Holiday Gifting: Reading Eggs

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

Do you know about Reading Eggs? It's been around for quite a while now, and I have often seen it mentioned in homeschool circles. So when Reading Eggs reached out, I finally had a chance to check it out more closely and see if it is a good fit for MommyMaestra readers. It absolutely is. 

What is Reading Eggs?

Reading Eggs is an online program designed to support your child as they learn to read. Created for children ages 2 - 13, the site is full of online reading games (there are SO MANY GAMES!) and activities that children love and which helps develop their literacy skills through lots and lots of practice - without it feeling like work. 

Ten million children around the world use this program. Yes, I wrote that correctly! And the reason is that the program is really fun for kids and is effective. It is based on scientific research and centered around the five essential keys to reading success:

1. phonemic awareness,
2. phonics,
3. vocabulary,
4. reading comprehension, and
5. fluency.

If you are a homeschooler, it is critical that you understand these concepts. Click here to learn about them and how to apply them in your child's reading development.

As you can see from the image above, the site offers five different levels of learning. When they begin, your child takes a placement test that matches them with the right level. And, yes, that's a math section at the end. For those of you whose children are struggling with memorizing math facts or who has negative associations with math, this section will help!

As they progress through the program, kids can earn golden eggs (hello? Reading EGGS!) as awards and then use them to buy special reward games or items for their avatar or their house. And they can also earn certificates of achievement.

Things I love best about the program

There are two things about the program that really stand out for me. First, the program has more than 2000 online books and EVERY ONE of them ends with a comprehension quiz. And second, parents can access detailed progress reports on their child. If you have more than one child using the program, no problem. Your dashboard keeps track of everyone's progress and you even get emailed in‑depth reports every time your kid completes a map. 

I also love that the program is self-paced and your child can repeat any activity/game as many times as they want to reinforce the concepts being learned. This is really important for struggling readers.

And finally, Reading Eggs is a kidSAFE certified website. This is SO IMPORTANT TO ME as a parent. I don't have to worry about ads all over the place to distract and tempt my kids. And knowing that it is a safe place for kids to play is gold. With so many other sites I have to worry about who my kid is interacting with or who has access to their information. That's gotten harder as my 14yo has grown. But I have a 3yo now that I have to start worrying about. I'm looking forward to trying this program with him without fear of what he sees and who he meets.

November deals

Right now, Reading Eggs has several holiday promos going on FOR NOVEMBER:

• First, they are offering FREE week‑by‑week program guides for homeschoolers for Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2. Each guide provides a 36‑week teaching and learning sequence for Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, making it easy for parents to cover and track essential learning outcomes. You can download the guides here.
  
  
• Second, Reading Eggs is also offering a 30-day free trial for parents and their little learners to try the online homeschool program. It only takes a few minutes to set up, and you'll get instant access to hundreds of online lessons, activities, kids' books, and printable worksheets – perfect for your family's homeschooling needs.
  
  
• Additionally, from November 1 through Thanksgiving, Reading Eggs is offering free shipping on any products including their workbooks, flashcards and mega book packs.
  
  
• For Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Reading Eggs is offering 62% off a family subscription for up to four children. (WOW!) The sale will start on Thanksgiving and go through Cyber Monday.
  
  

Learn more!

If you want to learn more, visit their site. 

They also have a YouTube channel that features testimonials from other parents and getting started tutorials.

Holiday Gifting: Whistlefritz Gift Sets

The time has come to share my annual recommendations for holiday gift giving! And I'm starting off with these awesome gift sets from MommyMaestra sponsor, Whistlefritz. Giving the gift of a second language is a life-long treasure that can only benefit your child. And I know a lot of MommyMaestra readers are always looking for Spanish resources. 

LA GRAN COLECCIÓN 

Join the language-learning celebration with La Gran Colección, an entertaining and award-winning collection of live action, animation, and festive Latin music that teaches kids Spanish!  Created to be enjoyed again and again, each of the five videos in this multimedia set immerses children in Spanish vocabulary themes that are appealing to children, such as animals, toys, seasons, and birthday parties.  

It’s non-stop fun as children interact with vivacious host María, playful peers, and charming animated characters.  The fun continues with four lively Spanish-learning music CDs that combine upbeat original songs and traditional favorites with world music rhythms. 

Bonus features: La Gran Colección includes Spanish and English subtitle options for adults and older children.  Translation guides and lyrics are available for free download from the Whistlefritz website.

Here's a video trailer for the collection. Take a look!

And because I know some of you are also teaching French, or are looking into adding a third language to your child's language skills, Whistlefritz also has a gift set for le francais...

THE FRENCH COLLECTION

Get the language-learning party started with The French Collection. Six lively programs encourage children to speak in French, sing in French, even dance in French! This multimedia set includes 4 videos and 2 music CDs featuring live action, animation, and irresistible music, as children embark on a French-learning journey with live host Marie, playful peers, and animated friends. 

