Dick & Jane Educational Snacks

The following is a product review by homeschooling mom, Mireya Marroquin Dunn.

How awesome is it to learn while you eat a healthy snack? As parents, we want the best for our kids. We work hard to get them to eat healthily and do our best to get the best education we can provide for them.

Well, I came across a great snack that you can serve to help your child learn the 50 U.S. states, all 44 U.S. Presidents, and even some English/Spanish vocabulary words. These snacks (cookies) are made with all-natural ingredients...and a big PLUS is that they are NUT free! 

Dick & Jane Educational snacks are a great way to enjoy a snack and your kids will have fun learning what they eat. You can also find them on Facebook.

What a wonderful idea from a husband and wife team; one is a teacher, and the other runs the bakery. You can find these yummy cookie snacks that taste like vanilla in select grocery stores or have them come right to your home through Amazon.com. You can buy them in small snack sizes (single servings) or in an 8oz. box (family size).

This company is on a mission as well: they are raising money for education. Their GOAL? $1,000,000,000 for EDUCATION. They work with schools around the nation to raise money for the classrooms and cafeterias.

In my opinion, these healthy snacks are a great way to learn together. They are great for starting conversations with your kids and even to share with friends wherever you go!

Best Buy Education: Your Education Technology Partner

It absolutely amazes me how tech-savvy children are today. Every day I read articles discussing how different technology is being used in education. From Minecraft to Wideo, there are thousands of applications, websites, and devices that are now available to make learning fun and easier. In fact, technology is so closely linked to education these days that you can find many websites dedicated only to using technology in education. Even in our own homeschool classes, technology plays a significant role.

Do you use technology in your classroom? If not, discover how the latest technology can transform your classroom. Can you imagine what it would be like if you could provide each of your students with a classroom tablet or laptop and use some of the amazing apps now available to teach your students how to read, spell, count, multiply, and more....in English and Spanish?

Most young people today are growing up with technology and are using it in every aspect of their lives. School should be no exception.

With the right devices, students can:

• Read, research and take notes
• Learn at their own pace
• Prepare and edit assignments more efficiently
• Communicate and collaborate on projects with ease
• Master technology skills that prepare them for future educational endeavors and careers

Best Buy Education believes every student should have access to technology. They offer a wide variety of tablets, laptops and chrome devices for classroom use, and have partnered with schools around the country to provide technology they need to succeed. They also offer on-site Geek Squad® training and support for students and faculty.

Their dedicated Account Managers will consult with you, offer knowledgeable, unbiased advice and guide you to the product and service solutions that best meet your needs and budget. Whether you are rolling out new devices in the classroom, launching a BYOD initiative, or upgrading the technology throughout your school, they can provide the products, support and protection you need.

You can enter for a chance to win $25,000 in Best Buy Credit to upgrade your classroom devices! If you could use some help with acquiring new technology to use with your students and make learning more fun, easier, and modern, don't miss this great opportunity!

If you are attending ISTE Conference and Expo on June 28 – July 1, Best Buy Education will be in booth #2262. Make sure you stop by and check out the daily demonstrations being held throughout the conference.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with Best Buy. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

Día de los Reyes Giveaway: Gifts by eeBoo

We are so excited to present you another fantastic giveaway! Actually, we have two! Thanks to our dear friends at eeBoo, a boutique toy manufacturer that specializes in beautiful and well-made educational games and gifts like I Never Forget a Face Matching Game and Natural & Earth Science Flash Cards.

My family has I Never Forget a Face Matching Game and everyone absolutely loves it! The game tiles are sturdy (perfect for those rough little boy hands we have around here!) and not only are the images for the concentration game visually stunning but also culturally refreshing! There are 24 faces to match and the little people hail from Mexico to Myanmar!

eeBoo is also giving a second winner a pack of the Natural & Earth Science Flash Cards. The learning tool offers six categories. My oldest boys would love to dig into the Mammals and Underwater Life flash cards! On one side of the card, a beautiful illustration is depicted. When flipped over, you can learn a bunch of facts about the featured image.

Both these eeBoo products introduce children to the world, work on concentration and memorization, as well as generating conversations with friends and family!

