EnCantada is an independent company dedicated to providing children with an immersion into English and Spanish language through music, singing, stories and play.
Our sessions have been specifically crafted to be enjoyable, exciting and engaging for everyone attending, not just the children because let’s be honest, there’s only so many Incy Wincys, Wheels on the Buses and Baby Sharks we adults can handle, right?
During our sessions, we use a range of music from traditional nursery rhymes in both languages, to our very own compositions accompanied with lots of fun props, toys and instruments to allow every child to get the most out of the EnCantada experience.
We also hope that parents and carers will enjoy it just as much as a wonderful opportunity to interact with their children, meet other parents through the sessions and pick up some Spanish along the way. Please do not worry, however, we want the adults to feel comfortable and happy too, so it is not required of you to sing Twinkle Twinkle in Spanish, unless of course you want to, which would be totally amazing!
¡Hola! Hi! I’m Jane, EnCantada founder and session leader. I’m a fully qualified Primary School teacher who has spent the past 7 years working in schools in both the UK and in Spain.
Music has always been a huge part of my life and singing is something I’ve loved to do from a very early age. I’ve gone from singing Christmas carols to my Grandma in the living room to singing in choirs, karaoke (of course!) and then moving onto professional singing as a solo performer and in bands with some fabulous musicians.
Languages have also been a passion of mine, my Mum, who spent time living France as a child, has always encouraged this and would read and sing in French to my brothers and I, with ‘Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’ being my personal favourite! My Dad, whose mother was from Cartagena, Spain, would teach us all bits and pieces of vocabulary and I was fascinated as a child listening to him chatter away when we visited our family and got the chance to hear him speak in Spanish.
Although my Dad was bilingual, it wasn’t until I was in my teens when I began to study the language myself, alongside French, at school and I have continued ever since, on regular holidays out to Spain, a couple of summers working out there and eventually moving there for two years to work in an international school.
Working in a school in Spain where all of the children were using English a second language on a daily basis really made me realise just how simple it can be to make another language accessible for children. Also, just how vital it is to give children the opportunity from the very youngest of ages, which is why I decided to set up EnCantada to give children the opportunity to experience another language, along with their own, in a natural and enjoyable way.
