Bilingual bebés on board: 5 apps to help your kids speak more Spanish

Although letting your kids play Spanish apps on your tablet won't make them fluent, the truth is that these devices have become such an integral part of our daily lives, why not use them as one more resource in your journey to raise bilingual children? Like most of the technology I allow my kids to use, the rule is that to use my iPad they have to use it in Spanish. My kids have gotten so used to it by now that they don't see it as a big deal at all.

Although the amount of apps in Spanish is very limited compared to those in English, it seems like they're being developed more and more often. The ones I'll be sharing today are both fun and educational and they've been tested and approved by my own bilingual kids.

Animals in Spanish

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iTunes

The perfect app for toddlers learning basic vocabulary in Spanish. Although Spanish is my 3-year-old son's first language, he still loves this app because of the variety of animals and bugs it has, many of which we didn't even know their names. Activities include coloring, matching (my son's favorite), letters and scratch and fill. 

$2.99 on iTunes

Spanish Crossword Puzzles for Kids

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iTunes

My first-grader is all into simple crossword puzzles since she started doing them in school, so this app is lots of fun for her. There's a free Lite version of the app that only has a few puzzles, but the paid version has 48 with more than 300 wors in categories like animals, foods, and clothes. That's great for the low price!

$1.99 on iTunes

Barefoot World Atlas

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iTunes

This interactive app is loaded with tons of information regarding each country, including sound effects, animated icons, and multimedia features. The written and spoken Spanish is flawless and it's a great way of introducing geography to your kids! FYI: You have to change your iPad's language settings to Spanish to use this app in Spanish.

$4.99 on iTunes

My A-Z

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iTunes

If your kids are like mine, they love to use your smartphone to take pictures of whatever is in front of them. Put the camera to good use and get them to take pictures so they can use them in this customizable set of electronic flashcards! I promise they will love it and learn a ton of new words while having fun!

$1.99 on iTunes

Little Pim Spanish

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iTunes

We love anything done by Little Pim and this app for the iPad is no exception. Designed for non-native speakers, it's perfect to start introducing kids to first words in categories such as eating & drinking, playtime and feelings.

$2.99 on iTunes