Summer means water play for kids. It’s a great time for language play too. Spanish beach and water activities can keep kids learning all summer long. The activities below relate to Spanish beach vocabulary and ocean words. Kids can do some of these activities on the beach, and others are to give them useful vocabulary for when they get there. They are at a variety of levels and can be adapted for different age groups. These suggestions are part of the Easy Spanish-Easy Yoga series. You can find more information about the series at the end of the post.
Finger Play – Es la ballena
This finger play is fun for the littlest Spanish learners. Older brothers and sisters can learn it and play with their hermanitos. Move your finger, the whale, around the little one’s fingers as you sing. When you sing te come el dedito, gently grab a finger.
Song – Al agua pato
In Spanish, it is very common to say ¡Al agua pato! or ¡Al agua patos! (Into the water duck/ducks) to encourage children to get into the water. Use this phrase at swimming lessons, the beach, the pool or bath time.
The well-known children’s song, Al agua pato has been recorded by many children’s artists. It is very fun to sing! I like the version by Atención, Atención that you hear in the video below. You can download Al agua pato by Atención Atención on iTunes. If you search Al agua pato, you’ll find many other versions too.
These are the lyrics:
El que quiera nadar un rato,
como un pato, como un pez,
que se saque los zapatos
como yo me los saqué.
Al agua pato, pato,
sin los zapatos patos.
Al agua pato, pato
y al agua pez.
Un poquito panza abajo
y otro poquitito al Sol,
cada cual a su manera
goza de la natación.
Talk about a Beach Scene with Coloring Pages
Talking about pictures with simple sentences is a good way to speak Spanish with your child. There are lots of coloring pages online. As you color, you can use Spanish beach words and lots of other language.
This is some of the key vocabulary you will find in beach coloring pages like this one.
beach – la playa
beach bag – la bolsa de playa
beach ball – el balón de playa
pail – el balde/ el cubo
crab – el cangrejo
sailboat – el velero
sand – la arena
sand castle – el castillo de arena
sea/ocean – el mar
shovel – la pala
sun glasses – las gafas de sol/ los lentes de sol
swimming suit – el traje de baño
swim ring – el flotador
umbrella – la sombrilla
waves – las olas
You can use simple sentences like these as you color:
Hay cuatro personas.
Están en la playa.
Es la mamá. Es el papá.
Hay dos niños. Son hermanos.
Juegan en la arena.
Construyen un castillo de arena.
El niño lleva un traje de baño.
La mamá lee.
El papá juega con los niños.
Veo el mar (un cangrejo, un cubo, un balón de playa, una sombrilla, una bolsa de playa, un velero etc.).
Yoga
Yoga is a great language learning activity. Kids Yoga Stories has posts on beach yoga and several books with Spanish beach vocabulary. Read a post I wrote about Lucas en un día en la playa and another with language activities for that book.
Kids Yoga Stories has a new summer yoga post with beach related yoga poses. As you do the focus poses and yoga flow, say the words in Spanish: sailboat – el velero, surfboard – la tabla de surf, boat – el barco.You will find more Spanish beach and summer fun in the new Kids Yoga Stories book Ema y un verano inolvidable.
Video
Peppa Pig En la playa is packed with Spanish beach vocabulary. The video is 4 minutes long, and a fun way to review or introduce words related to the beach and ocean.
Printable Beach Activity List
The blog Rejuega has a list of 70 beach activities for kids. Use this list for inspiration and involve kids in choosing and checking off items to reinforce beach vocabulary in Spanish.
More Water Play Words
Whether you are playing in the hose or the ocean, the vocabulary in the printable Juguemos en el agua will come in handy. You will find many common phrases for water play in Spanish.
I hope this post with ideas for Spanish beach fun proves useful. At Spanish Playground, we are working with Kids Yoga Stories to create activities to teach children Spanish and yoga through basic concepts. In a series of monthly posts, we give you simple activities that you can work into a busy schedule. In addition to yoga, you will find other language activities you can do with Spanish learners related to the theme of the month.
Easy Spanish-Easy Yoga
Spanish Thanksgiving Activities with Natural World Vocabulary
Celebrate Earth Day in Spanish
Animals in Spanish: Wild Animal Activities
See you next month for more Easy Spanish-Easy Yoga!
Photo Credit: phalinn via Compfight cc
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