opportunities for kids to speak Spanish? (Chicago, Evanston: day cares, neighborhood, buy)

[Costa Rica Chica]

We are moving to Evanston in 3 weeks. We currently live in Costa Rica and our son is completely bilingual. I am worried he will lose his Spanish. Are there any ideas of bilingual children's groups or opportunities for him to speak Spanish? (He is 3.)

Thanks!

[Paige65]

On Thursdays, there is a dual language program at a place called Family Network in Highland Park (depending upon where you live in Evanston, it would probably be about a 20 minute drive). The teachers are bilingual, but on Thursdays they speak mainly Spanish. The drop in is from 9:30 to 11:30 and the first visit is free. Otherwise you can buy a ten pass or an annual membership.

Here's a blurb about the dual language day and a link:

Dual Language Morning
On Thursday mornings, bilingual staff in each facilitate children's activities in Spanish and English. It's a unique and wonderful multicultural morning for parent and children alike! Learn to sing "Eeensy Weensy Spider" in Spanish!

PARENT/CHILD CENTER

[Drover]

Seriously, there will be no shortage of opportunities to speak Spanish around here. It's highly likely that at least a few of his classmates will speak Spanish when he gets to be school-age, and if you're in Evanston you're not too far from substantially Spanish-speaking pockets in the city, such as the Clark Street corridor through Rogers Park. Much of the Northwest side of Chicago is for all intents and purposes bi-lingual.

What about Spanish in your own household? How fluent is your own Spanish and that of your husband/BF (if one is moving up with you)?

[Drover]

Also, I'm not an expert on this specific subject or anything, but I would have to imagine there are a few day cares around here where Spanish is commonly spoken among both children and staff... maybe bring him to such a place a few hours a week?

[MayMove]

In Elmhurst, our Children receive Spanish as part of the curriculum starting in 2nd grade. Public school. IL Dist 205. If you like Evanston..Elmhurst is pretty similar, just not as close to the lake. Great proximity to the city.

[entyss]

roflol

[LadyPleiades]

I may have responded to you already but Evanston has dual language immersion programs in the schools. Willard School, most notably. Great school, great neighborhood. We love it!

[NYrules]

Ya you wont have any absence of spanish here contrary to popular belief. The Latinos are flooding into Chicago like a tidal wave, so you will be surrounded by a mixture of pretty much all different kinds of people here. Spanish is spoken as either a primary or secondary language by probably over a million people here now I believe.

[Costa Rica Chica]

Thanks for the advice. Both my husband and I speak fluent Spanish, but since we have lived here since our son was born, we only spoke to him in English so we would be bilingual. I have tried to talk to him in Spanish, but he refuses.

I know how "Latino" Chicago is - but I don't know of any kid's groups where he would be exposed on a regular basis. I know there are several bilingual schools in Evanston, but Justin isn't old enough yet though we will probably consider it in the future.

The Highland Park program sounds great - do they have programs on the weekend or in the evening? I guess I am looking for some type of class I can enroll him in which is in Spanish.