Holiday Gifting: Canticos

The following is a sponsored post in collaboration with Canticos. All thoughts and opinions are mine. 

This week, I've shared gift ideas for kids in elementary, middle school, and high school. Today, I'm focusing on preschool. And, of course, you know who my go-to for bilingual gifts for this age range is: Canticos!

Seriously, y'all, for toddlers and preschoolers, you absolutely cannot beat all the amazing bilingual books, toys, and other resources that are available from Canticos. I'm looking forward to buying some books and puzzles for my 3yo. Why? Because I absolutely love how all of them are geared to helping prepare our nenes for preschool and beyond by teaching those important concepts they need to grow and develop. 

Especially now, when so many parents suddenly find themselves teaching preschool at home and are searching for those resources that will help them in their family's bilingual journey.

Read on to learn about all the fabulous collections that Canticos has created for families!

**All orders placed this month will ship December 1st. And be sure to follow them on social media because they are offering discounts on all of these products and the app subscription throughout this month and next!

Bilingual Firsts Collection 

Ages: 2+
$12.99 - $13.99 (individual books) $44.99 (entire collection)

I love that you can buy these books individually or as the whole collection. The Bilingual Firsts Collection is designed to give children foundational math, literacy, and social emotional skills as they start their bilingual journey. Each book covers a new concept, with beautiful original illustrations and adorable bilingual characters to help along the way. The concepts include: First 100 Words, Letters A-Z, Numbers 1 to 100, Shapes & Patterns, Opposites, and Feelings. These are all important concepts that your child should learn in preschool as they prepare for kindergarten. And the last three books listed above include interactive flaps to further engage your child's curiosity.

Bilingual Puzzles

Ages: 2+ 

$9.99 (puzzle pairs)  $24.99 (jumbo puzzles) 

• Bilingual Puzzle Pairs: Numbers / Rompecabezas de Pares Bilingüe: Números
  
• Bilingual Puzzle Pairs: Opposites / Rompecabezas de Pares Bilingüe: Opuestos

Play and learn in English and Spanish with these fun puzzles, each one featuring 10 pairs! Your child will learn their numbers and opposites in two languages, setting them up for their bilingual learning journey.

• Canticos Bilingual Jumbo Puzzle: Musical Parade / Rompecabezas Gigante Bilingüe: Desfile Musical
  

Your child will love discovering a new friend with each instrument along the way. Finish the 18-piece puzzle to see the whole Canticos crew in this musical celebration!

• Canticos Bilingual Jumbo Puzzle: Letters A-Z / Rompecabezas Gigante Bilingüe Letras A - Z

Assemble the 30-piece puzzle one way and sing the song in English, then flip the pieces over and do the same thing in Spanish with a few extra letters (Ch, Ll & Ñ)! Your child will learn their letters in English and Spanish, setting them up for their bilingual learning journey.

Alphabet recognition is the most reliable predictor of reading ability! The more letters children can recognize at an early age, the higher their potential for academic success.

Bilingual Stroller Cards

Ages: 2+ 

$11.99 (35 cards)

• Bilingual Stroller Cards: Colors & Shapes / Flash Cards Bilingües: Colores y Formas
• Bilingual Stroller Cards: First Words / Flash Cards Bilingües: Mis Primeras Palabras

Are you getting exercise by running or taking walks around your neighborhood or local park with your child in a stroller? Why not take advantage of those moments and provide them with a learning opportunity to keep them busy? These stroller cards would be great for car seats, walkers, and even high chairs, too!

Build your child's vocabulary anywhere with these portable stroller cards that are fun to look at and easy to take on-the-go. Your child will learn their first words, as well as their colors and shapes in English and Spanish, setting them up for success in their bilingual learning journey...

Speaking a second language helps kids develop a better attention span, improves their ability to multitask, and increases educational performance as they grow.

Bilingual Preschool App

You may remember me sharing the Canticos' Bilingual Preschool App last month. I wrote up a complete review here. If you are looking for educational apps that will develop your child's bilingualism, this is it! The app is a clever compilation of a lot of the amazing videos Canticos has created over the years, plus additional activities to nurture learning and reinforce preschool concepts. And it is 100% ad free! Click the link above to read a complete review. 

