Ideas for practicing Spanish in the summer

Q: Do you have any advice for summer activities to keep them practicing Spanish?

A: Off the top of my head: record a cartoon on Saturday morning on Univision. There's a 3 hour block of shows the kids recognize but they're broadcast in Spanish. 3 hours is too much at a time, but I've been pleasantly surprised that Carmen & Gabe seem to follow along with a 30 minute show.

Alternatively, select Spanish as the language on a DVD (again, probably not a full-length movie, but shorter shows).

Check out books from the Spanish section of the public library (Bedford is getting a decent collection, and libraries purchase materials based on the amount of checkouts, so the more we check these out, the more they'll add.). I like to mix up ones kids recognize with other ones I think they'll be able to read/ pronounce. *Even books that seem young for them (Very Hungry Catepillar, for example) are interesting to them if they're trying to decipher the words. My husband has spoken Spanish his whole life but he still learns new vocabulary from children's books! (We all enjoyed the Spanish version of Fancy Nancy, for example.)

I am in the market for computer software directed toward kids (like Rosetta Stone, which I understand is geared toward business people).

I sometimes use http://translate.google.com/ to look things up.

Maybe we could get the kids to network on Webkinz to practice writing in Spanish to each other? I am not crazy about social networks for 6 & 8 year olds but at least that might have a little more purpose.

OK, I've got to go for now. Thanks for asking! I'm sure everyone has some ideas to share. It will be fun to add to the list.