Musical Yoga for Kids with Kira Willey

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Musical Yoga for Kids
Photo: firefliesyoga.com

Mompreneur Kira Willey is an award-winning singer/songwriter and founder of Fireflies Musical Yoga for Kids - a program that embraces her love of music, yoga, and children. I had the opportunity to interview and write the official biography for this talented artist who has just release her second children’s album, Kings & Queens ofthe Forest. The biography I wrote is republished here with Kira’s permission. I’m pleased to introduce to my readers…Kira Willey.

ABOUT Kira Willey
In the kindie music world, Kira Willey breaks through with her unique, two-in-one albums that blend upbeat, danceable music with get-up-and-move yoga inspiration. In October 2011, this innovative singer-songwriter from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, released her second CD, Kings & Queens of the Forest. The collection of 13 joyful folk/pop originals also features 13 bonus yoga tracks with Kira’s instructional voiceovers. Included in the album is a lyric booklet that guides parents with illustrations of Kira’s kid-friendly yoga routines.

Produced by Zak Rizvi, Kings & Queens of the Forest keeps children captivated with its playful melodies and positive lyrics. Kids are the toughest crowd to please -- if they’re not engaged, they simply walk away. But Kira understands her audience well. Her warm, authentic songs, with themes of nature and the simple joys of childhood, connect instantly with children.

Kira Willey
Photo: firefliesyoga.com

When writing songs, Kira observes what fascinates her own kids. She often uses them as a sounding board by singing them a new melody, and then asking what it makes them think of. They dream up visions of friendly crickets and roller coasters; many of Kira’s songs were born this way.

Kira’s pure, sweet, and soothing voice resonates with kids. Parents of special-needs children say they find their kids captivated by her songs, and preschool teachers, occupational therapists, and other youth workers regularly use Kira’s songs in their work. Her fun and easy-to-follow yoga instruction teaches self-awareness, improves balance and strength, and builds confidence.

Kira grew up in a musical family - her brother sings the bass vocal on the track “Let the Sun Shine In” - and her passion for music began when she started to play the violin at age five. Initially she composed “grown-up” tunes, but after teaching kids’ music and yoga classes in New York City, she realized children’s songs were her calling. This was confirmed when Kira had her first child, began singing to her, and saw first-hand the bonding power of music.

In 1996 Kira became certified to teach yoga to children and founded Fireflies Musical Yoga for Kids. A year later, she released her first album, Dance for the Sun: Yoga Songs for Kids, which garnered many music-industry accolades, including the Independent Music Award for Best Children’s Album. In 2008, Dell featured her song “Colors” in a worldwide media campaign, which earned her fans around the globe.

Kira’s new album, Kings & Queens of the Forest, is available on iTunes, CDBaby.com, and her website www.firefliesyoga.com. In the upcoming months, she and her band will perform in eastern Pennsylvania and the New York City tri-state area. Kira is currently working on a lullaby album as well as a family music collection for future release.

For more information: Visit www.firefliesyoga.com to learn more about Kira Willey, her programs, and her music.

Holiday Gift Guide for Ages 0-4, Includes Eco-Friendly Toys

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Need some ideas for the littlest ones on your holiday gift list? The gift guide keeps children 0-4 years old in mind and also includes many wonderful eco-friendly toys – safe for baby and for the environment. Happy Shopping!

Ages 0-2 years (Eco Toys)

Photo: ApplePark.com

Baby Gift Crate

Give baby the cutest surprise with these precious gift crates. Each crate adorably displays the Apple Park Picnic Pals Book, picnic pal soft teething toy, 100% organic cotton baby cloth, and finger puppet. The gift crate is part of a larger collection which includes these varieties: Monkey, Lamby, Cubby, Bunny, and Ducky. Crate size: 11 x 10 x 3.5 inches.

SRP: $39.99

Age: 0+

Availability: ApplePark.com, OrganicBabyGiftBoutique.com, Amazon, FAO Schwarz

Photo: UndertheNile.com

Fruit Tote
Encourage kids to embrace healthier eating with this fun fruit tote. The manufacturers believe that children are more likely to eat healthier foods if they have an opportunity to learn and play with them. The tote includes friendly faces on a banana, watermelon, and grapes. Each fruit is stuffed with 100% organic Egyptian cotton. It’s safe for infants to play and chew on. Size: 6" x 5" x 4".

SRP: $32.00

Age: 0+

Availability: UndertheNile.com, Amazon, HappyGreenBaby.com, ChildTrek.com

Photo: MiYim.com

Good Earth Girl Ballerina

Also known as My Natural Ballerina, this eco-friendly soft plush makes a girl’s first doll extra special. Wearing a pink dress, hair bow, and ballerina shoes, the 12” doll is made from all natural cotton fabric. All colors used are certified non-toxic, 100% chemical free and are extracted from plants and minerals through a soy water dye bath.