Packed with fun, laughter, and music, The French Collection is an ideal introduction to French for kids!  Includes French and English subtitles and downloadable translation guide and lyrics. 

And here's a video trailer for it, as well...

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with MommyMaestra sponsor, Whistlefritz.

Great Gift Ideas for Bilingual Kids

This year, I thought it best to do a roundup of my favorite gifts for bilingual families. Below are some remarkable products that I think will really appeal to children and even their parents. The criteria I used is simple: It must be fun and educational.

Learning a new language or maintaining one's bilingualism shouldn't be a chore. It should be something that we enjoy doing. I think the products listed below help to promote a positive outlook when it comes to being bilingual.

I hope you enjoy!

This post uses affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I receive a small commission that helps me purchase books and other materials for my own homeschooling family. Thank you!

My Little Donkey/Mi Burrito by Canticos

Ages 5 and under
Most Hispanics have heard the traditional Christmas song, Mi burrito sabanero, and so I think this sweet book by Canticos would be a wonderful gift to give your child on Christmas Eve! Then you can read/sing it together....in English or Spanish or both!

Lingua Garden

Ages 2 - 10 years old

Fun. This online learning program can be summed up in that one word. Lingua Garden is put together by the talented Denise Leitch, a Chilean-American Spanish teacher who worked hard to create an engaging and effective program for teaching little children how to speak Spanish. There are different levels and themes in her classes. I love how organized the program is and how you can track your progress on the same page where you are watching the videos for each lesson or downloading the activity pages. The truth is, Denise really makes this program come alive with her exuberant videos. Learn more by visiting her home page.

Mundo Verde/Green World by Mister G

Ages 2 - 10 years old
This new album by bilingual musician, Mister G, is a must-have! It is a collection of inspiring bilingual songs that encourage people around the world to support of global conservation and action. Each song is unique and many are performed in collaboration with musicians from throughout Latin America and the U.S. From bomba and samba to reggae and bossa nova, there's a little something to thrill every listener. Want to hear a sample? Check out this ADORABLE music video!

Family Poems for Every Day of the Week - Poemas familiares para cada día de la semana by Francisco X. Alarcón

Ages 7 - 12 years old
This new release from Children's Book Press is a must-have for every bilingual family's library! Written by the late Chicano poet, Francisco X. Alarcón, the poems reflect the daily multicultural lives of Latino children. Alarcón's poems are complemented by the vibrant illustrations of Chicana artist Maya Christina Gonzalez. This entire book is a celebration of bilingualism, multiculturalism, and childhood.

Linguacious Card Games

Ages 5 and up
This card game is from a new language-learning startup that focuses on teaching basic vocabulary in foreign languages through the use of fun flashcard games. What sets these cards apart is the fact that they are the only flashcards that feature real pronunciation by native speakers. Each card comes with a QR code, so you will need a QR code reader on your phone to play (but it is easy to download and it's free). And I love that each card focuses on complete literacy: reading, writing, spelling, and pronunciation. Take a look here to read about all the different games you can play with these cards.  The cards are currently available in five languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, and Hebrew.

Disney Pixar Coco (Remember Me) A LOTERIA Game

Ages 4 and up
So much fun! I included this set simply because the graphics on the cards are SO beautiful and, of course, because the movie was so delightful. Reinforce your child's Spanish vocabulary with this game that includes words and images such as el sol, el nopal, la cama, and many others.

Booklandia Box

Ages 2 - 10 years old
This monthly subscription is the perfect gift for bilingual families as it last ALL YEAR LONG! Each month, bilingual or Spanish books are delivered directly to your doorstep to help develop your child's biliteracy and love of reading. Authentic and original titles in Spanish - not bad translations - are the focus of this wonderful company! The book boxes are designed for families with children ages 2 to 12 years old.

Subscription Gifts for Kids that Last All Year

You know what I love? Gifts that last the WHOLE YEAR LONG. That's why I've loved giving my kids subscriptions to magazines. But in recent years, a whole new breed of subscription services has developed: Monthly activity boxes.

These are insanely awesome because most contain activities that can be done throughout the month. So I thought that today's theme of gifts for children should be subscription boxes. There are many others available, but the ones below are my favorite picks for MommyMaestra readers (and my own kids).

This post contains affiliate links. 

Booklandia
$25 - $37/mo

Booklandia is a monthly service of bilingual and Spanish children's books delivered directly to your mailbox. The book boxes are designed for families with children ages 2 to 12 years old.

Each month, your child will receive 2 carefully selected titles. You can see examples of the book titles here.

First, you need to choose which type of box you're interested in. There are five options: 

• Board books ($25/mo)
• Spanish Picture books ($27/mo)
• Spanish chapter books ($27/mo)
• Bilingual picture books ($27/mo)

Then, you have to select the frequency from the following options: 

• monthly
• 3-month ($3 off)
• 6-month ($14-18 off)
• 12-month (1 month free)

Then, you just pick up the book, sit back, and read! This seems like the perfect gift for a bilingual family. And there's even a gifting option so you can purchase a subscription for your grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or godchildren.