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Los Pollitos Bilingual App
  
  
• Canticos Videos
  
  
• Canticos Bilingual Preschool App
  
  
• Skeletitos: Make Every Moment Count
  
  
• Preschool at Home: A Guide for Caregivers

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Canticos. I only work with companies that I feel are a good fit for MommyMaestra readers. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

App Review: Yash Math Adventure

As we head into summer vacation, I have to think about how I'm going to keep my kids' reading and math skill sharp without making them feel like we're doing school work. Reading is easy as I simply make regular trips to the library and bookstore to let them choose their own books. But math tends to be another matter. At first, I was having them do one lesson each week from their math curriculum, but that was ALWAYS met with resistance and complaining. And then, I had the opportunity to review a new app by Degenet and my problem was solved! (Pun intended!)

Name: Yash Math Adventure
Subject(s): Math
Brief Description: A math learning app disguised as an adventure game!
Price: $2.99
Language: Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, and French
Ages: 6+ years
Device: iOS, Android, Windows, Kindle

Created by a team of Hispanic team of artists, software and game developers, Yash Math Adventure is the most fun math app that we've encountered so far. My son, who is not a fan of math, but loves adventure games, has really enjoyed this app. And so has my daughter who is going into 7th grade. From beginning math students to advanced, this is an app that grows with your child. You can change your setting to determine the complexity of the math problems. 

First, you select a profile. Up to three different profiles can be stored at once, so you can either have three different players at different skill levels using the app (like my son who just finished 4th grae and my daughter who just completed 6th), or you can set it up so that one game focuses on addition or subtraction skills (or both!), while another focuses on multiplication and/or division. You can select the difficulty level (beginner, intermediate, and advanced).

Then you'll watch a short animation that introduces you to to the game (see more below). After that you begin moving through the levels that include different habitats, such as woodlands, palm beach, hollow caverns, desert valley, hidden falls, and mount lava.

In true Mario Brothers fashion, you'll be collecting coins, dodging creatures, jumping and swimming your way to success. Sometimes you'll have to push a lever to open a gate and in order to push it you have to successfully complete a math problem. Or if you accidentally get stung by a bee or fall in a pit, you have to answer another math problem. There is a nice balance of adventure and math in this app so that your child doesn't get annoyed by the amount of math problems, but isn't just sitting there playing some mindless game, either.

And MommyMaestra readers will love that this app is that it is available in SIX different languages. You don't have to buy separate apps. When you start the game, just click on "Options" and then select your preferred language. There isn't a lot of reading or language involved, just a fun animated introduction before the game begins. It basically tells you that some bad guy has hidden coins all over the world and you have to go and collect them to save the day. 

You can also turn off the music, sounds, or reset the game from the Options menu. The music isn't obnoxious and the graphics are rich and colorful.

We also love the little student with his backpack. He's cute, but my daughter does wish that the game offered the option of a little girl, too.

So if you're looking for an app that your kid will actually enjoy and that hones his or her math skills at the same time, this is it! You can play this game year round, or save it for the summers. 

Visit their website to learn more. Enjoy! 

App Review: WILD KRATTS Baby Buddies

Did you know that there's a new PBS KIDS app out? And it features one of my son's favorite shows: WILD KRATTS!

Name: WILD KRATTS Baby Buddies
Subject(s): science (basic needs, biology)
Brief Description: An interactive app for kids that teaches children about animal care and animal science.
Price: $1.99
Language: English
Ages: 3 - 8 years
Device: iOS, Android

My animal-loving son absolutely adores this app because it allows him to take care of baby animals. He joins Chris and Martin Kratt as they care for young creatures on the African Savannah. There are five different ones: a baby elephant, cheetah, crocodile, zebra, and aardvark. Within the savannah, each species lives in a different niche and has different requirements for survival. Your child will learn how to feed, wash, protect and play with each baby animal.

For each species, Chris or Martin activate their creature power to be more like a parent to that animal. Your child will learn about the different adaptations each animal has. For example, your child may learn that baby cheetahs have a different pattern to their fur to help them look like badgers and scare hyenas away.

