LeapFrog Learning Toys Review

• Learn about opposites as you race to outer space with the Backyardigans
• Touch your Tag Junior book pal to any part of any page and discover more than 130 audio responses in this book
• More than 24 playful activities encourage toddlers to take charge and explore, while helping build confidence with books
• Each Tag Junior board book focuses on a different preschool skill, the Backyardigans Opposites focuses on opposites and also introduces position words and matching
• See your child’s progress through the online LeapFrog Learning Path, and get printable activities to expand the learning

Product Description
LeapFrog Tag Junior Book: The Backyardigans OppositesLearn about opposites as you race to outer space with the Backyardigans! This Tag Junior board book springs to life when you touch the Tag Junior book pal to any part of any page. More than 24 playful activities and 150 audio responses encourage little ones to explore while helping build confidence with books. Parents can connect to the online LeapFrog@ Learning Path to see their child’s progress and get printab… More >>

LeapFrog Tag Junior Book: The Backyardigans Opposites

Everyone knows that the best way to learn any new language is to immerse yourself in the language and culture. If that is not possible for you in your situation and you do want to learn to speak Spanish there are other routes you can take. One of these is through a free home study course available online. You can stay at home and continue to work while you study at your own pace. Although you do have to learn Spanish verbs and how to form sentences, you do need to have a good command of Spanish vocabulary of you hope to speak the language fluently.

Depending on your reasons for learning Spanish, there may be specialized vocabulary that you need to learn. You do have to realize that in order to carry on a conversation you will need to know other words as well. For this reason you could divide the vocabulary into themes and learn words for each theme that will eventually cover all the basics. Some of these themes could be:

- Seasonal words: This includes the vocabulary for special events, such as Christmas, Easter and holidays. Christmas Eve in Spanish is ochebuena?and Christmas present is egalo de navidad?

- Weather: Talking about the weather is one way to have a casual conversation with anyone.

- The Parts of the Body: This includes vocabulary that describes one physical appearance.

- Food: When you dine in a restaurant it is important to be able to read the menu and order your meal.

- Adjectives: You need to learn the vocabulary to help you describe a person, a location or an event.

By listening to native Spanish speakers as they read passages that you see on your computer screen, you will easily pick up the vocabulary and its proper placement in a sentence. There are many different types of games that can help you learn the vocabulary as well. While adults may think learning through games and songs is silly, it is the way native Spanish speaking children gain mastery of the language. For example, when you play a game in which the cards have a picture of the word and the Spanish word printed beneath, you will see how easy it is to remember the word. One of these games is a memory game with cards spread out face down. You turn over one card and then try to find its match in the rest of the cards.

Watching children educational programs in Spanish is another easy way for adults and children to pick up vocabulary words. If you use close captioning while you watch so that the words that come up on the screen are in English or in your native language, you will be able to understand what the characters on the program are saying.

For those wishing to learn some simple words in Spanish that they can use to help them get around easily when they visit a Spanish speaking country, there are phrase books available at bookstores with the most popular words translated from English. Pick up one of these books and take it with you so that you can refer to it whenever you need.

• Twist, roll, push, squeeze and spin to place five audio segments in the right order!
• Three levels allow children to progress at their own pace.
• Features 1- or 2-player mode so children can play alone or challenge their friends.
• Explores the alphabet, numbers, days of the week, daily routines and science facts.
• Helps develop sequencing and memory skills.

Product Description
Twist, roll, push, squeeze and spin the five “Fix-its” to place sections of the alphabet, numbers, days of the week, daily routines, and early science in the right order. Game includes three levels of play so children learn at their own pace and allows for up to two children to play at the same time. Requires 2 “AA” batteries, included…. More >>

LeapFrog Fix the Mix!

As anyone who has learned another language, other than their native tongue will tell you, attaining a level of fluency can be difficult indeed. Of course, the older you get the harder it becomes. Children who are brought up in bilingual homes think nothing of speaking several languages. And when language is taught in school, smaller children literally absorb the lessons; language comes easier for children than it does for adults who often need a multitude of supplemental tools in order to help them with the transition. Because Spanish is one of the most popular languages to be learned in the modern world, many adults look to find easier ways to seek fluency; and if not fluency, then just the fundamentals.. Luckily, in today’s technologically advanced world, there are a variety of tools that consumers can use to learn basic Spanish.

First and foremost, there still exists the bevy of printed material designed to help you learn basic Spanish. These include dictionaries that translate a word from English into Spanish and vice versa. Most are pocket-sized and can be carried with you to a Spanish speaking country where you use it when necessary. There are also a variety of word books that help you learn fundamentals very easily with the help of pictures and quiz cards.

