I think it can be done. I learned to speak fluently (Spanish) in my 20s by moving to South America, but of course that was total immersion. But exposure young can only help. If they don't learn to roll their "r"s then they will never be fluent. I knew some Americans in S America that couldn't- and even though they had all the vocabulary and grammar, they never could speak correctly.

Watch Spanish tv programs. Great way to pick up language as a kid. A friend of mine learned English from nighttime soaps as a kid. She went on to a successful career as a litigator and her sister has a PhD in English.

Anonymous wrote:It's going to be VERY hard to teach your kids a language that you don't speak simply by using DVDs or flash cards. 22:16, I frankly don't see how flash cards or reading books would work because OP does not speak Spanish.

OP, if you really want them to learn, you need them to have someone to interact with in Spanish (childcare provider/babysitter, teacher, etc.). You can try DVDs, which will be good for exposing them to the sounds and maybe picking up some words and phrases, but I would not have a lot of expectations beyond that. Still, any exposure to another language is a great thing, IMO!

22:16 here

I'm not promising her her children will be fluent. Those are tools to expose them to a new language. I worked for a family that didn't speak a word of French but their 2nd grader had a gorgeous accent just from taking classes in school once a week and watching DVDs at home every once in a while.

If she becomes consistent with the tools she has, by the time they're old enough to be enrolled in classes or immersion programs they'll be familiar with the sounds and accent what will make learning the language much much easier.

OP, don't dismiss the benefits of introducing new languages to your children. Start now and you'll never regret.

No, sorry. If you don't speak the language and no one around them does they won't magically become fluent. Just doesn't work that way. We have friends that speak another language and our son has not picked up an iota because together we all speak English.

It's going to be VERY hard to teach your kids a language that you don't speak simply by using DVDs or flash cards. 22:16, I frankly don't see how flash cards or reading books would work because OP does not speak Spanish.

OP, if you really want them to learn, you need them to have someone to interact with in Spanish (childcare provider/babysitter, teacher, etc.). You can try DVDs, which will be good for exposing them to the sounds and maybe picking up some words and phrases, but I would not have a lot of expectations beyond that. Still, any exposure to another language is a great thing, IMO!

It won't work as you are envisioning it. Sure they will learn a few words but they won't learn to speak it. You could hire a nanny who speaks Spanish or send them to one of the few immersion preschools but other than that, you have to wait until you can send them to an elementary immersion program.

I'd do flash cards, read books (some come with DVD and CDs) and play games.

It's important to hang out with spanish speaking people so find friends who speak spanish with their children.

The easiest way is immersion if you're not willing to change your day to day care it's gonna be very very challenging.

I talk to my child in another language, DH travels for work and talks to DC in a second language, still DC will talk back to me in my language but rarely uses DH's language.

Anonymous wrote:What's their age?

20 months and 3 years old.

What's their age?

Would like my children to speak Spanish-I don't speak Spanish. I'd rather not go to classes on the week-ends-with work, day care, and commutes during the week, we keep our week-ends low-key with trips to the playground, pool, etc. The only option, I can think of if we're not going to classes, would be using DVDs to teach DC spanish. Has anyone tried such a program with their toddler. If so, would like to hear about what tools you used, names of DVDs, etc. In hindsight, we should have used a home daycare provider who speaks Spanish in the first couple of years. It's too late for that now. DC are in daycares that they like, and they are close to preschool age so home daycare is not an option at this point.