Encantos - Stories with purpose inspired by culture

Learn About Colombia: Geography

Welcome to Colombia, Tiny Travelers!

There are six different regions of Colombia, each with its own features and customs! Use a different color to shade each region, then color in the animals you might see there, too. Learn about each place as you go.

Supplies needed:

printed activity sheet; crayons or colored pencils

Download Activity Sheet:

Ask a Bilingual Expert

Raising a bilingual child? On this page, our very own Director of Learning Design and Efficacy, Sophia Espinoza, addresses some of the most common questions, concerns, and curiosities around the benefits of bilingualism. Get the scoop below!

Sophia Espinoza is a career educator and curriculum designer with seven years of experience teaching in private and independent schools across the country. She is an expert in 21st-century education, including technologically-powered personalization, multilingual and multicultural curriculums, and social-emotional learning.

Sophia began teaching in Chicago Public Schools through Chicago Teaching Fellows, learning to support both English Language Learners and students with neurodiverse needs.

Benefits of Bilingualism (FAQs):

Any advice on managing two Spanish dialects in the household? Does this cause confusion for kids?

Now that our world is more interconnected than ever, there are plenty of families where each parent could be from a different country in Latin America, with distinctive dialects, vocabulary, slang, and culture. And that’s totally ok for kids to be exposed to. Their perspectives are broadened and they learn to communicate cross-culturally, it’s a thing to be celebrated.

What do you recommend if I’m not completely fluent and my child’s school doesn’t have an immersion class?

I always encourage as much Spanish exposure as possible. Don’t worry about immersion classes availability or not being completely fluent as a parent. Use the Spanish you know, even if you may need to speak Spanglish, I sometimes only know a word in Spanish or vice versa, which is totally okay.

Do you recommend teaching different subjects in different languages?

Parents need to remember that children are always going to learn English; Their world is in English, their peers speak English, even if they’re doing dual immersion programs. However, it’s important to give kids as much education as possible in the home in Spanish.

How can my child learn language through play?

Play-based learning in children aged PreK/K should take the form of pretend play. Pretend play, where prompts and props are used to spark an imaginative game or scenario, are crucial in not only developing social skills but cognitive skills too.

What are the social and cultural benefits of bilingualism?

Learning a new language goes hand in hand with learning about that language’s culture. It’s an opportunity to tap into the food, customs, stories, and other aspects of culture new to your child.

What are some strategies for raising bilingual children?

Start early: Babies’ brains are sponges; Their rapidly forming neural connections allow them to learn everything, including languages, much easier.
Stick with it: If children start to speak their second language instead of their native language at home, don’t give in and start speaking to them in their native language too; keep at it, it will pay off in the end.
Make it Joyful: The best antidote to resistance or lack of motivation around practicing their native language is to make it fun!