In this post: Use these Spanish lessons on pets to teach your kids about some of their favorite companions and add themed vocabulary, books and songs to their growing list of resources.
For many families, las mascotas (pets) become a core part of the family. This is especially the case with dogs and cats which are known for being the best companions as they’re loyal, fun to have around and playful.
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We strive to make our lessons fun and relatable. As a parent, you sometimes wonder if you’re on the right path or you think about what recent studies have to say about language learning and so much more.
Rest assured knowing that our thematic method of instruction at Llamitas Spanish® is one of the best ways for your little ones to learn a second language.
Related post: Here’s Why Thematic Spanish Lessons for Kids Actually Work
Table of Contents
Pet Vocabulary in Spanish
While some people may go for quite unconventional pets, today we’re sticking to the familiar furry friends and faithful companions we all love or have had as pets at one point in our lives.
Start with the list below:
| Spanish | English |
| perro | dog |
| gato | cat |
| ratón | mouse |
| conejo | rabbit |
| canario | canary |
| pez | fish |
| pez dorado | goldfish |
| tortuga | turtle |
| hámster | hamster |
| cobayo | guinea pig |
| hurón | ferret |
| loro | parrot |
Expand your kids’ growing vocabulary by looking at the names of other animals as well. Check out our post on ‘La granja’ for farm animals or learn the names of different marine life with our post on ocean-themed Spanish lessons.
Las mascotas: Spanish Lessons about Pets
This unit of our Llamitas Spanish Level 1 Curriculum uses a variety of activities including tracing, matching and coloring to teach your kids about pets in Spanish while they also learn fundamentals such as phonics, spelling and more.
They’ll learn about the letter ‘rr’, (like in perro), name some 2D shapes, name over 10 animals, improve pronunciation with native speaker audio tracks, have fun with a tongue twister and much more. We’ve also added a craft activity, ‘La pececita Clio’ which is a fun fish craft.
Related post: How to Roll your r in Spanish
All our Llamitas Spanish materials in this level 1 curriculum are designed for ages 3-6 to provide a gentle introduction to more formal learning and Kindergarten readiness skills. That means it’s even a great fit for families with different sibling age groups.
Spanish Books about Pets
Now here are 10 book suggestions to consider adding to your reading list.
- El perro con sombrero by Derek Taylor Kent
Pepe used to be a street dog, but now he’s a movie star! He is well-loved by everyone except a jealous cat! What mischief will they get up to?
- Este no es mi perrito by Fiona Watt and Pilar Dunster
The ‘toca toca’ touch and feel series is perfect for sensory learning! Touch different textures and learn the adjectives that describe the dogs.
- ¿Dónde estás, conejito? by Sam Taplin
Fingertrails and peek through holes make this an interactive and hands-on read aloud, as the child searches for the little rabbit.
- ¡Perros! ¡Perros!/ Dogs! Dogs! by Ginger Foglesong Guy
This is a really fun and silly picture book about the many different types of dogs. Great for learning adjectives like slow, fast, big and small.
- ¿Has visto a mi gata? by Eric Carle
Follow this charming bilingual story and accompany a concerned boy as he travels to different places in search of his beloved cat.
- Conejito: A Folktale from Panama by Margaret Read MacDonald
This mixed language book (English with Spanish words sprinkled in) is such a fun and rhythmic folktale about a rabbit who visits his Tia Monica (Aunt Monica). But will he be able to avoid the predators and get back home safely?
- Este es un libro de perros by Judith Henderson
Humor abounds in this story of a rabbit who does all he can to convince the dogs that he can be one of them. Will he succeed? In the end, we learn that behind the laughs, it’s a story of kindness and inclusion.
- El conejito andarín by Margaret Wise Brown
This beautiful Spanish story is about a bunny that wanted to run away but his efforts were no match for the love of his mother who always promised to be there and keep him safe.
- Mango, abuela y yo by Meg Medina
Discover the creative ways this young girl uses to understand and communicate with her grandmother who doesn’t speak English. A truly heartwarming story!
- Lola quiere un gato by Anna McQuinn
Catch up with Lola in her latest adventure as she learns to care for a cat and eventually adopts one of her own.
11. Mi perro solo habla español by Andrea Cáceres
NEW RELEASE! A delightful read about a girl who moves to the United States and learns English. But her dog only knows Spanish! “Ella no entiende COME, pero sí entiende VENTE.” Discover how to say all the commands you give a dog in English and Spanish!
Spanish Songs about Pets
We always include songs in our curriculum and with every blog post. They’re a great way to add a touch of fun and movement while also appealing to various learning styles.
Enjoy the following recommendations:
Learn about different pets and the sound each one makes including a dog, cat, lion and more. Are the sounds different or similar to those we use in English?
In this eventful song by 123 Andrés, we find out how he went from having 10 dogs to only having 1 and how he plans to keep him safe and sound.
Your kids will enjoy this song while learning to talk about just how much they love their pets.
Get moving with this one by Super Simple Español as you learn to imitate the movements of different animals.
Honorable mention: Mascotas (the movie)
While this isn’t a song, it’s a movie you should definitely watch with your kids in Spanish after teaching them this topic. The animated film takes you on a creative adventure to explore what the secret lives of pets must be like. Check out the trailer and plan your next movie night.
Spanish Curriculum for the Early Years
As we mentioned earlier, the Llamitas Spanish Level 1 Curriculum is great for young learners and focuses on building fundamental skills in the early years. The colorful pages include activities on phonics, classifying, counting, art studies, music and lots more.
The entire open-and-go curriculum is made up of 12 thematic units with 6 lessons in each unit. We include everything you need as well as additional resources so you can work at your pace. While you may be able to complete the entire course in as little as 6 months, we recommend going at a comfortable pace according to your child’s progress.
The best part is that you have lifetime access so there’s no need to rush!
Head over to our curriculum shop to get started.
Kimberly is a freelance writer from Trinidad and Tobago who was always fascinated by language and holds a B.A in Spanish with a minor in Linguistics. She considers herself to be a multipotentialite due to her many interests and a few of her favorite things include coffee, pasta and scented candles.