Modulo

Calico Spanish

Recommended Ages

K–5th grades

Calico Spanish is an immersive Spanish program for young children that uses songs, stories, and colorful videos to help language “sink in” naturally. Developed by language educators who embrace comprehensible input, it focuses on meaningful phrases and real communication instead of isolated vocabulary lists. Parents appreciate the ready-made lesson plans, printable activities, and strong audiovisual support, which make it approachable even if they don’t speak Spanish themselves. It’s especially effective for preschool and early elementary kids who enjoy music and pretend play. The subscription and printed materials are an investment, but because you can reuse them with multiple children, many families find Calico Spanish excellent value over several years.

Ideal for roughly ages 4–11 who love songs, cartoons, and predictable routines—especially children who thrive on repetition and learn best through hearing and speaking. It’s a strong fit for families who want a secular, warm, “we’re learning together” Spanish program rather than a test-driven, grade-focused course.

Pros

Parents appreciate Calico’s gentle, story-based immersion: colorful videos, songs, and printable activities introduce Spanish in context, so kids start to understand and speak simple phrases without being overwhelmed by grammar charts. Secular homeschoolers like that it’s designed for home or small-group use, with clear lesson plans, lots of repetition, and multi-sensory components across listening, speaking, and play. 

Cons

The program focuses more on comprehension and everyday communication than on explicit grammar rules or reading/writing, so older students looking for high-school credit may find it too light. Some families mention that printing and organizing the materials takes time, and that you need consistent parent involvement to get the most out of the songs and activities. 

Calico Spanish is available via purchase orders and charter‑school vendors in some states, and many ESAs classify it as an eligible world‑language curriculum, though families should confirm approval with their specific program.

$19/month-$99/year

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Calico Spanish
$19.00 USD

Skills

What kids will learn
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Spanish
Spanish
World Languages
World Languages

Calico Spanish Mission

Calico Spanish's mission is to help children grow into confident Spanish speakers through gentle, story-rich immersion that feels like play rather than drill. Its online lessons, videos, songs, and printable resources are designed to get kids using real conversational phrases from day one, with plenty of repetition and visual support for non-readers. By focusing on joyful interaction, emotional connection, and practical language, Calico Spanish aims to give families a sustainable way to build Spanish into daily life at home or in small co-ops.

Calico Spanish Story

Calico Spanish was created when homeschool mom and language lover Erica Fischer couldn't find a Spanish curriculum that really got her young children speaking in full, meaningful sentences. Drawing on her experience teaching and her passion for communicative language learning, she began scripting stories, songs, and simple dialogues that her kids could act out and repeat. Those homemade lessons grew into a full curriculum, supported by a small team and delivered through an online platform with video lessons, downloadable materials, and teacher guides. Over time, Calico Spanish has expanded and refined its levels while staying focused on one goal: helping children think and speak in Spanish naturally from the very beginning.

About Modular Learning

FAQ: Additional Details about Calico Spanish

In a typical lesson, kids watch an animated story with recurring characters, sing a catchy song, repeat simple phrases, and complete a comic or activity sheet about topics like family or food, often acting out bits of dialogue.

Calico Spanish is a story‑ and song‑based online Spanish curriculum; families subscribe for digital access and follow step‑by‑step lessons that combine video stories, music videos, comics, and activity sheets for about 20–30 minutes a day.

A grown‑up leads lessons, pressing play on videos, pausing to model and repeat phrases, and prompting kids to use Spanish in real contexts like mealtimes, play, or chores.

No previous Spanish is needed; early levels are designed for beginners in roughly K–6, though written components work best if kids can do basic handwriting or reading with support.

Calico Spanish offers short, song‑heavy lessons with lots of repetition, which is great for younger children, auditory learners, and kids with ADHD who benefit from movement and music. Because it leans more on listening and speaking than writing, it can be a friendlier option for dyslexic or dysgraphic learners, especially when families keep sessions short and playful.

Some Calico Spanish print and visuals materials include a 30‑day money‑back guarantee, while digital subscriptions generally follow standard licensing terms, so refunds are limited and future renewals should be canceled ahead of the next billing date.

Not a great match for teens seeking rigorous, grammar-heavy Spanish, for kids who dislike singing and stories, or for parents who want a purely independent, app-only solution with no caregiver participation.

For older or more advanced learners, Homeschool Spanish Academy, online classes with native speakers, or high-school–level texts (like Senderos or Avancemos with a tutor) can be better fits; for app-based practice, Duolingo, Mango Languages, and Coffee Break Spanish are popular complements.

Calico regularly adds new comics, activity sheets, and leveled readers and has refined its four‑level sequence and placement tools for homeschool and school users.

Loop the same short lesson several times over the week instead of rushing forward, and bring phrases into daily life—count steps in Spanish, use simple commands (“siéntate,” “ven aquí”), or have a “Spanish only” snack time to make the language truly stick.

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Meet Erica

Erica Fischer is the founder and curriculum director of Calico Spanish. A longtime student and teacher of Spanish, she saw firsthand how traditional programs often left young learners overwhelmed with grammar rules and disconnected vocabulary lists. Erica set out to create a different experience, one that mirrors how children acquire their first language—through stories, songs, and meaningful interaction. She now leads a small team that produces video lessons, interactive activities, and teacher supports, and she frequently shares practical advice with homeschoolers on weaving Spanish into everyday routines.