Advanced Spanish for Preschoolers: What to Teach After Colors, Numbers, and Animals

Your preschooler already knows the basics—colors, numbers, and animals roll off their tongue like it’s second nature. You’ve worked hard to create a bilingual home, and it’s paid off. But now you’re wondering… what’s next?

If your child is already reading, writing, and speaking Spanish well, you’ve reached a beautiful (and rare!) milestone: early fluency. And with that comes a unique challenge: how do you keep them progressing without boring them or skipping critical foundations?

This post is for you: the parent of a gifted or advanced preschooler ready to take the next step. Let’s explore what advanced Spanish looks like for little learners and how to nurture it in a fun, structured way.

Why Push Past the Basics?

Research shows that early bilingualism leads to stronger cognitive flexibility, creativity, and problem-solving skills. A recent study shared by Science Direct found that bilingual preschoolers had significantly higher executive function skills than their monolingual peers.

But fluency isn’t a one-and-done achievement; it’s a journey. Advanced preschoolers risk hitting a plateau if they’re only exposed to repetitive beginner material. Instead, they need richer vocabulary, more complex sentence patterns, and exposure to academic Spanish to stay challenged.

What Should You Teach Next?

Here are 6 areas of Spanish that go beyond “rojo” and “perro;” perfect for your advanced preschooler.

1. Feelings and Emotions (Los sentimientos)

Move beyond “happy” and “sad” to introduce nuanced emotional vocabulary.

• triste (sad) → decepcionado (disappointed)
• contento (happy) → emocionado (excited)

Example phrase:
Estoy frustrado porque no puedo terminar el rompecabezas.
(I’m frustrated because I can’t finish the puzzle.)

Why it matters: Emotional vocabulary empowers your child to express themselves clearly and builds social-emotional intelligence.

2. Daily Routines and Habits (Las rutinas diarias)

Now’s the time to start stringing together full sentences with verbs and time expressions.

• despertarse (to wake up)
• vestirse (to get dressed)
• después de (after), antes de (before)

Example phrase:
Después de lavarme los dientes, leo un cuento con mi mamá.
(After I brush my teeth, I read a story with my mom.)

Pro tip: Use a visual daily schedule in Spanish to reinforce this vocabulary naturally.

3. Opposites and Descriptions (Los opuestos y adjetivos)

Descriptive language helps kids develop longer, more complex sentences.

• duro/blando (hard/soft)
• rápido/lento (fast/slow)
• limpio/sucio (clean/dirty)

Example phrase:
Mi peluche es suave y grande, pero el de mi hermana es pequeño y duro.
(My stuffed animal is soft and big, but my sister’s is small and hard.)

4. Action Words and Conjugation Practice (Los verbos en contexto)

At this stage, begin teaching high-frequency verbs and basic present-tense conjugation.

• jugar (to play) → Yo juego, tú juegas
• comer (to eat) → Yo como, tú comes
• querer (to want) → Yo quiero, tú quieres

Mini-activity: Have your child act out verbs as you say them in different forms. “Yo salto. Ahora tú saltas.”

5. Storytelling and Sequencing (Contar historias)

Start practicing short narratives with first, then, and finally in Spanish.

• primero (first)
• luego (then)
• al final (finally)

Example phrase:
Primero fuimos al parque, luego comimos helado y al final vimos una película.
(First we went to the park, then we ate ice cream, and finally we watched a movie.)

Bonus tip: Let your child illustrate a simple 3-panel comic strip and narrate it aloud in Spanish.

6. Themed Vocabulary Sets (Beyond Animals)

Choose advanced categories based on your child’s interests.

• El espacio (space) – planeta, astronauta, cohete
• La cocina (kitchen) – sartén, cuchara, batidora
• La naturaleza (nature) – volcán, relámpago, arcoíris

Use real-life experiences, like cooking together or watching a storm, to bring these words to life.

Structure Still Matters—Even for Fluent Preschoolers

Fluency doesn’t mean they’ve outgrown structured lessons. In fact, now is the perfect time to begin weaving in grammar, spelling, and reading comprehension in an age-appropriate way.

A paired Spanish program with a native-speaking teacher can offer the perfect mix of personalized instruction and playful interaction, without slowing your child down.

At Homeschool Spanish Academy, our 1-on-1 lessons are designed specifically for families like yours. Your advanced learner gets a curriculum tailored to their level, taught by a certified native teacher who keeps things fun, fast-paced, and developmentally appropriate.

Book a free class today and see the difference personalized learning makes.

Keep Their Momentum Going

Your child has mastered so much; don’t let their progress plateau. With the right mix of new vocabulary, structured storytelling, and conversational challenges, they’ll move beyond “bilingual” and step into true fluency.

The early years are powerful. Make the most of them.

Join one of the 40,000 classes that we teach each month and you can experience results like these

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