Spanish Songs for Kids (That aren’t nursery rhymes)

Spanish songs for kids, that families can enjoy together

Over the usual Spanish songs for kids? Looking for family friendly Spanish music that isn’t your traditional Spanish nursery rhymes? Below you will find over 100 Spanish songs for kids in 3 fantastic playlists that everyone in the family can enjoy.

You may have already seen our other lists of Spanish songs for kids. These links below have a range of Spanish songs suitable for toddlers and young kids. Check them out if you are looking for Spanish songs for your little ones.

• Spanish Alphabet songs
• Spanish Happy Birthday songs
• Spanish Color songs
• Spanish Nursery Rhymes

If you are looking for Spanish songs that families can listen to together, keep reading!

Not Just Spanish Nursery Rhymes

One of the biggest challenges regarding song selection for my kids, has been finding age appropriate Spanish songs. Once we passed the age where they were enjoying Spanish nursery rhymes and and traditional Spanish children’s music, I found it hard finding other options.

In spite of my own need to listen to my favorite music, I have always been very aware of the importance of using age appropriate content with my children, or at least  songs with kid friendly lyrics, so my playlists nowadays look pretty diverse.

My 8 year old son is at the stage where some Spanish songs for kids sound too babyish to him, but he still isn’t ready to really be exposed to a song like “Despacito”. On the other hand, my 5 year old daughter still enjoying Spanish children’s songs.

So, I have been trying to find children’s songs for kids in Spanish and kid friendly Spanish songs (clean and not too much in the romantic side) from different artists that can help me not only to expose them to Spanish and it’s varieties of accents and cultures, but to a wider range of music styles and vocabulary.

Choosing Spanish Music for my Bilingual Kids

I like to share with my children as much as I can about their Colombian heritage, and also, since we are a bilingual-bicultural family, I try to find songs that feature international and new rhythms, as well as lyrics in English and Spanish.

I think it is important for them to have a realistic experience with Spanish as an international language that gives voice to people from 21 countries and millions of non-native speakers around the world.

I want them to know that the way I pronounce the letters “ll”, “c” or “z” is not the only or better way to do it. I believe it is important for them to listen to words that name the same objects that we actually name in a different way, and understand how that is still authentic and correct Spanish, just as the one we speak with their abuelitos.

If I find high quality music sang by non-native speakers, I also add some of those in there, only because I also want them to be aware that there is nothing wrong with having an accent, especially when their accents could probably sound closer to the one of a non-native speaker, which is totally ok. In the end, they were born in the USA and their mother language is English, in spite of all my efforts to make Spanish part of their life since they were in my belly.

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Learn Spanish for Kids – Free Online Lessons

Spanish Songs for Kids

Below you can find my playlist of Spanish songs for kids on Spotify, (which you can sign up to for free). It won’t look like your traditional playlist of Spanish children’s songs. I have include songs that will appeal to children of all ages, but also fun Spanish songs for me to listen to as well. I also try to add popular and educational songs with positive messages.

You might notice that I don’t add a full album from each artist. I take what I like from each of them, and choose Spanish songs according with my goals. I am offering here a sample with a wide range of styles and clean kid friendly Spanish songs for you to explore and find your own favorites.

Spotify Playlist – Family Friendly Spanish Songs for Kids

Playlist One – Family friendly: Spanish songs for kids that are clean and not too romantic. Songs mostly from popular singers and styles (old and new, native and no-native, authentic and translations) with friendly themes. Also includes upbeat educational songs. These Spanish songs are perfect to play in the car or have on in the background at home to add exposure to Spanish for older bilingual kids. 

Playlist Two – Spark the Spanish: Upbeat Spanish songs for kids that are short and easy from various artists. All of these are authentic Spanish songs. This means that not translated from or adapted from original English songs). These Spanish songs for kids are perfect for toddlers and up, and  children just starting learning the language. These Spanish songs are also great for monolingual families looking to introduce Spanish to their children. These are perfect for introducing basic vocabulary and common phrases, to practice and improve pronunciation, and to have fun with movement and pantomime activities. 

Playlist Three – Road trip songs: Fun Spanish songs for kids and adults with a positive message to help add exposure to the Spanish language. These songs are all authentic Spanish songs and perfect for bilingual kids of any age. This playlist is the next step up (after playlist two ) for Spanish learners. 

7 Tips for building your own playlist of Spanish songs for kids

1. Explore recommendations of other Spanish Children’s Songs

Check recommendations from others, or use already existing playlists of children’s music in Spanish to find artists and music styles that not only your child, but you, would enjoy listening to.

2. Take a look at what Spanish songs you like

Check out the album or albums from the artist you like and choose songs according to your child’s actual needs. While a whole album could be categorized as children’s music, not all songs in the album might be suitable for your specific needs. (To introduce vocabulary, improve pronunciation, encourage phrases repetition, fun and movement, lullabies, cultural exposure, fun, etc.)

3. Create a mix of Spanish songs for the whole family

Shuffle in easy short Spanish songs and traditional/popular content. While your child might be able to understand more complex content and grammar structures, it is always good idea to throw in some easy songs for them to be able to sing along. This way it builds confidence repeating easy phrases, as they feel that they can sing a full song.

4. Consider educational Spanish children’s songs

If you are aiming to introduce the language or basic vocabulary, go for educational short Spanish songs and theme songs, that hopefully are not only a long list of vocabulary, but vocabulary in context. These are the perfect Spanish songs for kids

5. Consider your child’s style

Consider the age of your child to choose a music style. Your child might be into Disney princesses kind of style, or ready for pop and rock.

6. Think about your family origin

Take in account your family origin. Especially if you are not Hispanic or have a Hispanic heritage, not all traditional music styles from a different culture might sound appealing at first. As much as you might want to introduce to your child to the Hispanic cultural expressions through music, facilitate first a friendly approach to the language using music that you think will sound more appealing to your child and move little by little to introduce more cultural varieties.

If you are Hispanic or have a Hispanic heritage, additional to adding songs that best represent the traditions of your country of origin, try also to include songs from other Spanish speaking countries to expand your child’s perception of the language, the culture and it’s varieties. Also include songs that could invite your child to feel a connection within both cultures that make him bicultural, or that feature elements that represent both cultures (Example for a child in USA: songs featuring pop, rock, or bilingual lyrics)

7. Make singing Spanish songs fun

Finally in spite of how your playlists might look, remember that the most important part of using music to teach your child Spanish, is to use it to connect with your child by singing, dancing and having fun together, which is key to spark the emotional connection with the language. All this is what will make this process of learning a second language a memorable and fun one.

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Spanish Children’s Songs

We hope you love our playlists of Spanish songs for kids! Let us know if you can suggest any other family friendly Spanish songs for kids that you love! We are always looking for Spanish children’s songs to add to the list!

Author: Ana Calabrese is a native Spanish speaker raising bilingual-bicultural kids in the U.S. She promotes bilingualism and the Spanish language with children, through the use of songs, movement and fun. Find Ana’s original songs on Amazon, iTunes and Google Play. Download lyrics, tips, & activities on her website & follow on Instagram.