Learning to Count Without Dora or Diego - Spanish Numbers Uno-Diez
They did it! Dora and Diego have opened up the eyes of American parents - helping them realize that their little ones are like sponges….soaking up every new word, every new phrase, every new language!
These little two year olds run around the house screaming, “Abre, abre” as if they have discovered The Secret of a toddler’s life!
I kid you not. When people ask me, “Don’t you find Dora’s DVDs direct competition to what you offer?” I reply with an enthusiastic, “No way!” Had it not been for Dora (and her counterpart Diego for the male population and birthday supply sales in that genre that were so lacking!) I feel parents in our country would still not be convinced that this second language journey can begin early, early, early in life and be FUN, FUN, FUN!
So - “I Like To Count/Me gusta contar” is a perfect song that exemplifies how quickly these little tiggers can pick up new words in a new language. Give them two times with this number one hit from the Boca Beth CDs (my own billboard rating system mind you!) and you’ve got yourself a bilingual bash going on counting from one to ten in both English and Spanish. Not bad for a little 2 minute song that doesn’t grate on your nerves!
Let’s look at the simple, easy-to-follow lyrics first (download them for free on line if you like).
“Me gusta contar/I Like to Count” (original beat)**
¡Me gusta contar!
I like to count!
¡Me gusta contar!
I like to count!
Uno, dos, tres-
One, two, three!
Cuatro, cinco, seis-
Four, five, six!
Siete, ocho, nueve-
Seven, eight, nine!
Y diez-
And ten!
Uno es one,
One is uno.
Dos es two,
Two is dos.
Tres es three,
Three is tres.
Cuatro es four,
Four is cuatro.
Cinco es five,
Five is cinco.
Seis es six,
Six is seis.
Siete is seven,
Seven is siete.
Ocho es eight,
Eight is ocho.
Nueve es nine,
Nine is nueve.
Diez es ten,
Ten is diez.
(repeat first chorus to end song)
**The reason we mention it’s an original beat is because most of our songs are written to the tunes of familiar children’s melodies!
How about some circle time fun for this song? I just did a kindergarten concert this morning with about 100 five year olds and we sang “Me gusta contar” with such energy and passion and finger exercising. When it’s not a good instrument time I ask the children to count with me using their fingers (remember - visual learners!!!) And when it comes time to show “ten/diez” I have the kids move those ten fingers/diez dedos and exercise them! They love to wiggle them around fast like Miss Beth does!
Me Gusta Contar/I Like To Count suggested circle time fun: Ask the children if they remember how to count from 1 to 10 in English. Count together using your fingers for visual aides. Then ask if anyone knows how to count from uno a diez (or desde diez) in Spanish and count together again. Have each child take a musical instrument, tell them we will be counting from 1 to 10 in Español e Inglés/Spanish and English, dancing in a circle/circulo and have them follow you, the teacher, around in a dancing circle to sing the song. When it comes time in the song after ten or diez I ask the children to “STOP” “PARA” and make noise/hace ruido until the words begin again.
Another cool reinforcement idea is to sing song number nine off this same “My First Songs in Spanish/Mis primeras canciones en ingles” music CD that counts to ten using the theme of “There Are Ten Toys.” Repetition. Repetition. Reptetition. You may get tired of it but their little brains and neural pathways need the repetition to connect the neurons and keep the learning going on!
Then pull out our cool 44-page coloring activity book and use the two pages that do counting fun along with coloring fun and some BOCA splashed around the page!
I will tell you - if this morning was a witness to what we can do with our youth of today and introduce them to a new language successfully - then it was a Kodak testimonial moment times 1,000!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Educating! ¡Sea feliz educando!
Boca Beth
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