Two Languages At Home

Every word you speak helps your child grow.
Talk, read, and sing in all the languages you speak.

Being Bilingual Is a Superpower!

Some families are told that speaking another language at home can confuse children or slow their English learning. Research shows this isn’t true. Hearing multiple languages actually supports children’s learning and development.

Here’s why it’s important:

  • Learning more than one language helps children practice switching between ideas, noticing patterns, and understanding different points of view.
  • Bilingual children often develop strong focus and problem-solving skills.
  • Children who grow up bilingual have access to more opportunities and careers later in life.

The research shows:

  • Children as young as a few months old can learn to tell different languages apart.
  • Learning more than one language at home helps children build skills like problem-solving and mental flexibility that help them do well in school later.
  • It is most advantageous to learn languages early in life — the earlier the better.

Help Your Child Learn: Talk, Read, and Sing in All Languages

You do not have to choose between your home language and English. In fact, learning any language as a child helps create important building blocks for all language learning. Babies who are just a few months old can already tell different languages apart without confusion.

Try these bilingual activities with your children:

  • Talking while cooking or riding in the car
  • Singing songs or telling stories you already know
  • Reading books in your home language
  • Naming and describing items at the grocery store
  • Attending cultural events and talking about what you experience together

Free Resources for Bilingual Families

Videos

Word of the Week: English and Spanish Words

PBS LearningMedia offers a series of short daily videos that teach words in both English and Spanish.

Spanish Is My Superpower

Sesame Workshop’s video helps kids celebrate and feel proud of their bilingualism.

Spanish-Language Music

Rockalingua

Free library of songs with downloadable lyrics.

¡Vamos! GoNoodle

Fun Spanish-language call and repeat songs to sing and dance to.

Fact Sheets and Studies

The Benefits of Being Bilingual

National Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness fact sheet with citations on the cognitive, social-emotional, learning, and global benefits of speaking two languages.

Why Reading to Your Kids in Your Home Language Will Help Them Become Better Readers

Colorín Colorado study on the benefits of reading to children in Spanish.

First 5 Sonoma County Is Here for It

We fund programs and resources for families with young children, including programs specifically designed to support multilingual families in Sonoma County. Made possible by Measure I and Prop 10 funding.

Questions or need support?