Spanish Sing-Alongs for Preschoolers

12/4/15 - By Mariko Zapf

Savvy parents know that introducing children to other languages and a variety of cultures at an early age can pay off in a number of ways, especially in a diverse city like New York City—and music makes for a fun entry point for young kids. 

Spanish, of course, is the country and the city's second most spoken language, so we tracked down some of NYC's most popular kid sing-alongs and language arts programs en Españ​ol. We selected a handful of options that are especially engaging for toddlers and preschoolers who are at the early stages of testing out language. Of course, you can find more formal dual-language/immersion programs for children of all ages in NYC if you are looking for a more rigorous approach.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Bilingual Birdies — Citywide
646-443-1313
Instructors at Bilingual Birdies are musicians first and their popular "Speaking Spanish" might well be called "Singing Spanish." Prices and commitment levels vary, but the group does offer FREE classes in public libraries throughout the city. Bilingual Birdies specializes in children 2 to 5 years old and kids seem to love them.

Gumbo — Brooklyn
493 Atlantic Avenue
718-855-7808
This retail shop and community space offers a number of weekly classes, including an inspirational CantaEspanol  program. In this 45-minute session, children sing and dance to their heart's delight and don't seem to struggle with the all-Spanish instruction. Most sessions run for 12 weeks and are designed for children younger than 5. Drop-ins are welcome.  

RELATED: Best Drop-In Play Spaces in NYC

Gumbo offers a variety of baby and children classes in several languages, including French and Spanish. Photo provided by venue.  

Juguemos a Cantar — various Brooklyn locations
47 Sterling Place, North Slope
463 Sixth Avenue, South Slope
299 N. Seventh Street, Williamsburg
917-453-1187
Juguemos a Cantar has been a top choice for Spanish-language instruction for more than a decade and its calendar of events and classes​ includes traditional sing-along in Spanish. Ideal for children younger than 5, sing-alongs are held two mornings per week with instructors who are lively and kid-approved. Registration is not required. Drop-in classes are 45 minutes and the fee includes a day pass to its play space.

Play Kids — Prospect Lefferts Gardens
676 Flatbush Avenue
347-715-9347
Play Kids, a toy store in Brooklyn, offers an event space dedicated to family-friendly instruction. Spanish storytime takes place on Monday mornings and includes games and songs for children 20 months to 3 years over the 30-minute class. Registration is not required and drop-ins are welcome.

RockNLolo — Park Slope, Williamsburg
463 Fourth Street, Park Slope
Ainslie and Graham Avenues, Williamsburg
646-578-5799
Argentine-born Laura Dayan is the singer, songwriter and guitarist behind RockNLolo. Classes are held in Park Slope and Williamsburg locations and are 45 minutes of fun, music and singing in Spanish. Sessions are especially popular with toddlers and typically run eight weeks. Parents are encouraged to participate. Drop-ins are weclome. Lolo also hosts birthday parties.  

14th Street YMCA — East Village
344 E. 14th Street
212-780-0800
Musica Para Mi leads wonderful Spanish singing classes for toddlers at this well-established Manhattan YMCA. Each week, instructors sing songs from different Spanish-speaking countries to children 6 months to 3½ years old. Registration is required for the eight-week-long sessions; trial classes are offered for a nominal fee. 

Top photo: Kids and parents sing along at RockNLolo's Spanish music sessions in Brooklyn. Photo provided courtesy the establishment.

Places featured in this article: