{"id":64740,"date":"2026-10-29T19:00:56","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T19:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/?post_type=first-things&p=64740"},"modified":"2026-10-29T19:15:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T19:15:01","slug":"raising-bilingual-kids","status":"publish","type":"first-things","link":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/raising-bilingual-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Baby Proof: What research says about language learning in young children"},"content":{"rendered":"

About Baby Proof:<\/i><\/b> Baby Proof is a blog series that breaks down the latest child development research into simple, helpful tips for parents of young children. We translate big studies into bite-sized advice\u2014so you can feel confident knowing what\u2019s best for your baby, backed by science. [4-minute read]<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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If you\u2019ve ever considered raising a bilingual or multilingual child, you\u2019ve probably asked yourself what many parents have wrestled with: <\/span>\u201cAm I confusing my child by mixing languages?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Maybe you speak English primarily but were raised in a Spanish-speaking household, or maybe grandparents use one language while parents use another. Perhaps you find yourself naturally switching between languages during conversations, sometimes even within the same sentence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For generations, many families have worried that mixing languages might slow language development or make it harder for children to learn words. New research suggests you can set that concern aside.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Concordia Infant Research Lab recently established that mixing languages does not<\/span> negatively affect toddlers\u2019 vocabulary development. In fact, researchers found that children growing up with multiple languages are remarkably capable of navigating different words, sounds and dialects from a very young age.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Code mixing and speaking multiple languages to kids<\/span><\/h1>\n

Language mixing, or code mixing, happens when a person uses two or more languages within the same conversation, or even the same sentence. For example, \u201c<\/span>N\u00e1l\u00ed<\/span><\/i> is coming over for dinner tonight,\u201d (Navajo) or \u201cIt\u2019s time to put on your <\/span>zapatos<\/span><\/i>,\u201d (Spanish).<\/span><\/p>\n

For many multilingual families, it\u2019s how communication flows naturally. Parents often blend dialects for many reasons:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n