Little Passports
$11.95 - 17.95/mo

Are you raising a global citizen like I am? If so, then be sure to check out Little Passports! This awesome company offers four different monthly subscriptions to help your child go on a global adventure and learn about the world around them. My kids had so much fun with this program. We did the World Edition. But now that they are older, I'm looking into the new Science Expeditions program to strengthen their STEM skills. To see what each program comes with each month, click on the "Little Passports" title above for a complete list.

Early Explorers (3-5 yo)

Preschoolers explore a new world theme each month like Music, World Landmarks, and Dinosaurs. Each monthly package includes a 20-page activity booklet, fun souvenirs, trading cards, letters, photos, stickers and more.

World Edition (6-10 yo)

Discover a new country each month with pen pals Sam & Sofia! Packages include letters, fun souvenirs, activity sheets, stickers, photos and more, plus access to the Boarding Zone for more online games!

USA Edition (7-12 yo)

Discover the USA with monthly activities, games, science experiments & more! Two new states are featured each month in our 32-page activity-packed State Journal, along with stickers, postcards, pop-out models and access to more facts and activities online.

Science Expeditions (9+ yo)

Every month, your child will receive a package full of science experiments and STEM-related activities with themes like rockets, forensics, caves and crystals, northern lights and magnetism, hydrology, and so much more!

Green Kid Crafts
$17.95 - 19.95/mo

Green Kid designs and delivers hands-on, award-winning, and eco-friendly Discovery Boxes, Creativity Kits, and STEAM Kits (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics).

What I like is that you can choose from four options:

• monthly ($19.95)
• 3-month ($19.95)
• 6-month ($18.95)
• 12-month ($17.95)

Each month, your Discovery Box will have a new theme and earth-friendly materials to complete 5 to 8 different projects.

Magic School Bus Science Club
$119/year (PSST!! This is 50% OFF for 2 more days!!)

Grab this incredibly fun 12-month subscription of Ms. Frizzle-approved, wacky experiments delivered to your doorstep for award-winning science FUN! It's 50% off and you get FREE shipping in the US. Ships to Canada for $2/month and all other countries for $4/month. Receive a Magic School Bus science experiment shipped to you during the middle of each month for 12 months and include them into your science curriculum.

It's created for kids ages 5 -12.

Each kit includes:

• Detailed, large 12-page colorful manual that is full of experiments and topic information 
• Each manual is based on the popular Magic School Bus books and TV series 
• Includes an adult section so that adults with no science background will find the kits easy to use 
• Materials and information necessary for a range of interactive experiments
• Online Clubhouse for further exploration on each kit topic 
• Certificate of Completion

The 2015 MommyMaestra Holiday Gift Guide

Happy Holidays!!

I'm super excited about the next few weeks because it is time for my annual holiday gifting series! You know what that means, right? Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing reviews and giveaways of some of my favorite educational products that I recommend for your children.

As a parent, I need help deciding on great gifts to give each holiday. I scour gift guides both online and in print. So today, I'm starting off by sharing my 2015 MommyMaestra Holiday Gift Guide! You can flip through it below.

This year, I decided to focus heavily on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) products because WE NEED MORE LATINO STUDENTS TO PURSUE STEAM CAREERS!! (You can find my gift guides from the last two years here because they are still awesome, too!)

So the gift guide is here and FULL of educational (some bilingual!) goodies for children. From babies to teens, there is something in this gift guide for all the kids in your life. Just click on the links in the guide to learn more and purchase any of the items. When you click on the guide below, it will open up in a full-screen view. To exit, just type the escape button ("Esc") on your keyboard.

Enjoy!!

The 2014 MommyMaestra Holiday Gift Guide

Time for the 2nd Annual MommyMaestra Holiday Gift Guide! Phew! This year has been so busy, I wasn't sure we'd get this together in time. But I was fortunate to team up with my favorite Betty, a regular contributor to this blog and publisher of My Friend Betty Says, as well as Melanie Edward, publisher of ModernMami.com.

So the gift guide is finally here and FULL of educational (some bilingual!) goodies for children. From babies to teens, there is something in this gift guide for all the kids in your life. Just click on the links in the guide to learn more and purchase any of the items.

Happiest of holidays to you!

MommyMaestra's Holiday Gift Guide

I'm pretty excited about today's post because I'm so happy to share with you my first MommyMaestra's Holiday Gift Guide! Each year I typically review various educational products that I recommend for holiday gift giving. Sometimes I do giveaways. And, yes, I'll still be doing those this year, but I thought it would be fun to put together a holiday gift guide. Guess what? It was fun. I'm already seeing ways to improve and have next year's guide in the planning stages, if you can believe it!

I hope you enjoy looking through the guide where you'll find fun, educational products for kids. From infants to teens, there's something for everyone - including bilingual families. Later this week, I'll have a simple printable that you can download with links to each of the products. That way you can save your color ink for more important things. :)

Happy Holidays!!