SRP: $24.99

Age: 0+

Availability: MiYim.com, OrganicBabyGiftBoutique.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Photo: MiYim.com

Organic Cotton Winnie the Pooh Plush

The very first organic Disney plush toys are now available, providing safety and softness to young children. The earth-friendly 11” plush toys are made from certified organic cotton and are colored with non-toxic, low eco-impact dyes that contain no heavy metals. Each toy contains a chime to entertain and soothe little ones. Versions available include Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, Mickey, and Minnie. All plushes display embroidered details and soothing, muted colors.

SRP: $25.99

Age: 0+

Availability: MiYim.com, OrganicBabyGiftBoutique.com, Giggle.com, Amazon

Photo: UndertheNile.com

Organic Jill Doll

The Organic Jill Doll is modeled after the Waldorf philosophy that learning in early childhood is nurtured through imitation and example. This 13” plush doll comes with a purse filled with a second stylish outfit for changing. Children practice coordination and dexterity by changing Jill’s clothes and tying her bows. The environmentally-friendly doll is handcrafted and filled with 100% organic Egyptian cotton. It was also made without the use of pesticides or chemicals throughout the entire manufacturing process.

SRP: $40.00

Age: 0+

Availability: UndertheNile.com, Amazon, JilliansDrawers.com, FranklinGoose.com

Photo: UndertheNile.com

Polar Bear

Kids can’t help but fall in love with this soft and cuddly plush polar bear. Polar Bear is part of the manufacturer’s Endangered Species collection. This eco-friendly polar bear is made from organically cultivated and grown cotton handpicked in Egypt. It’s produced in an environmentally friendly and fair trade manufacturing process. All colors are natural and metal-free. In addition to Polar Bear, other animals in the Endangered Species collection include: Humpback Whale, Sea Otter, Seahorse, and Sea Turtle.

SRP: $22.00

Age: 0+

Availability: UndertheNile.com, Amazon, HappyGreenBaby.com, LittleEarthAngel.com

Ages 0-2 years (non-Eco)

Photo: Lego.com

LEGO DUPLO My First Supermarket

Kids can now imitate mom and dad going grocery shopping with the new LEGO DUPLO My First Supermarket playset. Fostering creativity and imagination, the 38-piece playset includes bananas, bread, cake, coffee, cash register, cart, fruit scale and two figures: a little shopper and a busy cashier. BONUS: Parents can download the LEGO DUPLO Jams free music for their kids which were written to enrich the LEGO DUPLO building experience. The lyrics encourage children to play in new ways with their toys and can be accessed through the site www.Facebook.com/LEGODUPLO.

SRP: $19.99

Age: 2+

Availability: Lego.com, Amazon, Toys ‘R Us, Walmart, Target, FAO Schwarz

Photo: HasbroToyShop.com

Let's Rock! Elmo

Elmo shines as a rock star and toddlers can, too. Let’s Rock! Elmo comes with a microphone, tambourine, and drum set. One cool feature is that Elmo can recognize whichever instrument the child gives to him. Other accessories (sold separately) include the Let’s Rock guitar and keyboard for the child to play – Elmo can identify which instrument the child is holding and then interacts accordingly.

SRP: $69.99

Age: 18 mo+

Availability:  HasbroToyShop.com, Amazon, Toys ‘R Us, Walmart, Target, Kmart

Photo: ToysRUs.com

MEGA BLOKS Farm Tub

The MEGA BLOKS Farm Tub is a self-contained farm-themed playset complete with a stable, sheep, barn, tractor, farmer, stickers, and more. Block pieces are made specifically for little hands to grasp and build with. Kids can use the tub’s cover as a play base to build upon. When finished, kids can display their creative designs on top of the tub, or simply dump the blocks into the tub for easy cleanup and storage. Regarding the tubs themselves, MEGA BLOKS has used a new in-mold labeling technique which conveniently prevents the outer label from peeling off the bins.

SRP: $44.99

Age: 1+

Availability: Toys ‘R Us, Amazon, Target

Photo: Amazon.com

Pocoyo Swiggie Traks

This truly flexible race track allows kids to create tracks in different forms – whether it’s a traditional oval on a flat surface or the more unique vertical circle like a hamster ball. Just place the motorized Pocoyo vehicle on the tracks and watch the fun begin. The set includes four tracks, one moving bridge, one motorized vehicle with music, and one ball accessory.

