Summer Language Fun: Verbal Games to Practice Spanish with Your Kids over the Summer Holidays

So your kids have been studying Spanish over the school year, but what happens over Summer holidays? Are you worried your kids will forget everything they learned? Try these games with them and make sure they have fun and learn throughout the summer. And don't worry, you don't need to be able to speak Spanish yourself.

Get ready for laughter, learning, and a whole lot of language adventure!

1. Veo en el coche:

Perfect for long car rides during the holidays. This game is a simple 'I spy' game with a twist. When you and your kids are on the road, have them spot different colour cars.

Have them say "Veo un coche ..." - I see a ... car. Pick colours from the list below.

1. Rojo - Red

2. Azul - Blue

3. Amarillo - Yellow

4. Verde - Green

5. Naranja - Orange

6. Rosa - Pink

7. Morado - Purple

8. Marrón - Brown

9. Gris - Gray

10. Blanco - White

11. Negro - Black

To make this more fun, you can even keep a tally of how many cars each player can spot. For example, Player one is in charge of spotting red cars, player two is in charge of spotting blue cars etc etc.

At the end the player with the most cars wins.

And make sure your kids are counting in Spanish

1. Uno

2. Dos

3. Tres

4. Cuatro

5. Cinco

6. Seis

7. Seite

8. Ocho

9. Nueve

10. Diez

Tip: it helps if someone else is driving while playing this game

2. Spanish Scavenger Hunt

A Spanish scavenger hunt is a thrilling way to combine language learning with adventure. Create a list of simple Spanish words or phrases relevant to items in your backyard or around the house. For example, you can include words like "flores" (flowers), "árbol" (tree), "pelota" (ball), "mesa" (table), and "silla" (chair).

Give the kids the list and have them search for the items, naming them in Spanish as they find each one. This game not only reinforces vocabulary but also encourages exploration and observation.

3. Para poner la mesa

Every time you sit down at the dinner table with your kids, get them to set the table in Spanish

Get them to point out the items as they lay the table

Here's a list of vocabulary related to laying the table in Spanish:

1. Placemat - El mantel individual

2. Tablecloth - El mantel de mesa

3. Plate - El plato

4. Bowl - El tazón / El bol

5. Fork - El tenedor

6. Knife - El cuchillo

7. Spoon - La cuchara

8. Napkin - La servilleta

9. Glass - El vaso / La copa

10. Cup - La taza

11. Saucer - El platillo

12. Salt shaker - El salero

13. Pepper shaker - El pimentero

14. Water pitcher - La jarra de agua

15. Wine bottle - La botella de vino

16. Wine glass - La copa de vino

17. Bread plate - El platillo de pan

18. Butter knife - El cuchillo de mantequilla

19. Salad bowl - El bol de ensalada

20. Dessert spoon - La cucharita de postre

21. The table - La mesa

22. Chair - La silla

4. Spanish 20 Questions:

This one is a bit more challenging.

One of you think of a Spanish words and the other player has 20 chances to guess what it is by asking yes-or-no questions in Spanish. For example, "¿Es un animal?" (Is it an animal?) or "¿Se puede comer?" (Can you eat it?). This game encourages critical thinking, questioning, and broadens their vocabulary.

1. ¿Es un objeto? (Is it an object?)

2. ¿Es una persona? (Is it a person?)

3. ¿Es un animal? (Is it an animal?)

4. ¿Es grande? (Is it big?)

5. ¿Es pequeño? (Is it small?)

6. ¿Es redondo? (Is it round?)

7. ¿Es cuadrado? (Is it square?)

8. ¿Es de color rojo? (Is it red?)

9. ¿Es de color azul? (Is it blue?)

10. ¿Es de color verde? (Is it green?)

11. ¿Es de color amarillo? (Is it yellow?)

12. ¿Es útil? (Is it useful?)

13. ¿Es comestible? (Is it edible?)

14. ¿Es un lugar? (Is it a place?)

15. ¿Se usa al aire libre? (Is it used outdoors?)

16. ¿Se usa en la cocina? (Is it used in the kitchen?)

17. ¿Se usa en el baño? (Is it used in the bathroom?)

18. ¿Es un objeto electrónico? (Is it an electronic device?)

19. ¿Es un vehículo? (Is it a vehicle?)

20. ¿Es un objeto que usamos todos los días? (Is it an object we use every day?)

21. Se puede comer? - (Can I eat it?)

22. Es un animal? - (Is it an animal)

23. ¿Puedo beberlo? - (Can I drink it?)

Have fun playing these games, your kids will know a lot of these words all ready and these games also teach new vocab!

Happy playing! ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)

Written by Amber Francesca Carvalho