But the modern day equivalent of these learning tools is of course the CD and DVD. CDs are quite convenient as they can be popped into your CD player while you are in the car, walking the dog, shopping, or doing any variety of activities. Most people find the audio to be quite helpful in their quest to learn basic Spanish, as it is helpful to hear how the word is pronounced.

DVDs offer classroom-like instruction in the comfort of your own home. Lessons are taught to learn basic Spanish through an instructor and a number of tools that would ordinarily be used in the classroom. DVDs are helpful because you can simply watch them over and over again to absorb lessons at your own pace.

But perhaps the greatest technological advancement to learn basic Spanish is the electronic devices that you can now carry that help you translate on the spot. These devices include an audio dictionary. So if you type a word in English it will say it back to you in Spanish. This can be enormously helpful in those situations where you are stuck. Consumers who are not quiet confident in their Spanish speaking abilities find these devices to be their most important tool when visiting Spanish speaking countries.

• Use your Tag Reader to bring this story about pirate kids Will and Abby to life as they decode a secret treasure map.
• With its amazing touch technology, the Tag Reader makes learning to read an exciting experience as words talk, pictures sing and stories live out loud!
• The Tag library includes over 20 books and games featuring characters from TV, movies and classic tales.
• Children can build vocabulary and reading skills throughout the story and with interactive learning activities. Pirates! The Treasure of Turtle Island introduces short and long vowels, vowel pairs, word building skills and pirate facts.
• Children can earn online rewards and parents can connect the Tag Reader to the online LeapFrog® Learning Path to see what their child is learning.

Product Description
Read about pirate kids Will and Abby as they decode a map so they can beat mean old pirate One Tooth to the treasure! After the story, discover leveled learning activities that help build phonics skills, vocabulary and reading comprehension. Plus, connect the Tag Reader online to the LeapFrog Learning Path to see what your child is learning…. More >>

LeapFrog® Tag Activity Storybook Pirates! The Treasure of Turtle Island

• An innovative reading system that engages kids’ love of song and music to teach them reading skills.
• Sing-along stories use rhyme and rhythm to help kids begin to read on their own
• Includes DVD with 12 animated music videos and 12 matching storybooks.
• Introduces short vowels, phonics skills and reading comprehension.
• Encourages creative self-expression with a wide range of music, from rock to reggae to hip-hop.-Includes a DVD with 12 music videos and 12 corresponding storybooks

Product Description
Ready to add a fun twist to reading time? You can motivate little ones to read on their own with 12 engaging music videos on DVD and matching books. Each music video brings a story to life through lively animation, songs and words on-screen; and the 12 matching storybooks reinforce the learning experience. Books are great for take-along fun, too…. More >>

LeapFrog Sing-Along Read-Along

• Sharing is always in season with Kai-lan and her friends
• Touch Tag Junior to any part of any page and discover more than 150 audio responses in this book
• More than 24 playful activities encourage toddlers to take charge and explore, while helping build confidence with books
• Each Tag Junior board book focuses on a different preschool skill. Ni Hao, Kai-lan focuses on sharing and also introduces the seasons
• See your child’s progress through the online LeapFrog Learning Path and get printable activities to expand the learning

Product Description
Learn all about sharing from Ni Hao Kai Lan. This Tag Junior board book springs to life when you touch the Tag Junior book PAL to any part of any page. More than 24 playful activities and 150 Audio responses encourage little ones to explore while helping build confidence with books. Parents can connect to the online LeapFrog Learning Path to see their child’s progress and get printable activities to expand the learning. Appropriate for children ages 2 to 4. Introduc… More >>

LeapFrog Tag Junior Book, Ni Hao, Kai-Lan Share, Share, Share

• Use your Tag Reader to bring this comic book-style story to life as the powerful lizard wreaks havoc at the Central Park Zoo
• With its amazing touch technology, the Tag Reader makes learning to read an exciting experience as words talk, pictures sing and stories live out loud
• The Tag library includes more than 25 books and games featuring characters from TV, movies and classic tales
• Children can build vocabulary and reading skills throughout the story and with interactive learning activities. The Amazing Spider-Man: The Lizard¿s Tale introduces science vocabulary, cause and effect, plot elements and setting, and memory skills
• Children can earn online rewards and parents can connect the Tag Reader to the online LeapFrog Learning Path to see what their child is learning

Product Description
Price is for EA.

Use your Tag™ Reader to bring this comic book-style story to life! The powerful lizard is wreaking havoc at the Central Park Zoo. He’s trying to free all the reptiles so they can once again dominate the world. Can Spider-Man stop him in time Throughout the story, activities and action-packed graphics help build vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. Children can earn online rewards and parents can connect the Tag Reader to the on… More >>

LeapFrog Tag Activity Storybook The Amazing Spider-Man: The Lizard’s Tale

There are a few tips you can follow if you are planning on teaching your child to speak and learn the Spanish language. The key if to be persistent when teaching so they get used to having this information presented to them.

