In this post: A round-up of the best Spanish poetry books for kids including popular nursery rhymes and authentic hispanic poems.
Spanish poetry books are an effective and beautiful resource to help children learn Spanish and connect to Hispanic culture.
In this post, we’ll share our favorite Spanish poetry books for kids, featuring traditional nursery rhymes, authentic Latin American poems, and our very own bilingual anthology—perfect for bilingual families and young Spanish learners!
Table of Contents
Learning Spanish Through Poetry
Learning Spanish poems has so many language acquisition benefits.
Researchers from Yale University found that using poetry in language classrooms can improve student learning. This is because they give students a meaningful and authentic way to practice their language. Plus, since poems are often short, it makes them easy to learn and practice through repetition!
Through poetry, children can gain practice with several aspects of language, such as:
- Phonics
- Sentence structure
- Rhyming
- Rhythm
This is what makes poetry such a timeless resource for language development.
Beyond language learning, Spanish poems can teach children about Hispanic culture. Latin-American folklore is rich in many children’s songs, poems, and rhymes!
Many of these poems come from Spain but were adapted later in different countries. For example, ‘Arroz con leche’ has several different versions depending on whether you are in Mexico, Puerto Rico, or Argentina!
Related Post: Authentic Spanish Nursery Rhymes
Poetry Recitation
Did you know that throughout the Llamitas Spanish curriculum, we weave in poems, rhymes, and recitations at every level? Students begin in Level 1 with short, playful verses like “La lechuza hace shhh, hace shhh,” and gradually progress to richer, longer-form poetry in the upper levels.
Best Spanish Poetry Books for Kids
Now that you know why Spanish poems are so great for language learning, here are our favorite Spanish poetry books:
PÍo Peep
Pío Peep is our absolute top pick and one that we believe every family learning Spanish needs to own. This is by far the most beautifully illustrated and precious collection of authentic Spanish poems you can find.
This book is also bilingual, but the English translations of the authentic hispanic poems are not literal translations. Instead, they are a poetic re-creation, which means no awkward, non-rhyming literal translations. Phew!
Just a few of our favorites include “Pito, pito, colorito“, “De colores“, “El barquito” and “Cucu“.
If you just pick one book to add to your bilingual library, this is it!
Related Post: Best Children’s Spanish Beginner Books
Arroz con Leche
Another bilingual Spanish and English poetry book, Arroz con Leche is a joyful collection of 12 Latin American poems.
The illustrations are traditional to the countries being represented: the Old San Juan Cathedral is shown in the poem ‘Arroz con leche,’ and the coconut ice cream seller in ‘El hijo del conde’ is so true to Puerto Rico—you’ll love the cultural richness!
Each poem tells the reader which Latin American country it originates in and also has a little synopsis and explanation in English to put it into context for non-natives. Super helpful!
There’s even a collection of musical scrolls in the back, so you can play along on a piano!
Mi Primer Libro de Poesia
Mi Primer Libro de Poesia is a stunning illustrated anthology of Spanish poems for bilingual children around 6 years and above.
It’s beautiful and includes famous poems by Fuertes, Lorca, and Nervo, to name a few. It also has a good mix of traditional and more contemporary poems.
La Piñata
La Piñata is such a fun Spanish poetry book! It’s also bilingual and super budget-friendly.
Your kids will love the bright colors and vibrant illustrations throughout this collection of traditional poems and songs in Spanish. Among the songs are “Antón Pirulero,” “Las mañanitas,” and “A la rueda rueda.” Musical notation is included as well!
Todo es Canción
Todo es Canción is an anthology of educational poems written by Alma Flor Ada that’s perfect for thematic learning! Some of the themes include: numbers, body parts, family, nature, etc. It is perfect for intermediate to advanced learners.
Tortillitas para mamá
Tortillitas para mamá is an authentic collection of Spanish nursery rhymes with gorgeous, Latin American illustrations. The most wonderful thing about this book is that the short poems come with finger play instructions, so you can make the learning and reading experience more interactive.
¡Bravo! Poemas sobre Hispanos Extraordinarios
This biographical poetry book explores the lives of extraordinary Latinos and their accomplishments. It’s a great way to learn about Latin history and culture through poems!
Written for older children who speak Spanish, the subject matter is a bit more detailed and complex than some of the other poetry books for children. ¡Bravo! is a great choice for bilingual families and more advanced learners ages 7 and up.
Related post: How to Read to Your Child in Spanish
Llamitas Spanish Curriculum
If you are looking for an authentic Spanish curriculum rooted in Spanish language arts, literature, phonics, and poetry, be sure to visit our Llamitas Spanish curriculum shop to learn more.
We have all of the resources you need to kickstart your bilingual journey!
Related posts:
Preschool and Kindergarten Spanish Lessons
Canciones Infantiles: Spanish Songs for Kids
Latin American and Spanish Folktale Anthologies for Kids
Founder of the Llamitas Spanish® Curriculum and former Spanish teacher. Corrie holds two Master Degrees in Spanish and Education. She lives in San Diego, California with her husband and two bilingual children.