SRP: $29.99

Age: 18 mo+

Availability: Amazon, Toys ‘R Us, Walmart

Ages 3-4 years

Photo: Amazon.com

Cars 2 Spy Walkie Talkies

Cars, spies, and walkie talkies – three things boys love! Shaped like the Disney•Pixar Cars 2 characters Mater & Finn McMissile, these 2-in-1 devices are both a walkie talkie and a spy listening device. The spy bug in McMissle allows kids to plant the vehicle in one room and listen in another. If kids don't want to use the bug mode, they can simply use both vehicles as communication devices by having Mater in one room and McMissle in another.
SRP: $16.99

Age: 3+

Availability: Amazon, Sears, Kmart, Walmart

Photo: Amazon.com

Mickey and Minnie Sing-a-Ma-Jig

Disney's Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Sing-a-ma-jigs dolls sing, talk, and can even harmonize with other Sing-a-ma-jigs dolls. Their cute mouths open and close when singing and talking – simply press the doll’s tummy or left hand to activate. Mickey and Minnie even sing the classic Mickey Mouse Clubhouse song, sure to cheer both kids and their parents. Price is for one doll.

SRP: $14.99

Age: 3+

Availability: Target, Amazon, Walmart, Kmart, DisneyStore.com

Photo: HasbroToyShop.com

My Little Pony Rarity’s Carousel Boutique Playset

The classic My Little Pony comes to life for a new generation with this charming carousel boutique playset. Named after Rarity, one of the ponies, the pink playset features diamond-shaped décor, grand front doors that lead to a ticket area, and a moving merry-go-round. The playset is filled with fun sounds to keep girls entertained. The carousel’s balcony rotates for pony’s friends to hang out in. The playset also comes with a concession stand filled with carnival food like popcorn, french fries, ice cream, and a lollipop.  Figures include: Rarity the pony, a unicorn friend, and a mouse friend. Carousel has seats to hold up to five pony friends (sold separately).

SRP: $29.99

Age: 3+

Availability: HasbroToyShop.com, Amazon, Toys ‘R Us, Target, FAO Schwarz

Photo: Amazon.com

Disney Cars Appmates

Kids can now enjoy dad and mom’s iPad even more with the new Disney Cars Appmates. Inspired by the Cars 2 movie, Disney AppMates transforms the iPad’s screen into a virtual playset. Race down windy roads with the Cars Appmates and make pit stops along the way. Requires no cable or Bluetooth connection – simply download the free app, place the Appmate on the screen, and play.

SRP: $19.99

Age: 4+

Availability: Apple Stores, Apple.com, Amazon, Toys ‘R Us, DisneyStore.com, Walmart

Stocking Stuffers

Photo: MiYim.com

Bailey the Bee Bug Stroller Toy

Entertain baby with this adorable, soft, and eco-friendly Bailey the Bee bug stroller toy. A convenient strap easily attaches to a stroller or car seat. Babies will love the soft dangling legs, wings that make crinkle paper sounds, and the enchanting chime that plays when Bailey the Bee bounces. The 5” toy is non-toxic so it’s safe for teething babies. Bailey the Bee is part of the Love Bug Collection which also includes Calvin the Caterpillar and Lola the Lady Bug.

SRP: $10.50

Age: 0+

Availability: MiYim.com, Amazon, MapleGrace.com, BabyGreenThumb.com

Photo: ApplePark.com

Picnic Pal Finger Puppet

Naturally hypoallergenic, these lovable plush finger puppets are handmade with eco-friendly materials including 100% organic cotton. Baby can play safely because these puppets are free from toxins and harmful chemicals. Its filling uses sustainable corn fiber and recycled non-toxic plastic pellets. The 4.75” finger puppet is part of a larger collection which includes these additional varieties: Monkey, Lamby, Cubby, Bunny, and Ducky.

SRP: $12.00

Age: 0+

Availability: ApplePark.com, OrganicBabyGiftBoutique.com, Amazon, FAO Schwarz

Photo: Amazon.com

Disney Princess Royal Musical Microphone

Girls will enjoy playing princess and singing with the Disney Princess Royal Musical Microphone. Decorated with in the perfect princess pink, this musical microphone includes pictures of favorite Disney Princesses and even speaks princess phrases and music. Just press the heart-shaped button to activate the toy. The child-size microphone fits perfectly in small hands.
SRP: $12.99

Age: 3+

Availability: Amazon, Toys ‘R Us, Kmart, Sears, FAO Schwarz

Disclosures: This Gift Guide, written by Maria Wen Adcock originally for the Long Island Mamas Network, was republished here with permission from the Editor of the Long Island Mamas Network. Author received some, but not all, samples of the products listed here for the purpose of the review. For samples not received, author viewed and assessed them in person at the Time to Play Holiday Showcase event in New York City.

Baja Chicken Tacos Recipe from Perdue Simply Smart

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Baja Chicken Taco
Photo: Perdue Chicken

Looking for a super easy, quick, and tasty meal idea the kids will love? Try the Baja Chicken Taco recipe from Perdue Simply Smart chicken. Perdue recently introduced this line of all-natural, grilled, lightly-breaded roasted chicken that provides a convenient and healthy meal option.

Kids enjoy eating finger foods like chicken, so parents will appreciate that the Perdue Simply Smart chicken contains no preservatives and is made from simple and recognizable ingredients:

• Sea salt
• Unbleached wheat flour
• Garlic cloves
• Cracked black pepper
• Olive oil
• Thyme

Compared to the USDA standard for breaded fried boneless chicken, Perdue Simply Smart chicken also boasts at least 40% fewer calories, at least 50% less fat, and at least 25% more protein.

Perdue Simply Smart is frozen in convenient resealable bags and is available in these 5 versions: 

• Lightly Breaded Chicken Strips
• Lightly Breaded Chicken Filets
• Original Roasted Chicken Chunks
• Lightly Breaded Chicken Chunks
• Original Grilled Chicken Strips
  
  

The five varieties available from Perdue Simply Smart chicken.
Image: Perdue.com

I tried several of these versions on my husband and 2-year old. Both are great testers since they do not shy away from voicing dislikes when it comes to food. This is especially true with my toddler who will not hesitate to spit out anything offensive.

I first heated the chicken via the preferred conventional oven option. The pieces baked up crisply, and the light breading was perfectly seasoned. I also tried the microwaving method, and unlike other frozen chicken brands, the Perdue Simply Smart did not come out soggy. I was very pleased with this outcome since the little one often needs food right now or else she transforms into Cranky Kid.

Here’s a recipe I’d like to share - the Baja Chicken Tacos recipe below uses Perdue Simply Smart Lightly Breaded Chicken Strips. This flavorful dish serves 10.

BAJA CHICKEN TACOS

Pico de Gallo
1          cup tomato, diced
½         cup red onion, diced
½         jalapeno, minced
1          clove garlic, minced
2          tablespoons lime juice
           Salt and pepper to taste

Taco
10        Lightly Breaded Chicken Strips
10        6-inch whole wheat tortillas
1          avocado, peeled/seeded/sliced

Slaw
¼         cup low fat sour cream
1          teaspoon hot sauce
1          tablespoon granulated sugar
1          tablespoon lime juice
            Salt and pepper to taste
1          cup red cabbage, shredded

Mix pico de gallo ingredients together in bowl and refrigerate.

Bake lightly breaded chicken strips at 375°F for 10 – 12 minutes until an internal temperature of 145°F is reached.

While strips are cooking, mix together sour cream, hot sauce, sugar, lime juice, salt, and pepper in bowl for slaw. Once combined, toss with shredded cabbage.

Once chicken is fully cooked, begin assembly of tacos. Place a piece of chicken in the center of a flour tortilla, followed by slices of avocado, 2 tablespoons of pico de gallo, and top with zesty slaw.

Roll up and enjoy.

For more info:  Find a $1.00 off coupon, more recipes, and tips at www.perdue.com/simplysmart. Perdue Simply Smart is now available at most local grocery stores that carry Perdue products.

Disclosure: Author did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. Author did receive packages of Perdue Simply Smart to try. All opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

PBS KIDS Premieres the Curious George Holiday Spectacular

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The original Curious George movie premieres on PBS KIDS on November 23.
Image courtesy of PBS KIDS

Curious George, America’s favorite lovable monkey, debuts this year with his own three-part Holiday Spectacular from PBS KIDS. The broadcast premier of the original Curious George movie, featuring the voices of Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore, and Dick Van Dyke as well as the music of Jack Johnson, airs Wednesday, November 23.

The kids worked on their art projects courtesy of PBS KIDS.
Photo by Maria Adcock

To celebrate the event, I partnered with PBS KIDS to throw a viewing party of the original Curious George movie. I invited a group of local preschoolers and their parents to my house for a homemade meal and a fun evening. PBS KIDS provided the entertainment: the movie DVD, a bag of microwavable popcorn, and picture frame craft materials and stickers for an art project.

The kids eagerly watched the movie, smiling and laughing at Curious George as he explores his new surroundings. The movie featured a sweet story line and established how the name Curious George came about, as well as how the cute monkey met The Man in the Yellow Hat. The charming script also made some witty modern day references, providing chuckles to the adults who picked up on them.  

Watching the Curious George movie provided smiles and
laughs to both the kids and their moms.
Photo by Maria Adcock

The feel-good Curious George movie is on its way to becoming a holiday tradition, Following this film are two more featuring the spunky monkey and The Man With the Yellow Hat: Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey and Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas. These two movies will air on PBS KIDS throughout the Thanksgiving weekend (check local listings).

CURIOUS GEORGE Holiday Spectacular Program Descriptions
(Provided by PBS KIDS)

Curious George
Curious George follows everyone’s favorite spunky monkey as he sets off on a series of (mis)adventures.  In the film, after the Man with the Yellow Hat accidentally brings back George from a business trip to Africa, the unlikely twosome embarks on a fun-filled journey through the big city, and ultimately finds their way to a lasting friendship.  Featuring gorgeous and old-fashioned two-dimensional animation that echoes the simple colors and shapes of the books by Margret and H. A. Rey, Curious George includes voice talents Will Ferrell (as the Man with the Yellow Hat), Drew Barrymore, and Dick Van Dyke, as well as all-original music from Jack Johnson.

Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey
In Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey, the fun-filled sequel to the hit animated movie, Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat set out on a madcap cross-country adventure to reunite Kayla, a homesick elephant, with her family. This unlikely trio faces all types of comic calamities and colorful characters and in the end learns that with family, friends and determination you can achieve anything. Curious George 2 features the voices of Tim Curry, Matt Lauer, Jamie Kennedy and Jerry Lewis.

Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas 
In A Very Monkey Christmas, Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat are having a wonderful time getting ready for Christmas. There's only one dilemma - neither of them can figure out what to give the other for a present! In the end, both gift-giving predicaments are simply and beautifully resolved, revealing the true spirit of the holiday season.

The viewing party was a hit with the little ones. Thanks, PBS KIDS!
Photo by Maria Adcock

For more info: Visit www.pbskids.org for programming details. Parents can find activities and information on the parenting section of the website: www.pbs.org/parents.

Disclosure: Author did not receive any compensation for this post. Author did receive the Curious George DVD and an activity pack for the viewing party. All opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

HopStop Finds the Most Accessible Stroller Routes in Cities

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No way out. HopStop can help.
Photo: HopStop.com

Taking public transportation around New York City with a stroller can prove challenging. Most stations do not include wheelchair access (a.k.a. stroller access), making exiting subway stations nearly impossible. I recall getting stuck at the bottom of a subway platform, looking at the 30+ steps above me and wondering how the heck I would carry my baby and stroller out without putting both of us at risk. 

After silently cursing in my head, I got back on the subway and traveled to a larger, out of my way, station that had elevators. At other times, I was lucky enough to find a friendly stranger to help me carry baby and stroller up the stairs.  

I realize now that the key to seamless travel is to plan ahead. Luckily I’ve discovered HopStop, a website that provides door-to-door transit, walking, biking, taxi and hourly car rental directions in over 100 cities worldwide.

HopStop allows users to:

• Get directions or find nearby subway stations and bus stops with its free mobile apps
• Send directions by email or text message directly from its website
• Plan a trip with multiple destinations
• Estimate travel time and cost for a taxi
• Get estimates for calories burned and carbon emissions savings for your route
• Find wheelchair accessible and stroller friendly routes

For parents of young children, HopStop can be a lifesaver. Partnering with Fit Pregnancy, HopStop finds stroller-friendly and wheelchair accessible routes. In New York City and the tri-state area, this means hassle-free traveling for moms and dads whether they’re natives or are just visiting.

Simply start a search on HopStop by selecting the preferred transportation mode (subway, bus, walking, bicycling, taxi, car, or a combination), enter your starting point, destination, and departure time. HopStop quickly provides route options with maps.  

For tech-savvy parents, Hopstop recently launched apps for the iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry app (Windows phone app coming soon!). HopStop apps will display a stroller icon in the search results if a route has this accessibility.

I now use HopStop whenever I go into the city from the suburbs whether or not I have a stroller. It’s a powerful tool for anyone who is searching for turnkey travel directions.

For more info: Visit Hopstop.com to start a search.

Disclosure: Author did not receive any compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

Enter for a Chance to Receive a Limited Series Petcakes Plush Toy - CLOSED

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Petcakes features a surprise animal friend inside.
Photo: PetcakesEtc.com

Just in time for the holidays is a chance for one lucky reader to receive the new Series 2 Petcakes plush toy. At first sight the plush looks only like a cupcake, but out pops a cuddly animal friend wearing a "frosting" hat.  Each Petcakes pal is tucked in its own cupcake wrapper and comes with a whimsical backstory.

The collectible PetCakes make a great holiday present or stocking stuffer. On the heels of the original collection are the limited edition Series 2 Forest Animals which include:

• Honey Cakes (bear)
• Bamboo Berry (panda)
• Nutty Nicky (squirrel)
• Roco Coco (raccoon)

Bicultural Mama is giving away one of the Series 2 Petcakes (see details below). For those who would like to purchase more, the manufacturer is offering a special through its website www.mypetcakes.com:

• Buy (4) or more Petcakes Collectibles plush toys and receive the PetCakes Collectibles Minis 4 pack – Customer only needs to pay an additional 1.99 shipping/handling.
• Shipping Charges:  When a customer places multiple orders for PetCakes, the customer pays 6.99 shipping/handling for the first PetCakes and each additional is only 1.99 shipping/handling.

HOW TO ENTER

One (1) lucky reader will receive a Series 2 Petcakes plush toy (type of animal plush received is up to the manufacturer). Please review the instructions below to enter.

Immersion Language Learning for Ages 0-5 from Little Pim

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Little Pim is available in 10 languages.
Image: LittlePim.com

The best time to learn a second language is during children’s early years when their minds absorb information like a sponge. After age five, the window begins to close in terms of the ease in retaining a new language. Scientific research has proven many benefits from learning several languages - multilingual children tend to have advanced vocabularies, reading, writing, analytical, and social skills versus monolingual kids.

Many language learning DVD and CD series exist for children. I have tried several of them in the past and have found them effective for teaching my 2 year old Mandarin Chinese. Some provided both English and Chinese translations, which for older kids could be especially helpful given they’ve already grasped the English language. For the younger set, language immersion can also be effective as infants are just starting to learn language skills in general.

Little Pim, a language learning series and recipient of 22 awards, approached me to try its products. The series uses an Entertainment Immersion Method™, which combines animation and real kids of all ethnicities to teach simple words and phrases for everyday activities. Parents can view English subtitles to follow along. The main character through the DVDs is an animated friendly panda named Little Pim. The DVDs teach 60 words and phrases per 35 minute DVD.

Little Pim is available in 10 languages: Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese, Italian, German, English/ESL, Arabic, Japanese, Russian, and Hebrew. The series targets 0-5 year olds, so much younger than other sets I had tested with my daughter. I agreed to do a trial of the Little Pim Mandarin Chinese series. The Mandarin Chinese set included three DVDs: 1) Eating & Drinking, 2) Wake Up Smiling, 3) Playtime.

When testing new products with kids, the great thing is that they don’t hold back; if they don’t like it, they’ll walk away. If they do like it, they’ll be engrossed. I told my daughter we were going to watch some shows about a Chinese panda. Considering she is currently in the “I love pandas” phase, she wholeheartedly agreed to try it. I played the first DVD, and she did not move from the couch. She smiled when she saw the panda, and stayed riveted throughout the show. She also repeated many of the words and phrases in Chinese, an even sometimes stated their English equivalents.

We’ve now watched the three DVDs for about a month, and my daughter still gets excited when Little Pim comes on.  I think this is a great series to start infants and toddlers with – the key for retention is to show the DVDs repeatedly and for parents to stay involved by watching and saying the words with their children.

Little Pim is available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, LittlePim.com and Diapers.com as well as toy and specialty gift stores nationwide. In addition to the individual DVDs, Little Pim also offers gift sets, backpack sets, flash cards, books, and music CDs.

For more info: Visit www.littlepim.com for more details. Little Pim language series was created by the award-winning filmmaker and mom Julia Pimsleur Levine. The mompreneur designed the series to fill a need in the children’s video market for a top-quality, language-learning video series for the very young.

Disclosure: Author did not receive any compensation for the post. Author did receive a Little Pim gift set in order to trial the DVDs for this post. All opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

Spotlight on Bicultural Mama

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I’ve been fortunate to discover wonderful resources through my Bicultural Mama website that support moms, families, and culture. Recently two of these organizations featured Bicultural Mama on their websites – a true honor! Thank you to Mom Corps NYC and Hartlyn Kids for reaching out and highlighting Bicultural Mama.

Mom Corps NYC

Mom Corps NYC is part of a national franchise of search firms that specializing in helping moms find full-time, part-time, and contract positions that allow them to have more work life balance.

Mom Corps NYC contacted me with great questions about my own work-related experiences post-baby. I spoke about my unintentional career break and how that evolved into a second career in writing.

Read the article here:

Top 4 Tips to Make Your Career Breaks Work For You

Hartlyn Kids

Hartlyn Kids Media, LLC is an independent children’s book publishing company focusing on bringing the diversity of world cultures to children and their parents. The goal of books published by Hartlyn Kids is to allow readers the experience of traveling the globe…one book at a time.

Hartlyn Kids’ blog includes a Multicultural Corner section that introduces people that have a passion for culture, diversity, and travel. I appreciate being included in this group with so many other blogs I admire.

Read the article here:

MULTICULTURAL CORNER: Meet Maria from Bicultural Mama!

For more information on these websites, please visit www.momcorpsnyc.com and www.hartlynkids.com.