Teaching a child is better done when they are at a young age. Even teaching them as early as two years old. Children at this age have the ability to retain a lot more information than we give them credit for. Just as they learn English, a child at this age can pick up on other language as well.

Simple is better. Don’t start out a lesson plan with difficult words or phrases. Ease into the teaching them with small words such as cat or color words like red. If they have already learned these words in English, it will be easier for them to translate it into Spanish. Graphical flashcards are a great way to enforce this learning technique. A picture of a cat, with the Spanish word on the back will help them to correlate the picture with the word.

Speaking the language as part of you everyday routine will help ingrain the language into your child’s brain. If they hear you referring to something in Spanish, they will pick up on that and learn the word you are referring to in turn.

Purchase learning tools or go online to the various websites that cater to young children learning a language. The more interactive the site, the better. If the site engages the child in games and activities while teaching the language they will be more likely to stay interested and want to learn more.

Label the items around your house that you child uses on a daily basis with the Spanish word for the item. Using post-it notes, write the Spanish word and place it on or near every day items like the refrigerator, doors, cabinets, etc.

The more a child is exposed to the language on a day to day basis, the more they will be able to quickly pick up the language but will also grasp the meaning behind the words. Take is slow and then be amazed at how quickly they learn Spanish.

Every winter, in the midst of bleak weather conditions, the dream of starting a new life in Spain becomes a major topic of conversation for many UK residents. Conversely, the subject is again highlighted when summer holidays are taken in the warm, embracing climate offered by Spain. However, while uprooting the family and moving to Spain can be an exciting and stimulating change, it might not all be plain sailing. It takes determination and commitment to ensure the whole family put down roots in their new surroundings, while concerns about children adapting to a new lifestyle can undermine the move.

Selecting the right location for your home in Spain plays a major part in the early assimilation of the adopted homeland, but the selection process can be a long and sometimes difficult task. After researching such factors as area, locality, shopping and leisure facilities, environment, culture and particularly schools, it is an excellent idea to make a couple of research visits to your chosen area. Once you have settled on the right location, the first stage of the move culminates in a For Sale sign being erected at your home, whilst simultaneously securing a property in Spain. Packing containers with your belongings, paying the final bills and saying adios to friends and family leads to the purchase of one-way ticket. While the desire, drive and eventually the decision to adopt a new life in Spain is taken by parents, children generally readily accept the change.

Difficulty adapting to a new Spanish home can be overcome in the initial phase by familiar home comforts; simple pleasures like home cooked food and satellite TV assist the settling down process. Furthermore, any concerns about the quality of schools can be quickly discounted, as many schools are new, and all have excellent facilities and teaching standards are high. Entry to schools is straightforward for all EU citizens and where sizeable ex-pat communities reside, schools provide initial language learning to facilitate early integration.

Pre-school children adapt quickly to their new surroundings, whilst those of primary school age willingly mix with children of different nationalities and soon learn to join in playground games. Young children have an innate ability to mimic; this helps with the starter stage of language learning and their confidence grows very quickly so they simply absorb the Spanish language and adopt Spanish mannerisms. However, older children might initially find the change difficult and parental encouragement is important in the early weeks and months.

Home sickness and missing friends come to the forefront when the smallest thing goes wrong. The phrase “why did we come here?” is often heard in the early days, but presenting a loving, close family unit helps to dispel children’s concerns; prompting them to slot easily into the different climate and routines, while the new sensation of flexibility and freedom soon overcomes such reservations and integration soon moves at a rapid pace.

For all ages, the year round warmer climate and longer days allows children to engage in outdoor activities such as tennis, golf, basketball and swimming – especially when they can enjoy the healthy benefits in a safe environment. Joining the family on outings means the TV can remain switched off; computer games gather dust and soon become outdated, while every weekend, leisure trips can bring a new adventure; be it to the beach, inland towns or mountain walks. The senses are stimulated by new experiences and these pleasures become associated with the new area and country for parents and children alike.

If you are considering relocating to Spain, it is essential to research the move thoroughly, and choosing a knowledgeable and reliable Spanish property agent can help to alleviate the stresses associated with relocation to Spain. Ultimately, taking that huge step and relocating to Spain can ensure your children’s happiness and wellbeing. Before long they will become both multi-lingual and multi-cultural, and both they and you will quickly come to refer to Spain as home.

Andrew Regan is a freelance online journalist.