The Ultimate Top 10 Kids' Songs for a Playful Spanish Language Adventure!

9/14/2023

Childhood stands as a pivotal phase in life, championed by numerous experts in psychology, education, and child development for its paramount significance. This formative period leaves an indelible imprint on cognitive, social, and emotional growth, nurturing the roots of perpetual learning and self-assurance. During infancy, the brain's neuroplasticity aids rapid language acquisition, forming connections and absorbing linguistic patterns, as highlighted by Mia Nacamulli.

Studying Spanish is a remarkable avenue to broaden your learner's horizons. The fusion of music and language learning is a powerful combination that ignites motivation creativity, and stimulates curiosity. This idea aligns with the theory of Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple intelligences, which suggests that linguistics and music aptitudes constitute distinct forms of intelligence. Embracing this perspective and nurturing diverse intelligences, such as acquiring Spanish language skills through song – can profoundly enhance our comprehensive understanding of various subjects.

Now, let’s discover 10 songs for kids to improve their Spanish knowledge.

10 songs to study and have fun!

Arroz con leche: Originating in Spanish-speaking countries, particularly in Latin America and Spain, this traditional Spanish children's song is tailored for beginners. It can serve as a pedagogical tool for teaching the present tense, highlighting the reflexive pronoun through the phrase 'me quiero casar' (me), as well as introduces the concept of the direct object in the line 'con una señorita' (una señorita). Additionally, the song integrates verbs like ‘coser’ (sewing) and ‘poner’ (put).
Bajo el mar (Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid): Geared towards beginners, this song celebrates how life is better under the sea. It uses descriptive adjectives such as ‘contenta’ (glad) and ‘triste’ (sad) along with present tense conjugated verbs such as ‘cocinar’ (cook) and ‘disfrutar’ (enjoy). Furthermore, it introduces musical instruments like the ‘marimba,’ ‘castañuelas’ (castanet) and ‘tambor’ (drums).
Amigo Fiel (You've Got a Friend in Me from Toys Story): The song focuses on teaching vocabulary related to friendship and loyalty, all within the framework of the present tense. Through the use of adjectives such as 'fuerte' (strong), 'inteligente' (intelligent), and 'fiel' (loyal), it provides more insight into associated nouns. This song is particularly well-suited for beginners aiming to enhance their language skills.
Hakuna Matata (from The Lion King): Designed for beginners, this light-hearted song introduces vocabulary related to concerns and challenges. It incorporates the well-known Swahili phrase 'Hakuna Matata' (no worries) and features present tense expressions such as ‘Sin preocuparse, es como hay que vivir’ (without worrying, it's how you must live). This song also introduces new vocabulary like ‘vergüenza’ (shame) and employs past tense verb conjugations like ‘aprendí’ (learnt) and ‘sufrí’ (suffered).
La Bamba by Ritchie Valens: Originating as a traditional Mexican folk song, this piece gained popularity after Ritchie Valens’ rock and roll rendition. The song is uncomplicated, centring around themes of celebration, joy, and unity through dance and music. It prominently features the imperative verb ‘baila’ (dance) and introduces additional new vocabulary such as ‘gracia’ (ease), ‘arriba’ (up) and ‘capitán’ (captain).
Salta, Salta by 123 Andrés: This children's song aims to inspire kids to jump and have fun while simultaneously learning Spanish. The song employs simple and repetitive lyrics to engage young learners, incorporating physical movement with language learning. It features imperative verbs such as ‘salta’ (jump) or ‘mueve’ (move), numerical terms like ‘uno, dos, tres’ (1,2,3), and phrases like ‘más arriba,’ which is a commonly used expression combining both adverbial and prepositional elements to convey its meaning effectively.
Un Poco loco (A Little Crazy by Coco): Luis Angel Gómez Jaramillo and Gael García Bernal adapted this song to Spanish. This adaptation incorporates gerund phrases like ‘estoy adivinando’ (I’m guessing) and ‘estoy celebrando’ (I’m celebrating). It also uses diminutives like ‘poquitito’ (a little) and employs synonyms of ‘crazy’ such as ‘chiflado.’
El Baile del Gorila by Melody: This song revolves around the dance moves of a gorilla, encouraging listeners to replicate them using imperative verbs for commands. For example, phrases like ‘las manos hacia arriba’ (hands up) and ‘todo el mundo tocando palmas’ (everyone clapping their hands) provide guidance for actions. This song introduces new words like ‘rumbera’ (rumba dancer) and ‘primate.’
Un Pato by Natalia Lafourcade: This rendition is based on João Gilberto’s “O Pato”. The song is about a duck who tries to sing with other animals but faces difficulties. It employs the simple past tense in verbs such as ‘entusiasmó’ (thrilled), ‘desafinó’ (he was off-pitch) and ‘empujaron’ (pushed). Due to its fast tempo might pose a slight challenge for beginners, but it remains accessible for learning.
Libre soy (Let it Go by Frozen): This popular song helps kids learn vocabulary related to emotions and self-expression. Despite being at an intermediate level, its popularity makes it accessible and approachable. It describes Elsa’s surroundings and sentiments, such as ‘nieve’ (snow),’tempestad’ (storm), ‘soledad’ (loneliness), ‘miedos’ (fears). Employing metaphors, it artfully conveys Elsa's emotional journey and transformation, such as "el frío es parte también de mí" (the cold is also a part of me). Additionally, the song uses the future tense to express her aspirations like "cristalizaré" (I will crystallize), ‘romperá’ (it will break) and "habrá" (it will have).

In conclusion, learning Spanish through songs yields a multitude of advantages. These include language immersion, expansion of vocabulary, heightened cultural sensitivity, improved listening skills, enhanced memory retention, and forging emotional bonds. Embrace the power of music, revel in the joy of mastering languages, and allow the harmonies of Spanish songs to orchestrate your development, culminating in the creation of bilingual memories. To learn more about the power of music and language, schedule a free consultation with us today!