July 23, 2026
If you have ever wondered whether speaking Spanish (or any other home language) will somehow "confuse" your child or slow down their English, you are not alone. At Runningbrook International Preschool, we hear this concern from families every year. Parents want the very best for their children, and in a globalized world, English often feels like a golden ticket. So the question comes up naturally: Should I switch to English at home to give my child an advantage?
Here is the reassuring truth, backed by decades of research: keeping your home language strong does not hold English back. In fact, a rich heritage language is one of the best foundations your child can have for learning English and thriving in a bilingual education.
Since 1993, Runningbrook has welcomed more than 1,200 families from over 35 countries into our multicultural environment. We have watched children move fluidly between languages, and we have seen firsthand that a strong first language is a springboard, not an obstacle.
The fear that bilingualism causes delays is a persistent myth. Leading researchers in early childhood development, including Dr. Ellen Bialystok of York University, have shown across many studies that bilingual children develop language on a typical timeline and often gain cognitive benefits such as stronger attention control and mental flexibility.
Linguist Dr. Jim Cummins is well known for his "linguistic interdependence" principle: the skills a child builds in one language transfer to another. When a child learns to tell a story, ask questions, and understand how sounds form words in Spanish, those same underlying abilities support their English learning. The languages are not competing for limited space in the brain — they are reinforcing each other.
A few key points experts agree on:
Every child is unique, and children develop language at different rates — this is completely normal. Still, there are some common patterns bilingual families often notice:
Consider a typical scenario: a three-year-old speaks mostly Spanish at home, then joins our Kid's Club program and hears English throughout the day. In the early weeks, the family might worry because the child says little in English. A few months later, English words begin appearing at dinner. This gradual bloom is exactly what we expect — and the Spanish spoken at home has been quietly building the language foundation the whole time.
You are the expert on your own child, and your home language is a gift only you can give. Here are practical, research-friendly strategies you can start using today:
Speak to your child in the language you know best and feel most emotionally connected to. Rich, natural conversation matters far more than which language it happens in. Your fluent Spanish gives your child more nuance, storytelling, and warmth than hesitant English ever could.
Books build vocabulary, imagination, and the "book language" that later supports reading in any language. Snuggle up with stories in Spanish, ask questions about the pictures, and let your child predict what happens next.
Sing songs, recite rhymes, cook together while naming ingredients, and play games in your home language. This mirrors our play-based learning philosophy: children learn best when language is woven into joyful, meaningful activity.
Tell your child that speaking two languages is something to be proud of. Celebrate the words they use in each. When children sense that their heritage language is respected, they are more motivated to keep using it.
Resist the urge to correct every mix-up or compare your child to others. Development is not a race. Offer gentle, natural models ("Yes, you found your teddy bear!") rather than pressure.
Our child-centered approach means we meet each child exactly where they are, in whatever language they arrive speaking. In our small groups, dedicated educators create warm relationships that make children feel safe enough to take language risks — the essential ingredient for learning to speak a new language.
Because we serve families from more than 35 countries, our multicultural environment naturally celebrates linguistic diversity. Children hear many accents and see that different languages are normal and valued. Through play-based learning — in our indoor spaces and our generous outdoor areas — English emerges organically, through songs, games, stories, and friendships, never through drills or pressure.
This applies across every age group. In Growing Steps (6 months–2 years), babies absorb the sounds and rhythms of language through nurturing interaction. In Playgroup (2–3 years) and Kid's Club (3–4 years), children experiment joyfully with new words. By Pre-Kinder (4–6 years), many children move comfortably between languages, building the confidence and curiosity that serve them for a lifetime. At every stage, a strong home language remains the sturdy root system beneath all of this growth.
Speaking Spanish — or Mandarin, or Portuguese, or any language of your heart — at home is not a detour on the road to English. It is a foundation. You are giving your child a deeper connection to family, culture, and identity, along with cognitive strengths that research continues to confirm.
Trust yourself. You know your child better than anyone, and the love embedded in your home language is irreplaceable. At Runningbrook, we are honored to walk alongside you, celebrating every language your child carries and nurturing the confident, curious, creative bilingual learner they are becoming.