Want your child to actually remember their Spanish class? These easy weekly habits will turn words into real conversations, without hours of homework or expensive apps.
If your child already knows some Spanish vocabulary—colors, numbers, greetings—but struggles to use those words beyond the classroom, you’re not alone. As a mom, I’ve been there, wondering why my child can recite “rojo” and “verde” but still struggles to say, “I like red apples.”
The truth is, most elementary-age beginners don’t need more information. What they need is repetition, context, and confidence, and that comes from consistent, small habits they actually enjoy.
Let’s dive into three simple weekly habits that can make a big difference, especially for kids in a paired (2-on-1) class format like the ones at Homeschool Spanish Academy. Each one is only 20-minute long or less, but helps reinforce what your child is learning without turning your home into a full-time language school.
1. The Sunday Recap: “Teach Me What You Learned” Time
What to Do:
Once a week—Sunday works well—ask your child to teach you three things they learned in their Spanish class that week. It could be a new phrase, a song, or even just a word they liked.
Why It Works:
When your child explains something to you, they activate their memory and build confidence at the same time. According to the “protégé effect,” students who teach others recall information better and feel more motivated to master the subject. This effect has been observed in children as young as age six.
How to Make It Fun:
Let them “be the teacher.” Grab a notebook and take fake notes. Ask them to quiz you. Even if you only know a few Spanish words yourself, the act of listening and responding makes them feel proud, and keeps Spanish connected to family time.
2. The Midweek Moment: Spanish Snack or Game Time
What to Do:
Choose one afternoon a week to tie Spanish into snack time or playtime. This could mean using food vocabulary at the table (“¿quieres más agua?”), labeling items in Spanish, or playing a quick five-minute language game.
Why It Works:
Contextual learning is powerful, especially for kids. Studies found that learners retain vocabulary better when it’s tied to hands-on or real-life experiences, rather than rote memorization. For elementary students, that means using Spanish during natural, joyful parts of the day.
Ideas to Try:
- Serve fruit and only say names in Spanish (manzana, plátano, uvas)
- Play “Simón dice” (Simon Says) using verbs from class
- Draw and label objects in Spanish together
- Let your child teach a favorite board game using only Spanish instructions
Even five to ten minutes can help link Spanish to everyday life, making the language feel useful, not just academic.
3. Friday Fun: Pair Practice Review
What to Do:
Once a week, watch a short Spanish video, play a language app together, or do a mini review of class materials with your child’s learning buddy if possible.
Why It Works:
Since your child is in a paired class, they already have a learning partner. That relationship can be a goldmine for practice and motivation. Research from the Journal of Applied Learning and Teaching shows that peer interaction helps lower language anxiety and increases willingness to speak.
How to Do It:
- Schedule a short Zoom with their class buddy to play a game or sing a song
- Watch a 5-minute Spanish cartoon and have both kids act out what happened
- Let them co-create a “Spanish Show” for the family with puppets or drawings
If meeting up with their buddy isn’t possible every week, you can still encourage your child to pretend they’re practicing with a friend. Make it collaborative, creative, and lighthearted.
Small Habits, Big Results
It’s easy to think that fluency only comes from more classes or longer study sessions. But often, it’s these little weekly habits that quietly build confidence, spark joy, and make language stick for the long run.
The best part? You don’t need to speak Spanish yourself to support your child. Just being involved, playful, and consistent makes a bigger impact than you might think.
Looking for a program that complements this kind of at-home support? Click here to book a free trial class with Homeschool Spanish Academy. The paired format is perfect for kids who thrive with peer connection and need a little extra encouragement to use their Spanish out loud.
You don’t have to become your child’s Spanish teacher. You just have to create the space where what they learn starts to come alive.
Join one of the 40,000 classes that we teach each month and you can experience results like these
“It’s great being able to interact with native speaking people and having a conversation with them not just doing all the work on paper. It’s also an amazing opportunity to speak with native Spanish-speaking people without having to travel to a native Spanish-speaking country.”
– Melanie
“Getting to know wonderful teachers who care about me and my growth in language and education. Evelyn Gomez and Erick Cacao are two of the most extraordinary people I have ever met, and talking with them in Spanish at the beginning of classes is always so fulfilling and greatly contributes to my happiness, joy, and wellbeing.”
– Abby
“I love that my children have the opportunity to speak with a live person. They get to practice Spanish in a 1-1 setting while improve their speaking, writing and reading skills during their lessons. HSA is a great way to learn Spanish for all ages! My children are 6, 9 and 11. My oldest two (9 and 11) have been taking classes with HSA for almost 2 years now. They love seeing their teacher each week. They understand the importance of learning several languages. I’ve seen them grow and learn with HSA. I’m excited to see how they will improve the more classes they take. I highly recommend them. You can’t bet learning and speaking with a live teacher. I’ve tried other programs. It’s just not as motivating.”
– Karie Ann, Parent of 3
Want More Lists and Free Spanish Learning Resources? Check These Out!
- 10 Essential Ways to Use “Que” in Spanish
- Which Family Language Strategy Works for You?
- Are Online Spanish Classes the Future of Language Learning?
- Spanish Preterite vs Imperfect: 25 Online Exercises to Practice Your Skills
- Your Child Knows Some Spanish Words, Now What? How to Turn Vocabulary Into Real Conversations
- Does Your Child Get Shy Speaking Spanish? A Buddy-Based Class Can Change That
- How to Make Spanish Stick: 3 Weekly Habits for Elementary Beginners
- What’s the Best Age for Kids To Learn Spanish?
The post How to Make Spanish Stick: 3 Weekly Habits for Elementary Beginners appeared first on Homeschool Spanish Academy.
