Do you want your child to feel confident and secure in the Spanish language? As children learn to communicate, knowing how to identify and verbalize thoughts regarding their body becomes more and more important. Your child has learned about their body parts in English, and now it’s time for them to learn that same vocabulary in Spanish! Don’t know where to begin? You’ve come to the right place. This post will provide you with a Spanish vocabulary list of essential body parts, and walk you through some of the best songs and games for learning about parts of the body in a foreign language.
Parts of the Body in Spanish: Basic Vocabulary
Before we share our tips and tricks for learning body part vocab with your child, it’s important to see what kinds of words your child should be learning. Take a look at some of the most important Spanish words for body parts, as well as their pronunciations, and English equivalents. After you’ve looked through this list, you can easily incorporate them into your learning routine:
- El brazo (brrah-soh): Arm
- La espalda (ehs-spahl-dah): Back
- La oreja (oh-reh-hah): Ear
- El codo (koh-doh): Elbow
- El ojo (oh-hoh): Eye
- El dedo (deh-doh): Finger. It’s important to remember that dedo can mean fingers or toes. If you want to avoid confusion, you can say dedo de la mano for a finger and dedo del pie for a toe.
- El pie (pyeh): Foot
- El pelo (peh-loh): Hair
- La mano (mah-noh): Hand
- La cabeza (kah-beh-sah): Head
- El corazón (koh-rah-sohn): Heart
- La rodilla (rroh-dee-yah): Knee
- La pierna (pyehr-nah): Leg
- La boca (boh-kah): Mouth
- El cuello (kweh-yoh): Neck
- La nariz (nah-rees): Nose
- El hombro (ohm-broh): Shoulder
Congratulations! You’ve made it through our list of essential vocabulary for learning body parts in Spanish. Read on to discover how these words can be used in a variety of fun ways to get your child speaking in no time.
Songs for Learning Parts of the Body in Spanish
The Benefits of Learning Through Song: Want to make language learning easier and more exciting for your child? Songs and rhymes are one of the best ways to help your child retain information and stay engaged while learning Spanish. Scientific research shows that listening to music stimulates multiple locations in the brain and can even be stored in more than one memory location, making it easier for your child to recall what they have learned and build upon their knowledge. Take a look at these Spanish songs and pick the one that’s right for you:
- “Cabeza, Hombro, Rodilla, Pies” (Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes): Your child has probably heard this song in English, so why not try learning it in Spanish? As the pace of the song gets faster, your child will be having so much fun they won’t even realize their vocabulary and pronunciation skills are being put to the test.
- “Mi Cuerpo” (My Body): This fun, one-minute song focuses on the body and how it is made for music! The dancey tune will have your child jumping, clapping, and stomping while they learn important Spanish vocabulary words.
- “Como Se Mueven” (How You Move): This tune encourages your child to move different body parts while also teaching them important words like arriba (“up”) and abajo (“down”). A song like this will help your child take orders and listen to their teacher when learning in a Spanish classroom.
- “Todo Mi Cuerpo” (My Whole Body): If you want a song that focuses on sports and acting out different parts of the body, this one is for you! The video uses colorful images of people swimming, playing soccer, and standing still. The song even speeds up at the end for an added challenge.
Making the Most of Learning Vocabulary Parts of the Body
Look At Lyrics: In the same way that subtitles are helpful when watching a show in Spanish, providing written-out lyrics for your child will help guide them when learning Spanish through a song. Try finding lyrics by plugging the song’s name into a search engine. Once you’ve found the lyrics to a song, print them out and have them beside you as you work through a song with your child. This trick will help visual learners and enforce the spellings of each word as your child sings them.
Incorporate Vocab Into Daily Activities: The next time your child is getting dressed, taking a bath, or having an impromptu dance session, try repeating some of the Spanish body part words they learned in earlier activities. This method is perfect for parents who have a busy schedule.
Play Games: Short, simple games that your child is already familiar with, like “Simon Dice” (Simon Says) are a great way to go over vocabulary words and assess your child’s knowledge without making them feel like they are being tested. Try playing this game during your child’s snack break or after they come home from school.
Read Books: Reading books with your child is a great way to bond while also reinforcing their knowledge. Books that encourage your child to be an active participant, like De la Cabeza a Los Pies by Eric Carle will keep your child engaged and smiling. This book is a wonderful choice because it is repetitive, colorful, and invites the reader to mimic the movements of different animals.
TruFluencyKids Can Get Your Child Fluent in Spanish
While songs, games and books are all excellent ways to learn a new language, nothing beats learning with other students in a nurturing environment. TruFluency offers small, LIVE instructor-led classes that will help your child feel social and supported at the same time. At TruFluency, we believe in using songs, games and interactive activities to get your child moving and learning all at the same time. If you want to help your child excel in Spanish while having fun with their peers and teachers, sign up today.
