The post Back to School Guide: Fun Activities for Bilingual Learners was originally published on Spanish4Kiddos - Educational Resources and Bilingual Content.
In this back to school guide, you can find fun activities for bilingual learners to boost their reading and math skills. Back to school is the perfect time to get children learning while still thinking about summer play. Keep activities engaging and fun with simple steps.
For bilingual students, nurturing their reading and math skills in both languages is key to building confidence and fluency as they step into the new school year.
Whether your child is preschool-aged or between 5 and 10 years old, these resources are helpful to nurture their bilingual journey. Within this back to school guide, you’ll encounter exciting activities, tips, and resources. Let’s make learning a playful adventure!
Reading Activities to Spark the Spanish Language
Encouraging bilingual students to improve their literacy skills starts with activities that feel like play rather than practice. In this back to school guide, these activities will stimulate their brains while keeping them engaged:
Preschool Language Activities (Ages 3–5)
Picture Book Treasure Hunt
Select picture books that feature familiar words in both languages. Before reading, hide small “treasures,” like stickers or toys that correspond with the story, around the room. As you read, have your student seek out treasures that match the story themes!
Alphabet Bingo
Create bingo cards with letters for each English and Spanish. Call out letters and have them mark them off with fun tokens, like buttons or small treats.
Sing-Along Stories
Sing simple bilingual songs or rhymes that tell a story (e.g., “The Wheels on the Bus” or “De Colores”). Not only do kids build vocabulary, but they also get entertained on rhythm and repetition.
Young Children (Ages 5–10)
Dual-Language Comic Books
Write a simple comic strip in both languages. Have your student read the panels aloud, practicing dialog comprehension. You can draw your own or find some online resources like printable bilingual comic templates.
Word Search Races
Create word searches or crossword puzzles with vocabulary from both languages. Turn it into a race to see who can find the most words! Bonus points if they can translate the word as they find it.
Storytelling Dice
Make number cubes with symbols or words in each language. Roll the number cube and craft a bilingual story together using the result. This challenges their creativity and language-switching skills!
Back to School Guide – Reading Adventure with Fun Games to Build Early Literacy Skills
Create fun interactive games using alphabet scavenger hunts, DIY letter puzzles, and reading-themed crafts to get preschoolers excited about letters and words.
Back to School Word Play with Fun Ways to Build Vocabulary for Preschoolers
Explore playful activities like creating a word wall, storytelling with picture cards, and mixing sensory bins with lettered items for imaginative word learning.
Alphabet Match with Clothespins
Write uppercase letters on a paper strip and lowercase letters on clothespins. Kids match the lowercase pins to the uppercase letters for fine motor and literacy practice. Find the FREE Alphabet template here.
Math Exploration Activities for All Ages
Mathematics correlates with language. By teaching math concepts with a bilingual twist, you create an opportunity for deeper understanding.
Preschool Math Activities (Ages 3–5)
Count the Colors
Pick a theme—such as fruits or toys—and have your students count how many of each color item they see around the house in both English and Spanish languages. For example, count “three apples” and then say “tres manzanas.”
Number Matching Cake Plates
Draw numbers on large paper plates. Children then match the plates with items, like toy blocks or balls, and say the numbers aloud in both languages.
Shape Scavenger Hunt
Have them hunt for objects of various shapes around the house. When they find each item, say the shape’s name in both languages—for example, “circle” and “círculo.” Find the FREE Shape Template here.
Young Children (Ages 5–10)
Bilingual Math Flash Cards
Create simple math flash cards (e.g., “5+3=8” or “cinco+tres=ocho”) and time how fast they can solve them! Add a competitive edge or reward stickers for extra motivation.
Board Game Challenges
Use board games with numbers involved, like Monopoly. Have them say the numbers aloud in both languages as they play.
Word Problem Puzzles
Create fun bilingual math word problems (e.g., “María tiene 4 manzanas. Si compra 3 más, ¿Cuántas tiene María?”). Have your students solve them while practicing their second language vocabulary.
Shape Hunt
Go on a shape scavenger hunt around the house or outside. Kids can find circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles hidden in everyday objects.
Number Walk
Tape large numbers to the floor. Call out numbers and ask kids to walk, hop, or stomp on the matching numbers for active math learning.
Tips for Parents: Supporting Bilingual Kids Through Fun Learning
Here are some easy-to-implement strategies to help your student feel enthusiastic about bilingual learning:
Daily Language Switching
Alternate days where one language is spoken more extensively, but keep the other language as part of conversation. For instance, math homework in English and reading practice in Spanish.
Create a Language-Rich Environment
Label items around the house in both languages (e.g., “table/mesa”). This naturally reinforces vocabulary without feeling like a chore.
Celebrate Multilingual Achievements
Encourage your children to showcase their bilingual skills at family events by reading aloud or solving math puzzles in both languages, followed by a small reward or applause.
Resources for Bilingual Back-to-School Growth
Make the learning process even easier with these resources and ideas:
Sensory Letter Tracing
Fill a tray with sand, rice, or shaving cream, and let students trace letters with their fingers. This tactile activity helps reinforce letter shapes.
Storytime “Who Am I?” Game
Using books or picture cards, provide clues about an animal, person, or object. Preschoolers guess what it is and learn new vocabulary while listening.
Build-a-Book Station
Provide blank pages to make a “Back-to-School Memory Book.” Kids can draw pictures or trace letters and numbers to create their own book.
Bilingual Books
“Dragons Love Tacos” (English and Spanish editions)
“From Head to Toe” by Eric Carle (dual-language versions available)
Back-to-School Prep Games
Help preschoolers and kids aged 5–10 get ready for school with hands-on games that inspire brainstorming and collaboration:
Preschool Prep
Dress-Up for Learning
Create “uniforms” that correlate with specific activities (e.g., math aprons or reading hats). Let them dress up and role-play their school day ahead of time!
For Ages 5–10
School Supply Maze
Arrange pencils, notebooks, rulers, and other supplies in a maze on the floor. Children must say what each item is called in both languages as they make their way through.
Within this back to school guide, there are endless possibilities to boost bilingual learning. Heading back to school doesn’t need to be intimidating—it’s an exciting opportunity to explore, grow, and make learning a bilingual adventure. Give these activities and tips a try, and watch your bilingual superstar shine brighter than ever!
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