About Tatako

Tatako makes short spoken English lessons for children aged 2 to 4. A lesson takes about five minutes, there is nothing to read, and a small round octopus keeps everyone company. He has eight arms, no socks, and usually loses count at seven.

Why Tatako exists

Many families in the United States speak Spanish at home and want their little ones to feel at ease in English before preschool. A lot of what is out there is made for children who already read, or for long sessions in front of a screen. We wanted something smaller: a few words a day, said slowly, with a grown-up close by.

Spanish stays the language of home. Tatako adds a little English on top, at a toddler’s pace. A Spanish guide voice can explain what to do, and you can switch it off whenever you like.

How a lesson works

1. Hear it, say it. Each word plays three times, with a pause to say it out loud.
2. Touch it. Two pictures appear, and your child touches the one they hear.
3. Name it. The picture comes back without the word, and your child names it first.

There are 280 first words and phrases, from “hello” and “mommy” to colors, animals and what the teacher says at preschool. After each lesson you spend about two minutes marking how every word went: New, Repeat more, Understands or Can say. Shaky words come back first; new words wait their turn.

Who writes the blog

The posts on the Tatako blog are written by Max, the founder of Tatako. They are practical notes for parents: word lists, little games for breakfast and bath time, and plain answers to the questions bilingual families ask most.

We keep it to what you can try at home today, and we never make medical claims. If a worry is about how your child is talking, the right person to ask is your child’s pediatrician. When a post changes in a meaningful way, the date at the top says so.

Say hello

Questions, ideas or a word your child is very proud of? Write to us through the contact page. Or start a lesson right now: it works in the browser on any phone or tablet.