The only complaint my son has is that there are only African animals - he'd love to see more species from around the world!

App Review: Juana la Iguana

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Juana, la iguana. All thoughts and ideas expressed above are strictly my own.

Are you the parent of a preschooler? If so, (and if you have followed me for any amount of time) you know that I believe that preschool is critical to a child's future success. Even if you don't enroll your child in a good-quality preschool and are working with him or her at home, you still need tools to help you teach those important concepts that all children need to master before they start their formal education. Today, I have a new one for you.

Name: Juana, la iguana
Subject(s): Preschool concepts
Brief Description: An interactive app for preschoolers that teaches children basic skills such as counting, colors, and vocabulary development.
Price: $2.99
Language: Spanish
Ages: 3 - 5 years
Device: iOS

Juana la iguana is a vibrant app that is engaging for preschoolers who will find five activities that help them learn to identify colors and count up to 10. The illustrations are fun and colorful, making the app enjoyable.

Your child will learn the names of animals and fruits, while completing simple games that reinforce the vocabulary, such as matching...

Or develop hand-eye coordination by having kids drag and drop...

Or help them learn to count by touching and counting aloud...

The app is completely in Spanish, thus immersing the child in the language. However, I think that what I love most about this app is that the reward each child receives for completing the activities is an opportunity to stand up and dance to a fun, energetic song.

The only thing I don't like is that it appears to only be available for iOS and I know that the majority of MommyMaestra readers use android phones and tablets.

And if you enjoy this app, the developer has a second Juana app available with a beach theme. You can find it here.

Disclosure: I received this app for review purposes. All thoughts and ideas expressed above are strictly my own.

Moff Band + PBS KIDS Party

Is your kid in love with tech, but you are worried about too much screen time and not enough physical activity? Betty is back this week with a review!

Santi was thrilled to test and review the super cool Moff Band and PBS KIDS Party app. I knew that the two innovative, educational and smart products for kids would make the perfect match. So perfect that Santi, who will be 5 this weekend, knew it was special…he even said it was the perfect holiday gift!

The Moff Band is a smart wearable toy that empowers children to get up, use their imagination and take action. Let’s face it; kids will take any and every opportunity to use their electronic devices. Although so many digital toys are super educational today, as a parent I worry about how much they are deeply concentrating and focusing on small and large screens. After 20 minutes on their tablets or my smart phone, they are out of sorts! The Moff Band allows kids to step away from the device and dance, practice their favorite sport or pretend to be a ninja without staring at any screen. Santi’s imagination went wild and after a few minutes, completely walked away from the screen and continued his imaginative play.

Over 30 realistic sound effects are included in the free Moff app. Sounds include air drums, guitar, ninja swords, baseball, cooking and magic wands. What’s even better is that Moff has partnered with PBS KIDS and Santi has the choice to go over to PBS KIDS Party app and play with the Moff band there too! Dance, Sounds, Piñata, and Numbers are the current four games and lots of fun. Interactive and educational? This mom says, “Yes, please!”

Designed for 5 to 8-year-olds, PBS KIDS Party and Moff Band has been played and enjoyed by Santi’s younger and older brothers. Check out the video to see Santi in action.

----------------------------------------------------

Betty Galvan, is writing "for smart and stylish moms" over

at MyFriendBettySays.com.

App Review: WordWorld Tales

Do your kids love the PBS KIDS TV show, WordWorld? Did you know that PBS KIDS' first “appisodes” app called WordWorld Tales is now available? It's based on their hit Emmy Award-winning program for preschoolers!

Name: WordWorld Tales

Subject(s): language arts
Brief Description: An interactive story tales app that focuses on early literacy.
Price: FREE
Language: English
Ages: 2 - 5 years
Device: iOS

WordWorld Tales includes a library of exclusive, touchable story tales that focus on early literacy skills. As children explore, discover, collect and create different parts of each appisode, they create their own learning adventures. The app is geared to develop vocabulary and helps children build words. Preschoolers can even sing along to some of their favorite WordWorld songs. 

