Encanto is the latest Disney film to mesmerize a generation of kids, and while we’re not talking about Bruno on repeat, it might be a fun time to add some Encanto-inspired learning to your day. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
For little kids, you might start with some children’s books about Colombia. Check out the book Great Cape of Colors, which is in English and Spanish, and grab the activity book from Kelly’s Classroom. Maybe download some Spanish flashcards with pictures to help kids learn a few words in Spanish.
For kids who are learning to write, these coloring pages with space for tracing and writing words in Spanish can be fun. I’m highlighting the insect page here because mariposa and oruga (or orugita) feature in the movie, but there are tons of printable coloring pages on that site.
Speaking of coloring pages, In the Playroom has printable Encanto coloring pages with the characters, as well as a couple of activity sheets.
Learn more about Colombia with this fact sheet from National Geographic Kids, or learn 80 facts about Colombia from Kidadl. The Colombia Lap Book from Homeschool Share is another great, simple resource for facts about the country. Or head to the library and check out some books!
Making a casita is a project that can work for kids of lots of ages depending on the materials you want to provide. Little kids can draw or paint their own or use cut out pieces of paper of different shapes and sizes to collage a casita. For older kids, make it a STEM challenge with popsicle sticks, cardboard tubes, clay or other materials.
Kids who are interested in cooking might like to learn to make arepas, a traditional dish made with cornmeal and covered in cheese. The recipe from My Colombian Recipes is a good one, and that site is great to explore if you want to try other traditional Colombian foods.
Because family is at the center of the story, making a family tree (in English or in Spanish) would be another good activity for your Encanto lesson plan. Kids can make their own tree or use a template like this one.
Talk about emotions and self-confidence with these sweet printable confidence cards from Marcie and the Mouse. They each feature a character and an affirmation they might have, so you can talk about these ideas in reference to the characters and how these traits show up in daily life.
If you teach Spanish or are working on learning Spanish at home, these ideas from Spanish Plans are great to incorporate before and after watching the movie. They have links to movie trailers in English and Spanish as well as other videos talking about the movie, and printable character sheets kids can write on in Spanish to describe the characters.
You can also learn more about popular music styles from Colombia and listen to some of them and see if you can hear the influence of these styles in the songs of Encanto. (Here’s a little about the songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda.)
If you want to delve deeper there are some great lesson plans for Encanto in English and Spanish at Teachers Pay Teachers.
