Literacy Developing Products for Babies and Toddlers

As we’ve mentioned, literacy begins at birth. Babies are full of wonder and are carefully exploring the world around them from the moment that they open their eyes. Shapes and sounds are being absorbed and categorized, filed away to help them begin speaking, learning, and - eventually - reading. Play is essential to a child’s development. Babies and children learn about concepts and relationships through play.

I’ve listed below some products that are very useful for Latino parents looking to develop their child’s love of learning and literacy. Not only do these products develop letter recognition, but they also develop fine motor skills. I’ve already mentioned a few of these on this blog, but it is nice to have them all in one post related to this topic. To purchase any of these products, simply click on the name of the product to be directed to the appropriate website.

Spanish Alphabet Blocks

A Spanish language set comprised of 28 blocks that provide 4 complete alphabets, 3 sets of numerals, and 28 different animal pictures. The set includes the Spanish letters "CH", "Ñ", and "LL". Made from Michigan basswood, brightly colored with child-safe inks, and handcrafted with attention to detail. The blocks are a generous1 ¾” (44mm) cubed a perfect size for small hands!

Spanish ABC Puzzle Blocks

From Learning Resources. "Help children learn the Spanish alphabet (A through Z, plus ch, ll and n) with these two-piece wooden puzzles. Each kid-friendly puzzle features a fun picture of something beginning with a given letter and unique die cuts that match the shape of that letter. The wooden storage box with a plastic lid contains 29 two-piece solid wood puzzle blocks measuring 2" x 3.75" each. Box measures approximately 12" x 4.5"." To purchase your set, click here.

Easy Alphabet/¡Abecedario fácil!

This set is SO MUCH FUN! Packaged in a sturdy keepsake box with a magnetic closure, Easy Alphabet is made up of 27 cards plus a guide for parents. The guide is in both English and Spanish and describes different ways in which to use the cards with your child. An excellent product for developing your child’s early literacy skills, this set is geared for children ages 1 year and older. Even better, it grows with your child as you’ll see by the different activities listed in the parent’s guide. Like the board books described above, these cards are nice and thick with rounded corners. As an additional bonus, parents can visit BilingualReaders.com to find free audio files and extra activities to supplement these products.

My First Spanish ABC Picture Coloring Book

Entertaining, educational book introduces Spanish-speaking preschoolers and English-speaking youngsters to the 28 letters of the Spanish alphabet and almost 225 everyday Spanish words. Each letter is accompanied by illustrations of common objects whose names begin with that letter. A low-priced, entertaining and effective introduction to Spanish language skills.

29 Spanish Alphabet Mini-books

Easy-to-make reproducible books that promote literacy build letter and sound recognition. Just reproduce, fold, and snip! Students practice handwriting, begin letter collections, and make personalized Spanish word banks.

Spanish Alphabet Big Book

PreK and up. Reinforce letter recognition, spelling, sounds, and beginning words with this unique pocket chart that uses color coded letters and pictures. Easy-to-clean nylon chart features three clear pocket rows for card displays. Measures 28 1/4"W x 37 3/4"H.

Shopping for Navidad: Bilingual Toys for Toddlers

North America Bilingual Map Puzzle

Ingenio Toys are THE biggest thing to hit the bilingual toys market. They have a great selection of educational products that parents raising bilingual children will love, like this N. A. puzzle. "Children will love to play with this colorful & informative puzzle while gaining an early appreciation for geography. Helps you teach your child about your heritage and all the wonderful places that you have been to. Includes illustrations of all 50 U.S states, 32 Mexican states and all other North American countries. Learn country & state names in English & Spanish (if different). This puzzle is BIG -over six square feet (0.55 sq. m) when fully assembled! The puzzle pieces are extra thick and sturdy to last a long time . There are 48 large & easy to grasp pieces and store easily in the re-usable box." To check out their other great products, click here.

Bilingual Zingo!

For ages 4 years and up. Bingo with a twist, this game encourages pre-readers and early readers to match pictures and words on game tiles to the pictures and words on their challenge cards. First child with a full card yells "Zingo!" Find these and many other bilingual board games, here.

Magnetic Poetry Kids Spanish Kit

Fun, fun, fun! Magnetic Poetry has the neatest little pack of double-sided magnets for the refrigerator. With a Spanish word on one side and the English equivalent on the other, these little magnets are a great teaching tool. Created with the help of native speakers and language educators, the kit comes with over 200 bilingual tiles! I would definitely recommend this for older kids and adults. If you are concerned about buying magnets for your children and want more information on the type that Magnetic Poetry uses, check out their Safety Info page. Ages 5 and up. Find out more here.

Spanish ABC Puzzle Blocks

From Learning Resources. "Help children learn the Spanish alphabet (A through Z, plus ch, ll and n) with these two-piece wooden puzzles. Each kid-friendly puzzle features a fun picture of something beginning with a given letter and unique die cuts that match the shape of that letter. The wooden storage box with a plastic lid contains 29 two-piece solid wood puzzle blocks measuring 2" x 3.75" each. Box measures approximately 12" x 4.5"." To purchase your set, click here.

Loteria The King of Things/El Rey de las Cosas

From La Mano Press. This awesome boxed set includes beautifully illustrated cards that introduce both Spanish and English words. This fun and educational game can be enjoyed by everyone in the familia. You can find it here.

Shopping for Navidad: Bilingual Toys for Bebés

I am happy to see so many bilingual toys hitting the market. They are creating many opportunities for learning, acceptance and help to foster a healthy self image. Here are a few of MCL's favorite educational toys for the bilingual baby...

Spanish Alphabet Blocks

Piomu offers a Spanish language set comprised of 28 blocks that provide 4 complete alphabets, 3 sets of numerals, and 28 different animal pictures. The set includes the Spanish letters "CH", "Ñ", and "LL". Made from Michigan basswood, brightly colored with child-safe inks, and handcrafted with attention to detail. The blocks are a generous1 ¾” (44mm) cubed a perfect size for small hands! Check out these and other fine products here.

Bilingual Board Books

New on the market this year, are several products by Bilingual Readers, a new publishing company based out of Madrid. They have released some neat bilingual books and flashcards that are perfect for children learning Spanish or English. We love their set of animal books, which come nicely packaged in their own sturdy slipcase. Sea Animals/Animales del mar and Jungle Animals/Animales de la selva are perfect for children ages newborn to 3 years. The emphasis is on simple vocabulary, and each page focuses on one animal with the name in English above and the name in Spanish below. Parents will love how both board books come with rounded corners and washable pages (Wooohoo!) Learn more about Bilingual Readers here.

¡Bebé Baby! by Sassy

Well, at least someone's trying, no? And I have to admit that this little Piñata Burro Take Along is lindisimo! According to their site, Bebé Baby products combine significant traditional icons of Hispanic culture with fun and innovative attributes of today’s toys, giving parents a unique way to teach their children about the culture and traditions of their home country. Hmmm. Take a look and see what you think...

Baby Abuelita

This company has been around a while now, but their products are still just as good today as they were when they first launched. They feature five soft dolls each of which sings several traditional Spanish lullabies (the favorite in our house is Baby Tita). The best part is that each doll sings a different set of songs, so you can collect them all! Baby Abuelita also carries musical books and has released their first DVD. To learn about all their products, click here.

New Act Affects Work from Home Moms

Many of you may have already heard about the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act that has been passed and will affect thousands of small business owners, especially moms with a side business out of their home. The act that goes into effect on February 10th , basically imposes stricter regulations for lead and phthalate testing on ALL products for children under the age of 12. This includes books, T-shirts, bodysuits, dolls, wooden toys, educational materials, puzzles, everything. Even things like soft blocks, aprons, crayon wraps, crochet/knit scarves, hats and more will be regulated.

However, rather than punishing the main culprit (toys mass produced in China accounted for every single recall in 2007), the new law will cause independent toys makers, indie designers, and hundreds – if not thousands – of other small business owners specializing in handmade children’s products to close up shop.

The cost of testing each product for lead and/or phthalates could cost anywhere from $100 to $4000 – an impossible price for those who make original, one-of-a-kind pieces, such as baby quilts, hand-carved wooden toys, boutique-style outifits, etc.

Small business owners in the US, Canada and even Europe have taken great care to produce items that are safe for children – mostly because the owners are parents themselves. Though toy producers will take the biggest hit, many children’s apparel companies will be put out of business as well.

The outcry has been HUGE, but more voices are still needed. To learn more about the issue, check out the following sites. CoolMomPicks especially is a great resource.

http://coolmompicks.com/savehandmade/

http://www.fashion-incubator.com/blog/

http://thesmartmama.com/bg/

And to join in the fight to protect work from home moms like you and me, start by signing the petition here. We already have over 17,000 signatures and the more the better!

Spanish Themed Dollhouses

Wow. Can you believe this? I would have died for such a cool dollhouse like this one when I was una chiquitica. In fact, I would have to admit that I started squealing when I saw this on etsy. It is by Adobe Dollhouse Shop. They have two listed and I couldn't quite decide which one I love more. I think maybe the Southwest Mexican Dollhouse because I am such a sucker for arches. How about you? Southwest Mexican (right) or Southwest Spanish (left)?

And on the inside, both houses have a little tiny fireplace (Oooo!) and stained doors and stairways (Aaahhh!) Who knew anything so neat existed? I thought about buying one right away, but then realized, my kids are still too little and might break something which would cause me intense mental and emotional anguish. Perhaps I will wait just a little while longer. Or perhaps, I will have to buy and take care of it myself until they are older....much, much older.

They are a little pricey, but certainly worth it, I would think. On the other hand, wouldn't this make a super science project? Have the kids research different types of structures and then create their own. Hmmmm......

But, if you are like me, then you should just scoot on over to etsy. You can buy one here.

Bilingual Magnets Add Poetry to La Vida

It has been a very busy few days with wonderful ideas blossoming since my last post. I have a big announcement coming up soon, but to tide you all over, I am featuring a new item that I discovered and love, Love, LOVE!

Magnetic Poetry has the neatest little pack of double-sided magnets for the refrigerator. With a Spanish word on one side and the English equivalent on the other, these little magnets are a great teaching tool. The kit comes with over 200 bilingual tiles!

I would definitely recommend this for older kids and adults. If you are concerned about buying magnets for your children and want more information on the type that Magnetic Poetry uses, check out their Safety Info page.

To purchase Magnetic Poetry's Kids' Spanish Kit, click here.

Spanish Scrabble, Anyone?

I have always been a big fan of board games. Not only do they challenge us mentally, but I believe they are wonderful bonding tools. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of playing (countless) board games with my grandfather. Triominos, backgammon, scrabble, checkers, poker...my grandparents had a pile of games that I would excitedly shuffle through and then beg my grandfather to play with me. (He was quick to agree, so not much begging was required.)

Years later, after I began dating my husband, one of his sisters was always cracking open the pictionary, taboo or cranium (my favorite!) Unfortunately, my hubby is a bit of a party-pooper and never participated, but I sure had the time of my life with his family and friends.

So needless to say, since having kids, a small collection of board games has quietly begun growing in my house. I have been saving a few of them for when my kids are old enough to play them together (or with me. ) For her birthday, the above mentioned hermana sent my daughter a bunch of Dora board games, of which her favorite is Dora Bingo. It is a great way for her to practice her colors in Spanish.

For older children I have found one that is fun but still educational - great for helping them improve their spelling and Spanish. I have to admit, I think this would be great for adults, too. Amazon is selling Spanish Scrabble at a relatively cheap price.

If you'd like to pick one up, click here.

Hispanic Toys on the Rise

YIKES! A lot of possiblities today...shall I tell you about a collaboration I have been doing and the new products that will be available next week? Shall I highlight a few really cool projects that I have read about recently on some of my favorite blogs? Or highlight a new favorite blog, which features a plethora of crafts and activities for children? Or how about some neat toys I discovered yesterday?

Right. I'll wait on the collaboration and blogs, but feature some pretty neat toys I have recently stumbled upon for Hispanic families.