This app comes with two free appisodes:

Happy Birthday, Dog!: It’s Dog’s birthday and all his friends in WordWorld are planning a surprise party. Help the WordFriends collect all the supplies for Dog’s party while focusing on print awareness, letter recognition and word building.

A Christmas Present for Dog: Something is wrong with Dog’s present from Santa! Discover the giving spirit and help save Dog’s Christmas while focusing on writing letters, letter recognition, and word building.

NOTE: Additional appisodes are available for in-app purchase. 

App Review: David Wiesner's Spot

Unusual apps that engage my kids are always a plus in my book. But this latest app from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is just so creative and unlike any other I've seen. Three-time Caldecott Medal winner, David Wiesner transports us to five fantastical worlds in Spot.

Name: David Wiesner's Spot
Subject(s): science, art
Brief Description: An interactive, wordless book app. 
Price: $3.99
Language: 
Ages: 0 - 12 years
Device: iOS

What my kids like:
My son loves the imagination behind this app. Who ever thought that the dust bunnies under the chair could lead to a newspaper article where the ink pixels are actually millions of ladybugs holding umbrellas? To use the app, he has to select an object then pinch and zoom to magnify it. Only the thing is that as the magnification increases, the image turns into a whole new world full of fantastical beings.

What I like:
I love the interface of illustration, imagination, and technology. I feel like it takes storytelling to a completely different level. This app nurtures my children's sense of curiosity. It is also nice that parents and educators can download guides to help expand the child's learning experience.

Really, Spot is hard to explain and simply must be experienced. So here's a quick look at the app and what your child will experience...

App Review: Ortografía Paso a Paso

You might remember my sharing this app for teaching children to read in Spanish using phonics-based games. Lee Paso a Paso has proven to be a favorite among both parents and teachers. So I was delighted when one of the app's developers contacted me to share some new ones that they've developed. I think you'll find this new one just as valuable and effective.

Name: Ortografía Paso a Paso
Subject(s): Spanish grammar
Brief Description: An app that teaches the basic rules for accentuation of the Spanish language through interactive games.
Price: $3.99 (50% discount for schools)
Language:  Spanish
Ages: 6 years old and older
Device: iOS

What I like:
I especially love that this app focuses on accentuation, an aspect of Spanish spelling that I think many students and heritage speakers find confusing or difficult. In fact, it is designed so that students learn and practice the following concepts:

· Identifying the sílaba tónica
· Words classified as Agudas
· Words classified as Graves or Llanas
· Words classified as Esdrújulas
· Words classified as Sobreesdrújulas
· Accentuation of Agudas, Graves, Esdrújulas and Sobreesdrújulas words.
· Diptongos
· Hiatos

There are approximately eight games that are simple and fun, not overwhelming with repetition. The begin with a description of the rule or definition of the concept. I like that the audio is of a child reading the definition and the text appears on the screen with important words highlighted in larger, colored font. But you can definitely turn off the music, word sounds, and the narrator with just a swipe of the button.

You can also control the word pronunciation by selecting the Mexican or Spanish option.

But do you know what I liked best? It was that this app is helpful for anyone learning to read or write in Spanish. The reason I don't write in Spanish is because I was never taught how. I don't know all the rules, my conjugation can be embarrassing, and accents? Oy! I really loved that I learned something myself playing this app. 

There is also a Lite version that is available for free.

Note: This app is only in Spanish.

App Review: Magicflix

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Magicflix and Latina Bloggers Connect. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One of the things that has always bothered me about letting my kids watch videos online is the adult content that frequently works its way onto the screen through ads or links. It drives me crazy that inappropriate content is may only be a click or two away.  It is something that every parent should be on the look out for. How I've longed for sites that have lots of parent approved content for children! So I'm absolutely thrilled to have discovered Magicflix, a new app that curates kid-safe, kid-friendly content! Read on to learn more...

