Spanish and Me!   Mexico Youth Education
at Instituto Chac-Mool Spanish Schools in Mexico

Instituto Chac-Mool offers children and teen Spanish programs for ages as young as 4-5 years. Our year round programs are available in Cuernavaca south of Mexico City and in Tulum, Mexico which is south of Cancun. This gives you a city or a beach destination for your family's learning vacation. Or visit both!

The kids programs at Instituto Chac-Mool Spanish School are created specifically for younger learners in order to keep them active and engaged while learning Spanish. Instructors are youthful, inspirational, and native Spanish speakers. They are educated in teaching young minds and understand that the younger age groups learn differently than adults. Motivational and fun, teachers will guide kids in their classes based on their starting level and their ability to stay focused on the new material. Classes are interactive and will prepare your child for conversational Spanish.

Instituto Chac-Mool offers two different Youth Spanish Programs. We recommend (and sometimes require) at least one parent or a designated guardian to also be studying at Instituto Chac-Mool Spanish School.

PROGRAMA AMIGUITOS FOR CHILDREN

Introduce your child to the Spanish language and culture of Mexico with Programa Amiguitos at Instituto Chac-Mool. In this day camp type program, young children learn Spanish words and phrases through educational, yet fun activities which include matching games, story telling, singing, drawing, creative thinking, and play acting.

With emphasis on cultural immersion, this course's thematic approach ensures that each student is challenged at their own level. This is done by utilizing interesting and diverse themes, such as animals, ecology, and ocean life. As part of the learning process the children may make items such as Mayan calendars, bark paintings, masks, and Aztec headdresses. They may also garden, play soccer and other sports. All activities are age appropriate and classes are limited to 8 children per qualified children's instructor. For those children only 4 years of age, acceptance isn't guaranteed. Please contact us to discuss if your child is ready for this program.

Cuernavaca Rates >>   Tulum Rates >>   Cost Calculator >>

SPANISH PREP PROGRAM

The Spanish Prep Program has been created for teens and for children who have had previous exposure to Spanish such participating in a dual immersion program during the school year. Taught by enthusiastic, qualified, and relatable young instructors, Spanish Prep is fast paced, interactive, inspirational and fun. Our goal is to have juniors and teens not only comfortable and confident speaking Spanish, but also learn about the culture and history of Mexico. The program includes dynamic activities, each one with a clear educational and character building objective. Since this program has an emphasis on learning Spanish, teachers inspire students to contribute and connect with others by using only the Spanish language.

The Spanish Prep Program combines structure and role play activities with workshops, social activities, and even sports. The program has an academic foundation with a strong emphasis on developing and improving Spanish communication skills. To be able to assimilate well into a middle and high school Spanish class we recommend a three or four week program, however students may enroll for as short as one week.

The size of each Spanish Prep class is no larger than 6 students per specially trained instructor. For older teens we recommend our Peer Group Program.

CLASS HOURS

Classes begin each weekday at 8:00 am in Tulum and 8:50 am in Cuernavaca, same as Instituto Chac-Mool's adult programs. Classes are scheduled for 5 fun (and educational!) hours each day, Monday through Friday and the children and teens may join afternoon and evening activities with their parents.

Cuernavaca Rates >>   Tulum Rates >>   Cost Calculator >>

ACCOMMODATIONS

Instituto Chac-Mool in Cuernavaca has comfortable homestay families with several rooms available to welcome families such as yours into their homes. If you'd like to arrange your own private rental, www.cuernavacainfo.com is one source for Cuernavaca rental properties.

In Tulum, many students choose to stay at a vacation rental or hotel at the beach or in nearby Tulum pueblo where the Spanish school is located. We are compiling a list of Tulum pueblo rentals here. If you'd like a homestay accommodation with three daily meals, contact us for availability. Currently homes with two rooms available are very limited in Tulum.

Instituto Chac-Mool Information

about us | cuernavaca | tulum | adult spanish courses | housing | contact | register for classes

I just wanted to send you a quick note to tell you how much we enjoyed our time in Tulum at Chac-Mool. It was more than we could have ever hoped and dreamed for. At first my children really wanted nothing to do with "summer school" but by the end they were trying to figure out how we could extend our trip in order to go to school!

Everyone there was so helpful, friendly, and kind to myself and my children. Nelly was amazing as was Fernando and the rest of the staff. The extra cooking and capoeira classes were so much fun that we didn't even realize we were learning!

The host family that was set up for us was amazing. They took care of every need and we became quite close to them during our stay. They were many tears shed by both families when we had to say goodbye to our Mexican family. We hope to return some day in the near future.
 -Michele

We want to tell how pleased we were with your school at the new location in Tulum. We traveled to Yucatan Peninsula at the beginning of February with our 9 year old granddaughter, Jasmine. The objective was twofold: to give Jasmine an appreciation of that region of Mexico and to give her some training in the Spanish language.

We were fortunate to find your Tulum school and enrolled Jasmine as a beginner for a week, a couple of hours a day, one on one. Jasmine seemed to thrive in the outdoor classroom with her teacher, Alejandra. We enrolled her for a second week with three hours of class a day, and then a third and then a fourth week, postponing our planned tour of the Yucatan Peninsula. After 55 hours of class, Jasmine's comprehension of the language leaped from nearly zero to useful as we moved about Tulum and she was timidly speaking the language as her confidence grew.

Important also, for both of our objectives, were afternoon activities with other students and teachers, cooking and crafts being the most enjoyable, as well as excursions on the weekends to snorkel, both at cenotes near Tulum and to the beach at Akumal to swim with turtles and to the lagoons just north of there (we grandparents joined in the activities and excursions as well).

Alejandra was fantastic in gaining Jasmine's friendship and trust and Nelly and Mauricio and their boys are terrific people and the parents are talented teachers.

We have Jasmine's Chac Mool Spanish language workbook with us and plan to continue lessons here. I hope we can visit Tulum and your school soon to repeat our very, very positive experience.
  -Eric and Roberta

This has been one truly wonderful experience for my son and me. I hope to return next year. Our four weeks here in Cuernavaca have rekindled my desire to learn to speak Spanish. After two semesters of frustration in Spanish class, this experience has really allowed me the time to loop all the tiny bits and pieces of Spanish floating around my head to come together. I am once again excited about learning and reinforcing my Spanish skills. I look forward to returning to Cuernavaca again and again to solidify these elusive concepts.
  -Bridget

We've just returned from our second trip to your school, and again have only great things to say about our Spanish teachers and our host family. Thank you again.
  -Tom

This has been a wonderful experience for our whole family. My husband and I greatly improved our ability to listen and speak Spanish. My kids have learned an incredible amount of Spanish and enjoyed learning the culture and playing with the sweet children they met. Our 'family' was just that, they worried for us constantly and were gracious as well as hospitable. The teachers were very knowledgeable and personally interested in our progress. This has been the trip of a lifetime.
  -Debbi and family

It was a joy to find a well supervised program where the kids are actually taught Spanish. Since our kids already knew quite a bit of Spanish, I was anxious for them to get to the next level. Your great teachers did an excellent job, I commend you and all the staff that made our Spanish learning vacation so successful and enjoyable.
  -Alicia and kids

Instituto Chac-Mool Information

about us | cuernavaca | tulum | adult spanish courses | housing | contact | register for classes