My kids have several toys by Play Town and Little People. I love the toys because they are great for children to role-play with and allows them to use their imaginations. I so enjoy listening to how my children funnel what they have learned about family, home and the outside world into their play time with toys like these. I recently found these little toys by Play Town that feature a Hispanic girl and boy, mom and dad. You can find these on Amazon.com. Unfortunately, I have to buy the caucasian parents, too, since my husband is a blonde, but the others are a generic respresentation of the rest of us...I even wear my hair up most of the time like the little mamacita! Buy them from Amazon here.

I am also a GIANT fan of Brain Quest. We have a few sets here at home that I crack out on almost a daily basis with my kids. I can't tell you how super super geeked I was to run across this set of Brain Quest's Hispanic America! Here is the description put out by Brain Quest:

"Celebrate the heritage: El Cid to Selena, marimbas and the Pyramid of the Sun. HISPANIC AMERICA covers it all: history, famous people, the Arch of Carabobo, geography, "The Liberator," pop culture, hasta la vista versus hasta luego, and more. Quiz yourself, quiz your parents—quiz your big brother. The Aztecs. La raza and el boricua. Sammy Sosa and a snack of pasteles."

Hee-Hee! Definitely for older kids, but I may just go ahead and buy it for me! If you are ready to get your set, you can find them for sale here.

OOOOO! I have a few more, products to tell you about, but will have to post about them later as I hear my kids waking up from nap-time!

Latina Crafter on Etsy Designs for la Familia

When I first began discovering the world of blogs – more specifically, craft blogs – I was pleasantly surprised to discover quite a few creative Latinas. I don't really know why I was surprised. I mean, haven't Latinas been finding ways to bring beauty to their homes and families for centuries? I think of all the huipiles, arpilleras, mantones, mácrame, etc, that I have seen over my 30 somethin’ years and am in awe of such talent, imagination and patience!
I still routinely scour the web trying to find other Latinas displaying and discussing their creations and ideas. So for all of you creative mámis out there, I have decided to feature Mia Zamora Johnson of Owlishly. As with many of us, Mia's interest in needlework began as a child when her paternal grandmother taught her how to crochet some of the basic stitches. But, as is often the case, Life got busy and time went by. Mia was busy with school and getting a degree and then marriage and so on. She didn't pick up another crochet hook until the birth of her first child when she designed and crocheted a baby blanket for her son, and then again later for her daughter.
(Isn't it funny, amigas, how our passage into motherhood suddenly sparks the voracious flame of CREATIVITY for so many of us? It is as if once we have created life, this giant monster that has been sleeping inside us, awakens and erupts out of our fertile bodies and demands that we begin a lifelong pursuit of inspiration, beauty, and art.)
Then, in 2006, an amigurumi doll caught her eye. Mia decided the time had come for her to learn how to read patterns so that she could make the stuffed doll for her daughter. After teaching herself from a book and making a few dolls, she decided that she could translate her own ideas and design her own dolls.
Mia says that she has always had a problem with the scarcity of ethnic dolls, so the first ones that she designed were a careful representation of her culture. Mia’s husband is Caucasian, and if you check out her etsy store, you will find that most of her dolls are tan (like Mia and her daughter), with a few lighter ones added (to represent her son).
Mia only sells crochet patterns from her etsy store, but she includes pictures of the finished products, so that you will have an idea of how each doll will look. There are so many adorable little dolls, and some are downright hilarious (check out El Ciclón Panzón Luchador/Mexican Wrestler!!), but by far my favorites are the Sarita Amigurumi Mexican Doll and El Rayo Azul Luchador, both of which are shown above.
And be sure to check out her craft blog, also Owlishly, which features a lot of her work, including pieces other than crochet.

Bilingual Book gift sets

If you haven't already discovered these sweet, lovable characters by Frijolitos Inc., then you need to run out and buy one right away! Established in 2002, by Martha Barrios and her family, Frijolitos is dedicated to celebrating the traditions, folklore and history of Latin America through the creation of Latino-themed products, such as books, plush toys and (coming soon) puppets.

Frijolitos characters include Albóndiga - the Mariachi dog (shown above), Tugita Tere - the book-loving turtle, Picadillo - the trouble-making armadillo, and Fifi la francesa - the pampered poodle, to name a few.

