Family guide · Spanish at home
Spanish for toddlers: simple ways to start at home
Toddlers pick up a language from routines, songs and the people who talk with them. Here are ways to bring Spanish into your day — whether you grew up speaking it or are learning alongside your child — and what to expect when they mix the two languages.
Something to try
Start with one daily routine
Pick something that happens every day — bath time, breakfast, putting on shoes — and use the same short Spanish phrases each time: «¿Dónde están tus zapatos?», «Vamos a lavarnos las manos». A familiar moment repeated every day is easier to keep up than a long lesson once a week.
Section 01
Mixing two languages is normal
«More leche, please» is not a sign of confusion. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) explain in their parent guide on children learning several languages that speech or language problems are not caused by learning more than one language, and that mixing words from both is normal. To check how your child is doing, count their words in both languages together: the total should be about the same as for a child the same age learning one language.
Source: HealthyChildren.org, «Young Children Learning Multiple Languages: Parent FAQs», updated November 20, 2025.
Section 02
If Spanish is your family’s language
The same guide recommends that parents and caregivers use the language they are most comfortable with, and says that using the home language will not set children back at school. You do not need to switch to English to help with school: everyday conversation in Spanish counts too.
Section 03
If you are learning Spanish too
You do not need to be fluent to start. Learn a handful of phrases for one routine, read picture books in Spanish together and sing songs with actions. If relatives speak Spanish, a weekly video call gives your child a reason to use it. Ask your school district whether it has dual-language programs, where part of the school day is taught in Spanish.
Section 04
Where a screen fits in
Keep it short, sit together the first few times and talk about it afterwards: what did they pick, and how did they know? Ziippi is a preschool app for ages 2 to 5 that you set to Spanish or English for each child, with every instruction read aloud. Set to Spanish, the instructions are not translated into English, so it works best when your child already hears Spanish at home or when an adult who understands Spanish plays alongside.
Frequently asked questions
Will learning Spanish delay my toddler’s English?
According to the AAP and ASHA parent guide on HealthyChildren.org, speech or language problems are not caused by learning multiple languages, and mixing them is normal.
My child answers in English when I speak Spanish. What should I do?
Keep answering in Spanish without scolding, repeat their idea in Spanish and look for moments where Spanish is needed, such as calls with relatives.
What language is Ziippi in?
Spanish or English, chosen for each child. Set to Spanish, activities and spoken instructions are in Spanish and are not translated, so a child who does not understand Spanish yet will need an adult who does.
How does the subscription work?
It is bought through the App Store or Google Play. Eligible accounts get a trial when they confirm in the store; then the plan is charged and renews automatically unless you cancel in the store before the renewal date.
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