Learning the ABCs in Spanish & English: Tips for Bilingual Kids
Learning the ABCs is an exciting milestone for little ones — and for bilingual children, it’s also an opportunity to begin making connections between their two languages. That’s why, when creating our ABC Bilingual Musical Book, we paired every letter of the alphabet with an animal whose name begins with the same letter in both English and Spanish.
Think lion / león for L or elephant / elefante for E.
It’s a simple idea, but one that can make learning the alphabet in Spanish and English feel more intuitive — and a lot more fun — for little learners.
Why Do Same-Letter Words Help?
When children are learning two languages, they’re constantly discovering how those languages relate to each other. Sometimes words are completely different — like dog and perro — while other times, children can spot similarities.
In our bilingual ABC book, the language may change, but the letter connection stays the same.
L is for lion. L is also for león.
This gives children a consistent reference point as they explore vocabulary in both languages, while helping reinforce letter recognition, beginning sounds, and bilingual vocabulary. It also introduces an important concept for young bilingual learners: two different words can represent the very same thing. Because every letter is represented by a colorful animal, children have a memorable visual to associate with what they’re learning.
But, the learning doesn’t have to stop at recognizing the letters and animals. Here are a few simple ways parents can use the book to make bilingual ABC practice even more interactive:
1. Turn Each Page Into a Conversation
One of the best ways to support bilingual language learning is simply to talk together! You don’t have to read the animal names and move on. Each page in our Spanish children's books can become an opportunity to talk, point, imitate, and play in both languages.
When you reach the lion, for example, try:
“Look! It’s a lion. En español, se dice león. Lion and león both start with L!”
Then build on it naturally:
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“What sound does a lion make? ¿Cómo hace el león?”
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“Can you find the letter L?”
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“What color is the lion? ¿De qué color es?”
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“Can you roar like a lion?”
You don’t need to ask every question or make reading time feel like a lesson. Follow your child’s interests and let the conversation develop naturally. Talking about what you see together is part of the learning.
2. Use Music & Repetition to Keep Practicing
Our ABC musical book also includes easy-to-press sound buttons with music on every page, giving children another way to interact with the letters and animals they see.
Try pointing to the letters as you listen, asking your child which animal they remember, or pausing to see if they can identify a familiar letter.
And if they want to hear the same song again…and again…and again? That’s okay! Repetition is an important part of early language learning. Each time children see a letter, hear it, and connect it to a familiar animal, they get another opportunity to strengthen that association.
The sound book’s final spread brings it all together with the full ABC song in Spanish, so little ones can sing along from beginning to end and practice what they’ve learned throughout the book.
3. Take Bilingual Learning Beyond the Book
Once your child becomes familiar with the animals and letters in our new Spanish book for toddlers, look for opportunities to make the same connections throughout the day.
Spot an elephant? “Elephant! Elefante! What letter do they both start with?”
Playing with toy animals? See which ones your child recognizes from the book.
You can even pick a letter and search around the house for other things that begin with it.
These simple interactions give children more opportunities to learn and practice the alphabet in Spanish and English, while helping them see that the letters and words they encounter during storytime are also part of the world around them.
Making the ABCs Part of Your Bilingual Journey
For bilingual children, learning the ABCs can be about more than just memorizing 26 letters. It’s an opportunity to build vocabulary, notice connections between Spanish and English, practice new sounds, and develop confidence with both languages.
Designed especially for preschoolers ages 3–5 who are ready to learn and practice their ABCs, our Bilingual ABCs Spanish kids book combines animals, music, colorful illustrations, and interactive play to make early bilingual learning fun. It’s a great addition to your collection of bilingual books for kids, especially for little ones beginning to explore the alphabet in both Spanish and English.
So press play, pick a favorite animal, and explore the alphabet together. Because bilingual learning doesn’t have to feel like a lesson — sometimes, it starts with a book, a song, and a few minutes of learning together.