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Body Words
Teaches core body-part vocabulary in a way kids remember instantly.
Songs & Rhymes
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes / Cabeza, hombros, rodillas y pies
Traditional· Published 2009
A bilingual movement song that's basically guaranteed to get repeated (and repeated).
This bilingual version preserves the fun while making body vocabulary accessible in both languages.
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Why It's On Our Shelf
This one works because kids are laughing too hard to realize they’re learning. We touch the body parts, speed up, mess up, and start over, and somehow the vocabulary just locks in. Switching to Spanish mid-song feels surprisingly easy because the motions keep everyone on track. It’s a great “reset” book when your kid has energy to burn.
Why It Works
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Move to Learn
Physical movement reinforces memory, pronunciation, and confidence.
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Playful Repeats
Fast rereads (and re-sings) create lots of natural repetition.
Songs & Rhymes
Little Chickies / Los Pollitos
Susie Jaramillo
A beloved Spanish nursery rhyme that works beautifully for rhythm, sounds, and repetition.
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Songs & Rhymes
Wheels on the Bus / Las ruedas del autobús
Susie Jaramillo
This book is part of the Canticos series. It's a bilingual sing-along that builds action vocabulary with predictable, repeatable patterns. The bus photos remind me of the chicken buses I encountered during my travels in Guatemala.
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Songs & Rhymes
Five Little Monkeys / Cinco monitos
Eileen Christelow
A high-energy rhyme that sneaks in counting and repeated phrases kids memorize fast.
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