronunciation?
It sounds a bit like these English words:
KEY
AIR
RACE
Then add your vocab word. Don't have a bunch of vocab? Add the word LO (it) in front!
¿Lo quieres? - Do you want it?
ANY time you are going to ask in English, replace that phrase with Lo quieres! Easy, simple and FUN.
5) Use Spanish adjectives - But just like in the video above, make it WRONG.
Practice numbers - and if you have two pieces of pizza, say there's three. Hay tres. Then your child will correct you! If you don't want to be corrected, ask: ¿Tres?
The word MUY is great too - it's VERY.
Es MUY VERDE. When something is obviously RED. Be SILLY in Spanish. Practice opposites!
And for a bonus, just be polite in Spanish.
Gracias, de nada, por favor. EASY PEASY. Es pan comido (It's a piece of cake!)