Prioritizing Language Learning
What a gift our family has been given to explore over 30 countries across five continents before our kids have even become teenagers. We’ve crammed into tuk-tuks throughout Kenya, hiked to volcano craters in El Salvador, overnighted in a Switzerland igloo, and had countless adventures across the globe. But after spending extended time in nine Spanish-speaking countries—from coastal towns in Spain to high-altitude pueblos in Colombia— there’s one thing we’d go back and do differently in a heartbeat.
TruFluency Kids
Abigail has been taking classes for the past few months, and she’s been all in—which, let’s be honest, isn’t always easy to say about online learning. Because she speaks with native Spanish speakers multiple times a week, sometimes one-on-one depending on class size, she had zero hesitation jumping into conversations with locals here in Central America. In fact, there have been several moments where she’s reminded us of words or phrases we’re fumbling to remember!
Even while backpacking and bouncing between towns during our travels, Abigail hasn’t missed a beat. Since the classes are flexible and online, she just logs in wherever we are that day. One week it was at a surf resort in El Salvador, the next it was overlooking Lake Atitlan in Guatemala—but the learning continues, seamlessly.
And several months in? She’s still thrilled for every single lesson. I overhear her laughing with her teacher, cracking jokes, telling stories—all in Spanish. Because our schedule has shifted during travel, she’s now worked with three different teachers and has absolutely loved every one of them. As parents, this tells us the quality and care of the program runs deep, no matter which class you choose.
In business since 2011, TruFluency Kids uses their trademarked Bellieu method which emphasizes speaking and listening over reading and writing. Founder Micah Bellieu says that if the kids can speak and understand, then they will easily learn to read in literally a couple of weeks. But if they learn to read and write, that does not do anything for speaking and listening. In short, TFK does this on purpose, because reading and writing comes naturally later. This was a perfect approach for Abigail as she was able to use what she was learning from day one! Our membership even includes a detailed Parent’s Guide to reinforce concepts on off days with original storybooks, songs and audiobooks sent straight to your email AND a subscription for games and review on the website Rockalingua.
What Makes TruFluency Kids So Worth It?
- LIVE, energetic instructors who keep it fun and interactive
- Flexible class schedules that fit our travel life
- Real-world immersion, centered on speaking and connection
- Tailored curriculum for kids ages 4–17
- Confidence through conversation, not just memorization
If you’ve got a Spanish-speaking destination on your family’s travel list—or just want your kids to grow up with the confidence to connect across cultures—we highly recommend checking out TruFluency Kids. Use promo code Ashley10 for 10% off your first purchase.
**This post contains affiliate links. We are grateful for this complimentary opportunity to try this program out. All opinions are our own.
To see all our travel adventures during a year-long backpacking trip around the world, head over to our Instagram page.
Have questions about TruFluency or traveling with kids? Drop us a comment—we love sharing the real-life details that make trips smoother.
