Spanish TV Programs Kids

Dora the Explorer:

This curious girl is always in search of an adventure, whether it is looking for a treasure or lending someone a hand. Along with her map, she asks the viewers for clues while teaching them Spanish words, such as nouns, adjectives and verbs, and phrases. Some of the show's most popular expressions include "¡lo hicimos!" ("We did it!") and "¡vámonos!" ("Let's go!").

Dora's closest friends include Boots the Monkey and Swiper the Fox, but it is Tico the Squirrel and Señor Tucán who contribute the most vocabulary since they only speak Spanish. (In the Spanish version of the show, the squirrel only speaks English.)

Dora is proud of being bilingual and promotes Spanish as being a very important tool. She includes elements of her culture and even though she is primarily surrounded by her friends, she always speaks highly of her family. She is also an athlete and supports an active and healthy lifestyle.

On Nickelodeon for school-age children.

Nickelodeon / AP

Dragon Tales

This cartoon series deals with the adventures of siblings Max and Emmy and their neighbor, Enrique with their three friend dragons. The kids teleport themselves to Dragon Land through a magical riddle and with the Land's fantasy creatures, Cassie, Ord, Zak, and Wheezie, learn Spanish from their bilingual professor called Quetzal. The episodes mix in Spanish language elements through its bilingual main character, Enrique, a Colombian child who lives with his dad and grandmother.

Made by PBS for pre-schoolers.



PBS

Between the Lions

The show focused on promoting reading among school-age children by presenting a family of lions who ran a library. The program later integrated Spanish-speaking characters after certain studies showed the difficulties Hispanic children face when learning English as a second language. In each episode, the family of lions focuses on a book where the stories come to life. The cartoon combines marionettes, animation and music to develop a literary curriculum for children ages 4-7. Each episode emphasizes the five necessary areas of reading instruction: phonetics, fluidity, vocabulary, comprehension and phonemic awareness.

Made by PBS for pre-schoolers, school-age children and children learning to speak Spanish as a second language.


PBS

Go, Diego, Go!

Derived from "Dora the Explorer," Diego, Dora's cousin, is an 8 year-old bilingual Hispanic child. With his inseparable friend, "Baby Jaguar," Diego demonstrates great concern for the environment and its creatures by helping jungle animals who are in danger. Dora makes special appearances in the show along with Diego's older sister, Alicia, who also forms part of the rescue team.

Similar to "Dora the Explorer," the program teaches basic Spanish but in a smaller scale due to its emphasis on the education of different animal species.

Made by Nickelodeon for pre-schoolers.


Nick Jr.

Handy Manny

This "handy" Manny, a bilingual Puerto Rican / Mexican, is well loved by his community not just for his dexterity with tools the characters of the cartoon series but also for his humanity and helpful disposition. The repetition of common Spanish words and phrases reinforces the learning of the language. The show promotes the importance of helping others and putting their well-being before your own.

Made by Playhouse Disney for pre-schoolers.


Disney Channel

Jay Jay the Jet Plane

This fun cartoon of human-like airplanes and helicopters has been on air since 1998, but in 2006 it integrated Lina, a red airplane who only speaks Spanish. Lina is Jay Jay's friend, a 6 year old jet who has to resolve a mystery in every episode. The show combines music and story-telling to teach children ages 2-7 about science, nature and important life lessons.

Made by PBS for pre-schoolers and school-age children



PBS

Maya & Miguel

This cartoon tells the adventures of pre-adolescent twins Maya & Miguel Santos, their grandmother, a bilingual parrot and their multicultural neighbors. While the program promotes cultural diversity and education, each episode also includes Spanish words and phrases which are translated by the characters themselves.

With lots of humor, the main message is to always look out for your family and community, under the philosophy that shared happiness is better than personal gain. Each episode promotes family values and friendship along with a positive representation of the richness of the Latin culture.

Made by Scholastics for PBS for pre-adolescents.

PBS

Sesame Street

This season, the show comes with a new character that only speaks Spanish. Murray, the newest addition to Sesame Street, has a friend called Ovejita (Spanish for The Little Lamb). Ovejita gives Murray clues in Spanish along with visual hints that help Murray figure out the clues and allow the viewers to add new words to their vocabulary.

Made by PBS for pre-schoolers and school-age children.


PBS

V-me Spanish Programming
To reinforce the skills acquired at home, there are also cartoons that are entirely in Spanish. V-me is a US Spanish-language network that offers good quality programming. The segment geared towards children is very complete and includes "Los Pies Mágicos de Franny," "Connie la Vaquita," "Jim de la Luna," "Las Tres Mellizas Bebé," and "Los Hoobs." The Spanish version of Sesame Street, "Plaza Sesamo," is also part of its programming lineup.


VME

Tips for parents:


- Choose programs that have educational value and will interest your children

- Keep your children active while watching television by asking questions about what is happening during the program

- Once the program is over, talk to your children about what they saw and answer their questions


- Extend their learning experience by complementing it with additional activities such as drawing or telling a story