Turning the holiday countdown into a playful language habit with twelve tiny challenges is a creative and fun way of encouraging Spanish learning. Each one takes 5–15 minutes and is designed to build comfort with Spanish through routines, food, music and games. Great for families: it’s low-commitment and highly shareable.
Why it works
It is composed of small, consistent wins that are the secret to lasting learning. An Advent-style countdown builds momentum and gives kids a fun reason to practice daily.
12 Mini challenges
- Learn three greetings: hola, buenos días, buenas noches — use them at breakfast.
- Make Spanish hot chocolate (or hot cocoa) together and name the ingredients in Spanish.
- Sing one short Spanish Christmas carol (e.g., “Rodolfo el Reno”) and clap along.
- Draw and label a Christmas item (árbol, estrella, regalo) and display it on the fridge.
- Watch a 5–10 minute Spanish kids’ video and pick one new word.
- Send a postcard or short voice note in Spanish with a Christmas greeting: “Hola, soy [name]. ¡Feliz Navidad!”
- Make a simple Spanish-flavored cookie (cinnamon or orange) and say “qué rico” after tasting.
- Play a “find the object” scavenger hunt using 6 labeled sticky notes (puerta, mesa, cama…).
- Read a short bilingual bedtime story or a page of a Spanish picture book.
- Record your child saying “Gracias por este día” and send it to a relative.
- Try one new Spanish food (a small olive, a slice of manchego-style cheese or even typical Christmas sweets).
- Share one thing you are grateful for in Spanish at dinner (“Estoy agradecido/a por…”).
How to use it
Choose any 12-day window and put the challenges on a printable checklist or calendar to tick, sticker, or take a photo each day. At the end of the advent you can add a special challenge or reward that involves the whole family.
Have fun!
Enjoy this activity that will not only boost your children’s curiosity for Spain, but also create unforgettable family memories. This will be the perfect warm up to introduce your kids into Spanish culture before spending the best summer of their lives at an immersive camp.
