Thoughts on last week (Parts of the Body)

The experience of choosing a topic was fantastic. It helped me organize activities and games in English and set a time for doing things in English language.

I tried, unsuccessfully, to speak English all the time, but doing different workshops reminded me to do it, so right after finishing the activities, I kept talking in English (till a chaotic home moment changed my chip into Spanish again).

Some of the things I did were pretend play with my baby-girl and her doll, P.E. rhymes with my three children, we read Little Read Riding Hood, we sang Hi-5 Senses, we played with Potato Head, and we played Twister.

Kids and I had loads of fun. We like these games and that was the point: we were just having fun, not thinking of teaching and learning English. It was also relaxing and entertaining.
If you like to follow this idea and start up this one topic a week plan, you can have a look at the pages I read:

You can have a look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PGsJVtaxag and sing and dance the song Senses, by Hi-5. It's a hilarious band, awesome for dancing, singing, and understanding the lyrics.

The British Council is, from my point of view,  one of the most practical web pages to find resources for the English class. It also includes traditional short stories with activities for kids. In this case, we watched Little Red Riding Hood at http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/short-stories/little-red-riding-hood, and afterwards we played with the finger puppets that are provided.

Concerning playing with Potato Head, I really recommend and article I read about the developmental benefits of using this toy: http://mamaot.com/30-developmentalbenefits-of-playing-with-potato-head/

First day of the week: Intentions

Starting to speak in English full time to your kids is as hard as starting a diet. It's every Monday when you decide to start: "Yes, definitely, I'm going to start on Monday; this time, I'll do it, no doubt". And you start, but you give up on ... Wednesday?

It's been a couple of weeks now since I had decided to speak full time in English, but the truth is that at this stage of my bilingualising-process it's pointless. I can speak in English to tell my kids to get dressed, to set the table, to brush their teeth..., but I can't do it when I have to tell them off.
Imagine my kids' face if I scold them. I couldn't talk to them neither about sharing, nor about behaving... Their English knowledge isn't good for this kind of serious conversations.
So...
I've been these days thinking about the well-spread theory of OPOL (One person One language), and I'm now more for my own OMOL (One Mood One Language). I speak English when I'm clam, relaxed, when I've time to repeat the same sentence more than three times..., but never when my place turns to shouts, fights, all of us rushing...
Therefore, I've decided to have some good moments in English, our English playing time, our English corner..., and leave my mother tongue for "other" moments.

I've written a list of topics which I consider necessary to cover within infants education, and I'll organize family games and activities having to do with that topic (one topic a week). This way I can define the language I want them to learn and use.

We've had Carnival Holidays, so my week this time starts today, Wednesday. Therefore, I need an easy topic for them.
My choice has been...

 PARTS OF THE BODY 

(as they know most of the words).

I'll write another post on Sunday on how were things...