Second language for two year old/ learning with nanny

[Mummyteachmummy]

Not sure whether this is the right board for this, but here goes...

DD (just turned two) is starting with a Spanish nanny next month. I thought it would be great for them to do some Spanish together, maybe, ultimately (I understand this will take time, and maybe never happen!), only speaking to each other in Spanish.

My question is, what's the best way to go about this? How do I conceptualise it for DD? Her English is pretty good and she likes things explaining, so I thought it might be good to start now talking to her about the nanny knowing a different language etc?

Any experiences and/ or tips much appreciated as I really don't want to get it wrong (e.g. by going too quickly and her not bonding with the nanny as a result - I'd rather have a happy little girl who loves her nanny, than an unsettled one who knows a bit of Spanish!)

TIA!

I think you may find that this is less of an issue than you imagine. We live abroad and our children have English as their first language but were in French speaking daycare from the age of one (and then full time in preschool from 2). Children are incredibly adaptable when it comes to languages, although the speed at which they'll actually start attempting to use the second language is quite variable (big difference between my two, with my very verbal daughter picking it up much quicker mainly because she is more sociable).

I would ask the nanny to speak in Spanish as much as possible from the start - young children are very sensitive to situational language cues and she will quickly learn when to speak spanish and when English (my kids switch back and forth easily, whereas although I am bilingual my adult brain isn't nearly as good at this).

Just get the nanny to speak to her in Spanish.

Don't make it lesson-y though, and don't let it make your dd feel uncomfortable. Lots of miming/body language etc.

No way would a 2 yr old (not even an extremely gifted and talented one!) be able to get a grip on "the nanny is from a different place and speaks a different language" as a concept.

Nanny walks in, waves and smiles to kid, says hola. One word down.....