One of my biggest challenges in finding music for kids in Spanish is the lack of repetition in the song. I have posted links to some of my favorite songs as they relate to the topics I was teaching at the time. However, I thought it appropriate to praise those songs and song writers who got it right for my students. These songs have lots of repetition and my students love them:
La Marmota: I found this song on
Fun for Spanish Teachers. I have not tried it with my students yet, but the song seems perfect for a groundhog day lesson!
La marmota
Juego con mi sombra como la marmota. (Repeat four times)
Me escondo de mi sombra como la marmota. (Repeat four times)
The groundhog I play with my shadow like the groundhog. (Repeat four times)
I hide from my shadow like the groundhog. (Repeat four times)
Vamos a hacer ejercicio: This is a CD of songs by Ana Lomba that force kids to move and shake to learn the songs. The CD is basically a step by step for someone learning Spanish on their own. You could use this CD as a center where students play on their own. But the song "Vamos a hacer ejercicio" is something I like to do with the whole class. This song is great because it is a game for students to play. Students don't have to know how to speak any Spanish to play they just follow the pace of the song. I play it on repeat! (Check out the link of the text/lyrics) The song "Doce Uvas" is a really cute song to play when teaching about the New Year.
Te Estoy Buscando: Though this Ozomatli song is not written for children the chorus line of the song repeats often and is perfect for a game of hide and seek! I love to introduce songs that are not always meant for children but reusing them for that purpose. Ozomatli is a great group to do that with. They are very clean with their lyrics, so those students who may already speak Spanish will not blush at any of the lyrics they hear. If I were to use this song, I would focus only on the chorus and give students a motion to do while the rest of the song played.
I think no list of Spanish children's music is complete without mentioning José-Luis Orozco. He sings all the classic songs. I use him when I teach cultural units to show traditional children's songs in Spanish countries. Try his songs "Chocolate" and "Los Elefantes" from the album Letras, Números Y Colores - Vol. 5.
Looking for other great artists? Check out Victor Hugo Santos, Maureen Conlin, Maria Fernanda, and Basho!
Te Estoy Buscando: Though this Ozomatli song is not written for children the chorus line of the song repeats often and is perfect for a game of hide and seek! I love to introduce songs that are not always meant for children but reusing them for that purpose. Ozomatli is a great group to do that with. They are very clean with their lyrics, so those students who may already speak Spanish will not blush at any of the lyrics they hear. If I were to use this song, I would focus only on the chorus and give students a motion to do while the rest of the song played. 