This world, though vast and varied, is growing smaller with each new invention and connected device. There are more and more individuals deserting the standard formula and expectations of getting a job and settling down in one place. People are realizing that this beautiful world is worth wandering and exploring. And even for those staying put, there are more and more opportunities to interact with people from other cultures and people who speak other languages. One way that you can help to encourage this interaction and openness is by getting your children involved from a young age. Spanish for preschoolers is a great way to introduce your young ones to other cultures.
The many benefits of Spanish for preschools
Learning a new language is the perfect window into another culture. It brings people together and allows people from different places to understand each other and share their differences and similarities. Providing Spanish curriculum for kids, or any language or age for that matter, instills an appreciation for just how diverse this wonderful world is. Celebrating our differences is the perfect barrier to the intolerance that often stems from fear of differences and of the unknown.
Spanish for preschool in particular, however, could be seen as the perfect introduction. The age is ideal for language acquisition, and as Spanish is the official language in 21 incredible countries across the globe, there will be plenty of chances to apply this knowledge once learned.
Starting language and culture appreciation early on
While it’s never too late to begin something new, especially the learning of a new language, there are certainly benefits to starting language education from a young age. From birth until about the age of six to eight years old, children are rapidly developing. With sponges for brains, these early years are ideal for concretely forming and understanding new concepts.
When children are that young, language acquisition comes completely naturally, as it is the time that they learn their own language. Adding another language on top of that takes advantage of that ability, one that diminishes as one ages. Before the age of six years old, the capacity of a child to accurately pronounce new or unfamiliar sounds, as well as quickly learn and apply new grammar concepts, is greatly enhanced.
Building foundations for future success
Children up to the age of eight years old can more naturally learn these new ideas. Using imitation, songs, repetition, and games, young children have a much easier time of acquiring new language skills than those attempting to learn later in life. Between the ages of about eight and 12 years old, children tend to start losing the ability to hear new sounds and repeat them as well as they did when they were younger.
However, even though it becomes more difficult as one ages, it is still very much possible to continue to learn new languages all throughout life. And if a child has already learned a second language, learning a third language will happen more easily and more quickly than those who have not learned a second language.
Making the world smaller
The benefits of learning a new language are numerous. Getting your child started early on learning a new language opens up his or her mind to what else exists in the world outside of your community, an important awareness to be a part of and possess. Education can diminish and even eliminate so many of the problems this world faces today, and by investing in our children, we give them the tools to build something better. Bringing people together with open minds, tolerance, understanding, kindness, and enthusiasm allows for the building of societies that face differences with celebration and intrigue as opposed to fear and confusion that can lead to violence.
Whether it is Spanish for preschoolers, German for kindergarteners, Arabic for middle schoolers, Japanese for high schoolers, Croatian for college students, Greek for adults or Korean for the elderly, it is always a good time to learn a new language and about the world around us. Giving children a head start from an early age only encourages curiosity and diversity, and nurtures tolerance and acceptance for fellow human beings that all call the same planet home.
