Why Printables are Wonderfully Simple Language Learning Tools

At Lelu, we make a wide range of resources for parents raising bilingual kids. Even the most simple of tools can make a huge difference in your child’s bilingualism journey - which is why we started offering easy-to-use, take-anywhere printables that use the same immersive, hands-on approach to teach kids Spanish as all of our language tools!

Here, we’ll break down why we love printables for teaching kids a second language and what makes them so amazing:

It’s easy

Parenting is hard enough, but throw in everything we do to teach our kids our heritage language and it’s beyond overwhelming! Printables don’t require any prep from you as a parent, and often times your child can do them on their own (although as an extra benefit you can do them together for some quality time). Just print and voila - zero effort way to incorporate some Spanish practice in your child’s day.

They’re fun for kids

So many times when we’re trying to engage our kids in speaking and learning Spanish, kids feel like it’s a chore. On the one hand, kids who already know English often resist using Spanish because it’s easier and faster for them to stick to English. On the other hand, so many of the readily-available Spanish resources are formulated around memorizing vocab and practicing grammar. Both of these scenarios make Spanish feel like no fun to kids - which is why it’s no wonder they have no interest in participating!

At Lelu, our language philosophies are centered around making Spanish fun and engaging for kids, and for good reason! When we can reframe learning Spanish around play, discovery, and curiosity - it gives kids a reason to engage in the language.

On a deeper level, this style of teaching language speaks to the way kids’ brains work. Kids learn languages in order to explore and participate in the world around them. When Spanish is attached to topics kids find interesting and activities they want to participate in, their brains light up and start forming strong connections with Spanish. 

They’re affordable

Raising bilingual kids shouldn’t break the bank, and simple but effective printables make for some of the most budget-friendly language resources! 

We also know that access to Spanish language education resources currently available in the US are reserved for high socioeconomic status (SES) and/or white communities - and more often than not gate-kept from Latino/e communities that want to pass on their heritage language and culture to their children and low SES communities where accessible resources are needed most. Accessibility is and always has been important to us, and one way in which we can make bilingual education more accessible to the communities we aim to serve is by offering lower-cost resources like printables.

Check out some of our STEAM-based, hands-on printables to experience all of these benefits and more for yourself! 

In our shop, you can find ready-to-use DIY STEAM activities, coloring sheets, and more in the Digital Downloads collection. And if you sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of this page, you’ll receive FREE printables every month in our newsletter!