51Թ

← Back to home /  Tips & Resources

ٰDZǷɲ

Resources

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Every Kid Deserves the Chance to Learn and Grow

Pair these FREE educator-developed printable activities with your favorite 51Թ videos, books, and songs to help your child develop critical reading, writing, math, and social emotional learning skills. Plus, check out our Tips for Grown-ups to help reinforce the teachable moments in each lesson.

Oct 20, 2022 -

Give your kids some extra lovin’ this Valentine’s Day

By Carolina Dammert

Yes, I’ll admit it, Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday! From the hearts, to the colors, to all the cheesy one liners! I love it all.

Yes, I’ll admit it, Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday! From the hearts, to the colors, to all the cheesy one liners! I love it all.

To me, the importance of this holiday comes not only from the fact that I get to shower my favorite people with an extra dose of love but, that I also get to teach my preschoolers how important it is to love and recognize others around us.

Here are some ideas on how to make your Valentine’s Day extra special for you and your children:

  • Wake them up with a heart love fest.

Write affirmations in heart shaped sticky notes and leave them around their bedroom. Tell them how much you love them and what they mean to you and others in their life.

  1. Enjoy a yummy Valentine’s day breakfast.

Need I say more? Here are some great ideas to get inspired:

  1. The lunch box of love.

Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make a heart sandwich and watermelon hearts. Add a Valentine’s day themed napkin, a sweet love note and a red or pink treat like these amazing cookies from Alicia’s Delicias (our favorite!). They’ll be the ones giving you hugs and kisses when you pick them up after school.

  1. Share the love.

Take some time in the afternoon to call close family members and tell them how much they mean to you. Little ones can also make fun Valentine’s Day crafts as gifts for the next time you see them. Some of my favorite ones are:

  • from Housing a Forest
  1. Heart shaped pizza dinner.

Who doesn’t love pizza night? Just roll out a pizza crust, cut it into a heart shape, add tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, stick it in the oven and voila, an easy Valentine’s day dinner! You can add as little or as many toppings as you and your kids enjoy.

  1. Get extra bedtime cuddles.

Have them pick their favorite Valentine’s Day book and have a “cuddle party” after you’re done reading. Maybe play some music too, my kids love the Canticos bilingual songs, and the which are perfect for preschoolers and easy to find on . There is nothing like some tickles, kisses and laughter to end your day on a high note!

Read More

Share This

Ask a Bilingual Expert

Raising a bilingual child? On this page, our very own Director of Learning Design and Efficacy, Sophia Espinoza, addresses some of the most common questions, concerns, and curiosities around the benefits of bilingualism. Get the scoop below!

Sophia Espinoza is a career educator and curriculum designer with seven years of experience teaching in private and independent schools across the country. She is an expert in 21st-century education, including technologically-powered personalization, multilingual and multicultural curriculums, and social-emotional learning.

Sophia began teaching in Chicago Public Schools through Chicago Teaching Fellows, learning to support both English Language Learners and students with neurodiverse needs. Among her proudest accomplishments is launching the AltSchool Spanish Immersion Program, with the mission of creating bilingual global citizens who are socially conscious and environmentally aware. Sophia holds a B.A. from Northwestern University and M.A.Ed. from Dominican University.

Benefits of Bilingualism (FAQs):

Any advice on managing two Spanish dialects in the household? Does this cause confusion for kids?

What do you recommend if I’m not completely fluent and my child’s school doesn’t have an immersion class?

Do you recommend teaching different subjects in different languages? For example, the solar system in English and the days of the week in Spanish? Or is it better for kids to try to learn in both languages all the time?

We speak Spanish and English in our home but my child almost always answers or talks back in English. How can I go about encouraging her to respond and speak more in Spanish?

Should I set aside time or create activities for each language or is it okay to mix them both together?

Any advice for households where one parent speaks Spanish and the other English? Can this be confusing for children?

How can my child learn language through play?

What are the social and cultural benefits of bilingualism?

What are some of the cognitive benefits of bilingualism?

What are some strategies for raising bilingual children?

What are some common misconceptions about raising bilingual children?

What are some of the cognitive benefits of bilingualism?