Happy Pig Day! An Elephant and Piggie Book by Mo Willems

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Gerald and Piggie are best friends. On the most important day of the pig year, Gerald the elephant wants to join the fun but he doesn’t quite fit in with all the other pigs. Happy Pig Day! shares a lovable tale about true friendship and celebrating special occasions in life.

Mo Willems, a #1 New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, created Happy Pig Day!  as part of his Geisel Award-winning “Elephant and Piggie” series. The 64 page hardcover easy reader/picture book, published by Hyperion Books for Children (an imprint of Disney Book Group), was released last month.

Willems uses vocabulary that was vetted by an early-learning specialist to captivate beginning readers. His simple and clean illustrations grabs readers’ attention and at the same time emit Gerald and Piggie’s emotions.

The experienced author began his career on Sesame Street where he garnered six Emmy Awards. Willems has also won awards for his debut book Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!  The author-illustrator has also just released a first-ever book app based on this popular "Don’t Let the Pigeon" series.

For more info: Find Happy Pig Day! at all major book retailers as well as at http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781423143420.

Happy Pig Day! Written and illustrated by Mo Willems
(Hyperion, Hardcover, 9781423143420, 64pp.)
Publication Date: October 2011

Disclosure: Author of this post did not receive any compensation for this article. Author did receive a Happy Pig Day! book to assess. All opinions expressed are those of the author only.

Disney on Ice Dare to Dream Family Four Pack Winner

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One lucky reader has won a family four pack prize to watch Disney on Ice Dare to Dream in New Jersey.

The winner is….(drumroll)

Steven Steinberg

Winner was chosen via Random.org. I will contact the winner, and a response with the mailing addresses will be needed within 48 hours or new winners will be picked. The winner’s tickets will be held at Will Call and the winner must bring his or her photo ID to Will Call the day of the event.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Learning to Play Piano for the Very Young

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Introduce little ones to piano with this pre-primer book.
Image: DebbieandFriends.net

I started piano lessons at age six and continued for twelve more years. As a young child I did not appreciate piano lessons, but eventually grew to love it as I matured. Now as a parent I want my own daughter to learn piano. Many music teachers do not recommend lessons until age five or six, an age when kids can better focus and comprehend the abstract concepts and symbols required to read sheet music.

Recently I discovered a pre-primer piano book for toddlers and preschoolers called Learning to Play Piano for the Very Young by Debbie Cavalier and Marty Gold. It’s a combination activity, teaching, and music book to introduce piano to children. The book is intended for parents to use with their kids and does not require previous musical experience.

Children will learn to read the treble clef, and the book uses pictures to represent notes. For example, A is for apple, B is for Boy, C is for Cat, etc. These pictures are then placed within the piano notes in the song sheets along with other instructions to help kids remember the keys.

Other activities include writing in note names, tracing hands, writing in finger numbers, clapping, singing, and more. There’s even a Keyboard Tent (included) to place on the piano to provide a visual cue to associate notes on the page to keys on the piano.

The songs represent familiar children’s melodies, and the book includes full color cartoon characters that provide words of encouragement throughout. Learning to Play Piano for the Very Young is recommended for ages 3-6 years.

My daughter is just shy of 3 years, but I plan to get her started on this book in a few months to prime her for professional piano lessons later on. I can’t wait to introduce her to an instrument that I grew up with and one that has given me so much joy.

For more info: Learning to Play Piano for the Very Young has a suggested retail price of just under ten dollars and is available at the Debbie and Friends website (www.debbieandfriends.net) as well as on Amazon.com. Debbie Cavalier is an award-winning musician, music educator, and dean at Berklee College of Music and is known as one of the top children’s music artists in the nation. She wrote this book with her grandfather, noted arranger/composer Marty Gold.

Disclosure: Author did not receive any compensation for this post. Author did receive a copy of the piano book to assess for this post. All opinions stated are solely those of the author.

Take Great Pictures: Tips & Techniques, Sony Camera Sweeps

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Image: TakeGreatPictures.com

Holiday time means family time with lots of picture opportunities. TakeGreatPictures.com, a site created and maintained by The Photoimaging Information Council, offers tips and techniques on everything from taking photos to scrapbooking.

People can even share their own work and enter photography competitions. In addition to these valuable resources, the website is giving away a new SONY a55 camera and lens kit to help one reader get started on holiday pictures.

Online entries must be received before December 1, 2011 and mail-in entries must be postmarked by November 30, 2011 and received by December 15, 2011. Just visit the entry page and simply input an email address – no other information is required.

About the SONY a55 camera and lens from Take Great Pictures:
This convenient, fascinating, fun, high-performance camera will satisfy advanced enthusiasts as well as beginners, and even pros. The Sony a55 delivers an incredible number of useful features including high speed and exceptional HD video capabilities. It literally teaches you what all those buttons and settings do and should be a great motivation for legions of picture takers stepping up to their first serious camera. 

