How to Support Your Child's Spanish at Home, Even If You Do Not Speak It

Written by the Spanish in Action teamReviewed by María Pellet Lastra · teaching Spanish to children since 1986

Quick answer

Your job at home is not to teach Spanish. It is to make Spanish normal. Play the song from class in the car, name two things at breakfast, let your child be the one who knows. Most of the families in our classes do not speak Spanish, and their children learn anyway.

Almost every week, a parent tells us some version of the same thing: I would help at home, but my Spanish is terrible. We have been hearing it since 1986, and in that time more than 8,000 children have come through our classrooms, most of them from homes where nobody spoke Spanish at all.

So here is the honest answer: Find a strong program that's fun, engaging, and academic, and help your child see Spanish as an incredible skill they can easily learn when they are young and that connects them to millions of people worldwide.

Your enthusiasm, encouragement, and consistency can be just as powerful as speaking the language yourself.

What actually works at home?

One small thing, attached to a routine that already happens. Not a study plan.

The plans that fail are the ambitious ones: twenty minutes every evening, a vocabulary list on the fridge, a chart with stickers. They last a week. The plans that survive are attached to something you already do without thinking.

The drive to school

One song from class, on repeat, as long as they want it (fun Spanish songs for kids)

Breakfast

Naming two things on the table, the same two, every day

Bath time or bedtime

The same picture book, even if you only read the pictures

Cleanup

The cleanup song from class, as the signal that it is time

ASHA encourages families to talk, sing, play and read together in the languages they use, and says nothing about minutes per day. See ASHA's guidance on learning more than one language.

Pick one. Keep it for a month. That is the whole method.

Can I teach my child Spanish if I am still learning?

You can playfully practice Spanish with your child without having to teach it. Use the words you know, and when they ask something you can't answer, simply say, "Let's ask your teacher, or look it up together." You're showing them that learning is something you can enjoy and discover together.

Which songs actually help?

The best songs use practical vocabulary, a catchy tune, and lots of repetition. Singing the same song helps children anticipate the next word, join in, and eventually sing on their own, add gestures and pause before familiar words so they can fill in the blanks.

Our Original Songs Collection is designed exactly this way, with original, karaoke, and instrumental versions that encourage children to listen, learn, participate, and sing independently.

How can I help my child practice when my Spanish is worse than my child's?

Let them teach you! Ask your child to show you the words from their schoolwork along with the gestures they've learned, and even get it wrong on purpose sometimes. When children correct you, they're practicing vocabulary, enjoying being the expert, and building confidence, exactly what the worksheet is designed to achieve.

It also changes the dynamic: instead of being the person checking what they know, you become genuinely interested in what they can teach you, and children are much more eager to talk when they feel like the expert.

I recommend making Spanish part of small daily routines: play the songs from class in the car, ask your child to teach you words or gestures they've learned, and create opportunities to use Spanish naturally, even if it's just for two minutes at the dinner table. Small steps, practiced consistently, lead to big progress.

The biggest misconception among parents who don't speak Spanish is thinking they can't help because they can't teach it. Your job isn't to teach, it's to show interest, practice with them, and make Spanish a normal and positive part of their life.

What should we avoid?

Expecting too much too soon, correcting everything, and comparing your child to others.

If your child understands but isn't speaking yet, don't pressure them to produce the words. They may simply need to hear it many more times before they're ready to use it independently. Instead, give them the language: "Which shoes do you want: the white ones or the black ones?" This allows them to hear, choose, and eventually repeat the words naturally.

Avoid correcting every mistake. Constant correction can turn a conversation into an exam. Instead, simply repeat the correct form naturally in your response and keep the conversation going.

And avoid comparisons. Every child participates and progresses differently, and understanding comes before speaking. A child who is listening, absorbing, and understanding is learning, even if they aren't speaking yet.

If you have a real concern about your child's speech or language, a class is not an assessment. Talk to a qualified speech-language professional who can look at all the languages your child uses. ASHA is clear that learning more than one language does not cause speech problems.

How do I connect home practice with the class?

Ask the teacher one simple question: "What are you working on right now?" Then bring that learning home. The more opportunities children have to practice, the more naturally fluency develops. A child who learns the same ten words in class on Tuesday, hears them in the car on Wednesday, and uses them at the dinner table on Thursday is practicing in different situations, and that's how vocabulary sticks.

And share what you notice at home with the teacher: "She loved the gestures this week," or "He asked for the song twice." We love getting feedback from families so we can work together toward the same goal: helping your child become a confident Spanish speaker.

Parents don't need to become the teacher: their role is to bring what their child is learning into everyday life, with interest, encouragement, and consistency.

Frequently asked questions

Can I help if I do not speak Spanish?

Absolutely! Most of our families are in exactly that position. You don't need to speak Spanish to help; your interest, encouragement, and consistency can make a tremendous difference in your child's learning.

How much time should we practise?

There is no magic number. Five minutes attached to a routine beats thirty minutes that never happen twice.

Should I correct my child's Spanish?

Model the correct form in your answer instead of stopping to fix it. Keep the conversation going.

Are songs enough on their own?

Songs are a powerful learning tool, but they're not a complete language program. Songs combined with interaction, conversation, and opportunities to use the language are what turn vocabulary into real communication.

Should I buy flashcards or worksheets?

Keep it simple, playful, and consistent. Choose easy, no-prep materials that reinforce what your child is already learning, and use them to play games together. Our flashcards, worksheets, songs, and game ideas 30 Games to Learn Spanish follow the same vocabulary themes we teach in class, making it easy to bring Spanish naturally into your home. Complete Teaching Units