THE GIVEAWAY



eeBoo has donated a I Never Forget a Face Memory Game to one Mommy Maestra winner! Just in time for Día de los Reyes Magos ~ Three Kings Day!

eeBoo has also donated a pack of Natural & Science Flash Cards for another Mommy Maestra reader.

To enter to win, simply use the Raffecopter below.

¡Buena suerte!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

at MyFriendBettySays.com.

Space Scouts Review and GIVEAWAY



I can't even try to describe just how excited my oldest was when he received a Space Scout kit to review! I mean, I was super excited too! There's nothing better than receiving a package in the mail, full of literature, activities, toys, posters, and more so you can learn all about space together.

Space Scouts is an affordable monthly subscription club that allows children to explore, engage and learn while having fun. On the first month, your child will receive a lunch box, a solar system poster, and a constellation card startup kit, along with similar activity sheets, stickers and toys they will receive each month thereafter.

Diego appreciates the same characters, Roxy and Jett, making an appearance every month too. They narrate the lessons and while reading together, we both felt like we are exploring with Roxy and Jett! Diego is already so interested in space and science, and we thought of many friends who would like a program like Space Scouts as well.

We know boys and girls between the ages of 6-12 who would absolutely love a program like this. It is very gender neutral but I was especially pleased to see Roxy as a main character and as a representative of a positive female role. Young girls can count on educational science products like Space Scouts to keep them in mind when targeting little astronauts.  As a mom of three boys, I appreciate when companies help me show my boys that girls may have the same educational interests. Boys and girls can reach for the stars!

The Giveaway

Mommy Maestra readers are in for a treat! Space Scouts is hosting a giveaway here! One lucky reader will win a three month subscription! Visit Space Scouts to learn more, follow them on Facebook and Twitter and enter using the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Lakeshore's Are You Ready? Game Shows

With the end of the school year quickly approaching, it's time to revive my Summer Learning series. On Tuesday you learned about the Latino Children's Summer Reading Program to keep your kids busy and boost their literacy skills throughout the summer.

Today, I have a really fun product to share with you. We recently had the opportunity to review one of the Are you Ready? Game Shows from Lakeshore. These game sets are available for children in kindergarten through 5th grade. We received the 3rd grade set and absolutely loved it.

Lakeshore’s Are you Ready? (Kindergarten – 5th Grade) Game Shows - $29.99

These games are designed to help parents know if their child is ready for the upcoming school year.

First we set up the game (it's super easy). You just choose a set of cards - it comes with 6 different games - and set them up on the gameboard with the dollar amounts facing out in the following pattern:

Then you and your child(ren) take turns selecting a card. You must solve the problem on the back of the card in order to win the amount of money indicated on the front.

The little green tray on the front helps you keep track of which ones your child answers correctly or incorrectly. It's important to know which ones your child stumbles on so that you can help your child practice their skills in this particular area before school starts.

The game also comes with a score track to help you keep track of the problems your child misses so that after you finish playing, you (the parent) can visit Lakeshore's site and receive an instant online assessment that pinpoints any areas where a child may need additional help. It also provides FREE printable activities that focus on those exact skills that need sharpening. Also, Lakeshore suggests some product recommendations to build those skills even further.

This 6-game set includes 198 playing cards, a game stand with discard tray, play money, reward coupons, and a score track.

So you could play this game every other week during the summer to keep your kids busy thinking and maintaining those skills frequently lost to "Summer Brain Drain." And the online component for parents helps you take an active role in your child's readiness for the coming school year.

The best part is that you can play this came as a family. We got the 3rd grade edition, as I mentioned, but my son (who's in 2nd) and my daughter (who's in 4th) and I played it and had a great time. We're looking forward to playing it some more over the summer. 

To get $10 off any Are You Ready? Game Show®, enter code 9141 at checkout or click here for a store coupon! Expires 7/31/14.
Disclosure: I received this product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are strictly my own. 

Review: Playskool's Showcam {Giveaway}

MommyMaestra Holidays (#MMHolidays) are here!

So I'm kicking off things a little early because I have a few giveaways that I do not want to run all together and I know that many of you will be shopping this coming weekend! Maybe you can mark this one off your list? If you are looking for ideas for educational products to gift to your children this holiday season, I have already put together a fabulous (FREE!) Holiday Gift Guide filled with lots of great products. But in addition to the guide, I'll be sharing reviews of other fun and educational products (not featured in the guide) plus a few giveaways, too!