Name: Magicflix
Subject(s): science, math, Spanish
Brief Description: A safe, curated video service for kids
Price: Free
Language: English, Spanish
Ages: 0 - 12 years
Device: iOS, Android

What I like:
I love that I don't have to watch over my children's shoulder to make sure that they won't be exposed to any content that is inappropriate. Their videos are good "edutainment" - they entertain kids while teaching them new things. When I visited their site to learn more about the app, I read that a Montessori teacher is in charge of their curation process for videos, so the criteria is based on Montessori guidelines. (That's a WIN! in my book.)

And I know that many MommyMaestra readers will love that the app includes Spanish and bilingual videos, too, including some of our favorites by Music with Sara, guiainfantil.com, and more.

This app was created by moms, who like myself were looking for age-appropriate and positive clips. It makes me feel more confident in the product knowing it was created by other moms. While they have a great selection of videos currently available, I'm certainly looking forward to seeing more added. I would like to see more categories for geography, world cultures, craft tutorials, how things are made, and holidays included.

When you download the app, you get a free trial period. I'm not sure how long this lasts as I didn't see any details about it in the introductory email that I received. But the email does also give you a link back to the Magicflix site where you can make video recommendations or add your own child's videos to their account. (PLEASE use caution when doing this and do not include videos that reveal your address or where your child goes to school.)

What my kids like:
They love the variety of videos on so many different topics, but especially science. My kids can learn about everything from birds of paradise to dolphins to tsunamis. My son loves the funny (sometimes) animated characters. It's obvious that the selection of videos are from companies that create content specifically for children.

They also love that they can save all of their favorite videos in one spot so that they don't have to search for them in the different categories.

So if you are looking for an app to gift this holiday season, be sure to consider Magicflix!

Blue Planet Interactive Story Book App for Bilingual Readers

I've got another goodie for those of you raising bilingual readers. Blue Planet Tales has a special interactive app full of eBooks about world history and real life. From the race to the South Pole to the history of pirates to the construction of the pyramids, your child will enjoy these educational and entertaining stories.

Name: Blue Planet Tales
Subject(s): Reading, History, Science
Brief Description: An interactive story book app in Spanish & English featuring stories of historical events and people.
Price: Free with in-app purchases; $0 - $2.99
Language: Spanish, English
Ages: 4 - 10
Device: iOS, Android 

What I like:

I love the focus of the stories are vibrantly illustrated and teach history, technological and social progress through adventurous stories. I also appreciate how they are inclusive of Hispanic figures. For example, The Liberator is the story of Simón Bolivar. How often do we see stories like that featured? And the stories are in English and Spanish.

Your child can choose to read the stories himself, or listen to the app instead. 

And each book comes with reading comprehension questions to help boost your child's literacy skills.

 

To learn more, visit their website (available in English or Spanish).

App Review: YodelOh! Math Mountain

When I was little, we lived for a while with my 'Buelita. She's the reason I fell in love with The Price Is Right. And one of my favorite games on that show was the one with the little Swiss? mountain climber complete with lederhosen whom you had to help climb to the top of the mountain without him falling off the cliff. So imagine my delight upon discovering this educational app based on the same premise!

Name: YodelOh! Math Mountain
Subject(s): Math
Available on: iPad, iPhone, Nook, Amazon, Google Play 
Brief Description:  A fast-paced game to reinforce basic math skills.
Price: $2.99 
Language: English 
Ages: 9 and up 

What my kids like:  
- The quick pace. But I have to admit that they also dislike it for the same reason! This game goes by quickly and keeps the player on his or her toes. There's a lot going on. Not only do they have to solve the equation, but they also have to be on the lookout for crazed billy goats trying to push them off the mountain (don't worry, they disappear with the tap of a finger!), plus briefly appearing images that grant bonus points when tapped. 

- The music! 

- The colorful graphics. Seriously, who wouldn't love the cheerful mountain climber and the angry goats?

-There's no limit. They can play as long as they can keep guessing the right answers and stop those crazy goats from touching their mountain climber!

What I like: As a teacher, I like that I/they can choose the subject of the equations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or a combination of all four. It helps me to focus them on one particular skill, if they need extra practice. I also like that there are NO 3rd-party ads, social networks, location tracking, easy web access, or in-app purchase opportunities. You download the game and just play.

While it is technically in English, there's really not a lot of language used except for Math - a universal language, no?

