Recognizing that play is the universal language of childhood, we spent our sessions immersing ourselves in Spanish through movement and collaborative games.

We played a hand game that we call “Chócala arriba, chócala abajo,” a movement game called “Yo me muevo como…,” a silent game of control and perception, and played along the popular Venezuelan nursery rhyme “Zapatito cochinito.” Through these authentically cultural and multidisciplinary games, the students were not just playing — they were practicing essential language skills in their most natural state: utilizing Spanish to solve problems, cheering on their peers, and navigating the rules of the games.

This celebration highlighted a core tenet of our FLES Spanish program in First Program: that language is a tool for connection and joy. By exercising their freedom to navigate these games, students practiced independence in their speech and cooperation within their teams. Seeing them negotiate in Spanish and build community through play was a powerful reminder of how much they have grown as language learners and global citizens. We are so proud of our first-grade "jugadores" for their enthusiasm and their willingness to take linguistic risks while having a blast.

Click here to watch video clips of the class in action.