The Playskool Showcam
Retails for $64.99

First up is the Showcam by Playskool. What makes this little digital camera so special is that it is also a projector, displaying the fabulous pictures your child has taken onto a wall or screen. Your child can also have fun chooing from more than 50 silly effects to dress up their photos. My 7-year-old son loved taking pictures of us wearing crowns, hats, and more. He even begged us to take photos of him after he chose what designs to add to the photo. The buttons and levers on the camera are all large and colorful, perfect for little fingers.

This camera is really designed for younger children - I would say the best age range is 3 to 7 years old. However, I also used it with my 9 yo by giving her an assignment to go around and take pictures of different leaves, then come back and give me a report while projecting the photos she took onto the wall.

You can even save, print, or share your child's photos by hooking it up to your computer. You'll need a USB cable, though. (Not included!)

The Showcam is a great way to nurture your child's inner photographer and encourages him to look closely at his environment. You can make it more educational by assigning a presentation like I did with my 9 year old, and then sending them out to collect images for it.

The Giveaway

One MommyMaestra reader will receive the Playskool Showcam! How great is that? You get to stock up on holiday gifts and don't even have to buy it. :)

To enter, simply use the Rafflecopter below.

¡Buena suerte!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lakeshore’s Learning at Home Products

Last week, one of my favorite education supply companies launched a fun new line of educational toys for the home. You may remember the two giveaways I had last month featuring Lakeshore products. Well now they have created a line of products specifically for home learning that are perfect for homeschoolers or parents who simply want to supplement their child's education. These products will surely make the learning process fun. They are engaging and a great way to nurture your child's curiosity and creativity!

I have several Lakeshore products that I've gotten over this past year and used with the kids. I'd like to share them with you, so today I'm going to start with a review of the Truth or Myth? Science Kit. It comes with the materials and instructions that your child need to conduct 11 science experiments that cover:

• Solar Power
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Electricity

The only things you need to supply for some of the experiments are soda, a lemon, vegetable oil, and some pennies.

The kit includes a collection of experiment cards (top, middle) with anywhere from 1 to 4 experiments on each. The instructions are easy enough for a 3rd grader to read, though this kit is designed for kids as young as 6 years old. Parental guidance is necessary, but you will have just as much fun as your kid. I also like how the illustrations feature a multicultural cast of kids performing the experiments, boys and girls.

One experiment that caught my eye and cracked me up was this one: Is it true? You can use taco sauce to clean pennies! But my daughter's favorite one involved learning about the concepts of cohesion and adhesion by using a piece of yarn to transfer water from one cup to another.

My son's fave, of course, involved climbing to great heights and dropping something. So he loved the experiment that centered around dropping an egg without cracking it. Note: Use hard-boiled eggs, not fresh ones!! :/



Other super fun experiments included using a chemical reaction to create electricity with a simple lemon and the lemon clock kit included in the science kit, as well as creating their own s'mores in their itty bitty solar-powered oven!

Once your child has completed all of the experiments, the kit even comes with an award card that you can fill in with marker.

For families that are looking for way to make science fun for their kids, I highly recommend this kit. You already know that we are a science-loving family, but I think that any kid would enjoy these experiments and parents will love that their child is learning at the same time. Don't worry about making a mess, clean up is easy and the benefits for your child, far outweigh the effort it takes to clean. These experiments don't make a really big mess anyway.

You can purchase this kit, or any of the other fantastic products in Lakeshore's Learning at Home line at any Lakeshore store or on their website.

And just because you are wonderful readers, and because Lakeshore is a super company, here's a 20% off coupon you can use. It expires on October 31st.

Disclosure: I received a sample of this product to review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

Make Your Own Chewing Gum Kit {GIVEAWAY}

This post is part of our Educational Gifts series that features products that encourage learning and skill development.

You may remember how I did a series of articles last year on chocolate that included a great giveaway of a Make Your Own Chocolate Kit. The kids and I had SUCH a blast with that activity, that when I received the offer to sample the Make Your Own Chewing Gum Kit, of course I said yes!