Each book is filled with colorful illustrations and presents educational and Latino values using culturally relevant themes.

I personally am looking forward to carrying this line through Latin Baby this coming year. But for now, if you'd like to learn more about the Frijolitos company, their products, or where to purchase them, please click here.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Latino Families

Feliz Navidad a todos! With the holidays fast approaching, I decided that I had better get cracking and start investigating holiday gift ideas. So over the next few weeks my posts will revolve around regalitos for Hispanic families.

My choices are dictated by the following three criteria:

1) The item(s) celebrates the Latino spirit.

2) The item(s) preserves or promotes Hispanic traditions.

or 3) The item(s) is created/crafted by a Latina(o).

So to start the ball rolling, I am going to champion a toy that probably most (if not all) of you have heard about. The Baby Abuelita dolls include Abuelita Rosa, Abuelito Pancho, Baby Andrea and Baby Tita. Each doll sings anywhere from 4 to 6 tender and sweet songs that preserve our Hispanic heritage. From "Arroz con Leche" to "Los Pollitos Dicen," "Naranja Dulce" to "Duermete, Mi Niña" these dolls are a wonderful tool for teaching little ones music while enhancing their listening and learning skills. A unique product on the market that is making a difference in children's lives. Thank you to Baby Abuelita's creators, Hilda Jimenez and Carol Fenster, for your contribution towards helping Latinos pass on their cultural identities!

An excellent gift from Abuelitas to their grandchildren.

So what are you waiting for? To order your Baby Abuelita doll, click here.

Losing our Culture a Little Bit at a Time?

El Paso Community College has a local history project called "Borderlands" in which English students research and write on topics of importance to the Texas-New Mexico-Mexico border. Each year, the student editors turn their research papers into feature articles and they are published in the El Paso Times. While reviewing the website and all of the articles of the past years, I stumbled upon one titled "Traditional Hispanic Children's Games Disappear" by Guadalupe G. Castillo. This is a fascinating yet sad little piece about how traditional children's games have been replaced by fancy store-bought toys.

What's happening to our imagination, People? HACK! It's being stifled by materialism.

Late at night in the dark, as I stumble over toys around my own house trying not to awaken my family as I get ready for bed, I am quickly reminded that I, too, am suffering from the "Too Many Toys" Syndrome. I think that tomorrow I will initiate a good game of bebe leche and dig out all those bottle tops in the recycling cabinet....

To read this excelente article, click here.

To find out how to order the baleros shown above, or other cultural toys, visit Leos Mexican Imports by clicking here.

Traditional Originals?

If you are looking for a classic children's gift with a Spanish touch, check out these fantastic heirloom-quality set of 28 Spanish alphabet wood blocks available at Magellan's Toy Shop. This fantastico set is complete with Ñ, CH, LL and more. Each block features four alphabets, numbers in Spanish and a side with animals and their Spanish names. Made of basswood they come with two embossed sides, beveled edges and non-toxic inks.

Need a baby shower game? How about having each guest take a turn stacking a block and having them tell what they think is an important building block for life. The winner is the last person to successfully stack a block before the tower falls - not the person who topples the stack.

Or, for a Spanish baby shower game version, try having each guest pick a block and name a (baby) word that contains that letter - i.e, pañales for Ñ, botella for LL, etc.

Also, these blocks are great for decorating a Spanish baby shower, and afterwards, the mother-to-be gets to keep the blocks!

A fantastic find for only $34.50!

To see these and other great Spanish gifts, click here.

Fiesta Furniture!

I love this little chair! Is is so warm and joyful! It is handpainted by Little Palm Painter. For more info see here.

¡Buen Provecho!

Last week I discovered a wonderful web site called Rodrigvitz Style. It has a festive collection of oilcloth products created by owner, Stephanie Hilvitz. In the tabletop section, she has some great chalkmats for sale. Reversible, one side is blackboard oilcloth and the other side has a pattern of your choice (there are three to choose from). Chalk is included! An excellente idea for making mealtimes more interesting for your toddlers....
For more information, see here.