I think it is totally worth every penny, and I use it to sneak in learning during fun breaks in our math studies.

Here are a few additional pictures to give you a better idea...

App Review: Ranger Rick Jr.'s Appventures: Bears

Name: Ranger Rick Jr. Appventures: Bears
Subject(s): Science 
Brief Description: An interactive storybook about bears for kids
Price: $4.99
Language: English
Ages: 4 to 8 

This interactive app is very similar to the popular Ranger Rick Jr. Appventures: Lions. It comes with three categories: Play, Explore, and Create. The Explore category is perhaps the best place to start as it takes your child around the forest learning about grizzly bears. Kids just tap on images to learn fun facts, play games, see slide shows, watch videos, and more. Afterward, if your child would like to play the games over again, they simply click on the home page and then the Play category which features 4 different games: Jigsaw Puzzle, Where's the Bear?, Go Fish!, and Match Sounds.

The puzzle game allows your child to choose from a variety of images and level of difficulty (9, 16, or 25 pieces). In Where's the Bear?, children have to move the iPad all around to take pictures of the bears. Go Fish! requires your child to manipulate the iPad in order for the grizzly to catch and gobble up salmon as they swim upriver. And finally, Match Sounds requires your child to accurately match the animal to the sound they hear and learn some fun facts along the way.  

The Create section has a Sticker Board, and Animal Piano, and an Animal Builder that lets you take parts of different animals and combine them to create a completely new one!

What my kids like: While my kids enjoyed the entire app, they really liked the Go Fish! game best, followed by the Match Sounds game. I think they like the fact that they have to move the iPad all about in order to manipulate the characters on the screen. They enjoy learning about nature and animals then telling me all about them.

What I like: The science behind the app is always a plus in my book. And I love that the games are very clever, like Go Fish! which takes a real adaptation of the animal and presents it to kids in a fun way.

Notes: This app is available in English only.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this app for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Tech Tuesday: BrightStart Spanish App

Name: BrightStart Spanish
Subject(s): Literacy (Letter & number recognition, writing)
Brief Description: Children learn how to pronounce, read, and write upper and lower case letters and numbers.
Price: FREE - $1.99
Language: Spanish (though an English version is also available)
Ages: Pre-K through 1st grade

What I like:  
As your children work their way through this app, they will learn how to pronounce, recognize, and write all of their upper and lower case letters. Each letter and number is not only pronounced for the player, but also used at the beginning of a word. Kids use their fingers to connect the dots to correctly write the letter or number.

Additional notes:
This app is available in both English and Spanish with a lite version that is free, and a "Pro" version for educators that costs $1.99. This is a really great tool for parents of preschoolers.

Tech Tuesday: Classic in the Jurassic Jr. App

Last week, I shared a list of Spanish reading apps. This week, I'm focusing on a new math app from PBS KIDS.


Name: Dinosaur Train Classic in the Jurassic, Jr.!
Subject(s): Math
Brief Description: Kids play through 3 math-based games focused on sorting, balance, and counting to help Gilbert get Troodon Town ready for a big event.
Price: $1.99
Language: English
Ages: Pre-K through 1st grade

What my kids like:
My son likes anything having to do with dinosaurs, and is a Dinosaur Train fan. So he enjoys the subject matter and the fact that he recognizes many of the characters. But he also likes the challenges of the different activities even though he is already in 1st grade. He also likes the sticker book activity that is just for fun and allows him to drag and drop images of dinosaurs, trees, rocks, and plants to different spots on the screen creating his own little picture.

What I like:
This app has three different activities that develop math skills like measuring, adding, sorting, and how to use a balance. In the Bridge Builder section, your child has to measure the distance across a chasm, then drag the right number of logs across to make a bridge for the dinosaur to cross. In Chow Time, the player must learn how to use a balance scale by selecting the right amount of food for a dinosaur to eat. The food's weight must equal that of a small (or big!) stone placed on one end of the balance. And finally, in All-Star Sorting, the player must put the dinosaurs in order from shortest to tallest and then help them get home by dragging them to the correct sized doorway.

Additional notes:
This app is currently only available in English.