For more info: Visit TakeGreatPictures.com and also the Take Great Pictures Facebook page for daily tips and news.

Disclosure: Author did NOT receive any compensation or complimentary products for this post. All opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

Voice Rockrz Helps Kids Release Their Inner Rock Star

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Kids love to sing, especially if they can mimic their favorite pop stars. Encourage their blossoming talents with a microphone made just for kids that also adds pizzazz to their performances. New this Fall are Voice Rockrz microphones, made by musical instrument manufacturer, First Act Discovery.

Voice Rockrz lets kids
pretend they're rock stars!
Photo: VoiceRockrz.com

The Voice Rockrz microphones interact with ring and bracelet accessories included in the package. Kids simply tap one of these onto the microphone’s target zone to transform their performances.

Voice changing effects include:

• Hi-Note
• Echo-Tastic
• Robot-Riffic

The microphone also offers sound effects like audience applause and a crescendo-ing drum roll. For music, kids can plug into any MP3 player (not included) to sing along to their favorite songs.

Watch Voice Rockrz in action (You Tube video):

 Voice Rockrz is available in two versions:

1)      Pink with flower ring and skull bracelet accessories

2)      Blue with skull ring and zipper bracelet accessories

The microphone requires three AAA batteries (included) and is appropriate for ages 4-10 years.

For more info: Voice Rockrz microphones are available at Target, Toys ‘R Us, Walmart, Kmart, Meijer, Amazon.com and more. Suggested price is approximately twenty-five dollars. For more product details please visit www.voicerockrz.com.

Disclosure: Author did not receive any compensation for this post. Author did receive the Voice Rockrz product to assess for this post. All opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

Film Project Spotlights the Hafu (Half-Japanese) Experience

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What is it like to be half-Japanese in Japan, a country which once proudly declared itself a mono-ethnic nation? Three multicultural filmmakers are currently making a documentary to explore this in their film, Hafu. The film highlights the lives of 5 half-Japanese people in their journey to discovery their identities and what it means to be of mixed race.

Statistics from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare indicate that 1 in 30 Japanese babies born today are born to a parent where at least one is not Japanese. Hafu strives to document this emerging minority by showing the positives and negatives that come along with the struggle for acceptance and self-empowerment.

Beyond the storyline about the half-Japanese experience lays a universal theme of people’s desire to find approval from society and within ourselves.

To complete the project, the filmmakers require 1 million yen or approximately 10,000 US dollars by December 11 to cover post-production costs. If you’d like to support this film, please visit www.indiegogo.com/hafu-film. Donors will receive presents in exchange for their support. For example, donors may be given a copy of the book, a DVD, etc.

Meet the Hafus

Here are the 5 Hafus documented in the film. The descriptions and photos are from the Hafu film website.

David (Ghana x Japan) David was born in Ghana and at age of 6 moved to Tokyo with his family. His parents divorced when he was 10. The next 8 years were spent in an orphanage with his two brothers. When David went back to Ghana for the first time in his early 20s, he realized how blessed he was to have grown up in Japan. He is now determined to build a school back in Ghana and get in touch with this other side.

Edward (Venezuela x Japan) was raised entirely by his Japanese mom in Japan.  Because he went through the international school system, he never felt he was truly part of Japanese society. In 2006 with boom of social network services, Ed began connecting with other Hafus and formed Mixed Roots Kansai, which is now one of the most established multi-cultural communities in Japan. He is now working towards creating a large academic discourse on multicultural Japan.

Fusae (Korea x Japan) was born and raised in Kobe, Japan, to a Korean Japanese father, a naturalized Japanese citizen, and a Japanese mother. She learnt of her Korean roots when she was 16 from her mother- a traumatic experience for her at the time. 18 years later she is still struggling to redefine her place in society as a Korean/Japanese descendant.

The Oi Family (Mexico x Japan). Gaby and Tetsu decided to send their son Alex (9) and daughter Sara (7) to Japanese elementary school. However, Alex began showing physical symptoms of stress due to the teasing he receives from his classmates for being a Hafu. His parents have made the tough decision of sending him to the expensive international school. Alex will begin at his new school in August while Sara will continue to at Japanese school. Through the Oi's, this film will explore the tough decisions parents have to make in raising multicultural children.

Sophia (Australia x Japan) Raised entirely in Sydney, at 27, Sophia decided it was now or never for her to explore her Japanese heritage and arrived to Tokyo leaving behind friends and family. Will Japan live up to expectations she’s held for so long? Will she be able to integrate? Ultimately how will she identify after some time here?

For more info: Visit www.indiegogo.com/hafu-film to find out more about the Hafu documentary.