Name: Make Your Own Chewing Gum Kit
Subject(s): geography, science, world culture
Brief Description: A complete kit by GleeGum.com for making your own chewing gum in two different flavors.
Price: $13.95
Ages: 8 and up


What my kids like:

The hands-on fun. My kids love learning in the kitchen and this was an especially fun project. They threw on their little aprons and enjoyed the process. We all really enjoyed watching the photographic slide show on the process from tree to Glee (you can find it here).
Oh, and I think their favorite part was sampling the end result!


What I like:

I really love that the ingredients are all natural. The kit includes the chicle gum base, confectioner's sugar, corn syrup, 2 flavor packets, and a microwaveable black plastic dish that you can recycle when you are done.

I also like how the kit comes with a history lesson. Included is a short story describing where chicle comes from and how it is harvested. It created a connection for my kids by telling them the story of Eduardo, a Guatemalan "chiclero." The story emphasizes the important role that this product plays in the community and how it protects the rain forest as a renewable resource.

It can be a pretty sticky affair making the gum (well, what did you expect?), so make sure your children's hair is pulled back and that they are wearing play clothes.

Other Notes:

TEACHERS - there is also an Educator's Guide to Gum available through GleeGum.com. It includes a kit for making 30 - 60 pieces of gum, an Educator's Guide, "El Chicle" DVD, and a copy of The Chewing Gum History Book.

To find a store near you where you can purchase Glee Gum kits, check out their store locator. And don't forget to use this coupon!

THE GIVEAWAY

GleeGum has kindly offered for one MommyMaestra reader to receive 1 (one!) kit of your choice (Make Your Own Chewing Gum, Gummies, or Chocolate).

To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Thursday, December 13th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment! (If I have no way to contact you, I'll have to choose someone else!)

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1) Like Glee Gum on Facebook.

2) Follow Glee Gum on Twitter (@gleeguy).

3) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following:LatinMami and @gleeguy #giveaway

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post, though the giveaway and images are offered courtesy of Glee Gum. I did, however, receive a sample pack for the purposes of this review.

MamaYala World Cultures Project

 
A week or two ago, I was contacted by Sara Ponce who shared her beautiful project with me. Sara is trying to find funding for her education materials, the first series being focused on Latin America and Spain. I simply love not only the idea, but her illustrations, too. Since I have not seen the cards myself (yet!), I asked Sara to share a bit about her project.

And she shared her video, which tells her story best...

Sara also says-

MamaYala™ World Cultures presents the cultures of the world project. Our beautiful and colorful card sets include illustrations of artifacts, foods, flora, fauna, and instruments. The first card series is based on the Latin American and Spanish cultures.

MamaYala™ World Cultures le presenta las culturas del mundo. Nuestra bella y colorida colección de tarjetas contiene ilustraciones originales de artefactos, comidas, flora, fauna e instrumentos musicales. La primera serie está basada en la cultura española y latino americana.

I'm excited to support Sara in her venture. I love the whole idea and the creativity she possesses. Just take a look at these beautifully illustrated cards!


I hope that you will join me in helping Sara make her dream a reality (and pick up some beautiful cards at the same time!) visit her kickstarter campaign page, www.mamayala.com

You can also find her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/mamayalaworldcultures) where she shares updates about her project.

Un abrazo!

~Monica

Imagine a Better World, Imagina un mundo mejor

There's little else that makes me happier than finding a fabulous new resource for my children...and yours. I must profusely thank a MommyMaestra reader for contacting me and sharing this particular one with me.

Brickhouse Education is a (new?) publishing company whose goal is to "provide you with high-quality books while covering all benchmarks/standards and helping you save." Their books are designed to teach several subjects at once, to help teachers cover more with less. And if you visit their website, you'll see that they are working towards providing a free downloadable lesson plan with each book. And all teachers and librarians receive 30% off list prices.But the best part? EVERY TITLE IS AVAILABLE IN SPANISH.

Okay, so you might say this is slightly exciting but... how good are the translations?

I'll admit that I haven't read all their books. But from what I can tell many of the books are written by Yanitzia Canetti, of whom I just think the world. She is a superb author and translator who, like all true translators, is remarkably good at conveying the meaning and emotion behind the story. She's not a chop-chop-choppy, word-for-word translator.

(UPDATE: I just discovered that Canetti is actually the President of Cambridge BrickHouse. That only impresses me even more.)

My introduction to the Brickhouse Education titles, was through Imagina un mundo mejor. This beautiful book is perfect for Earth Day and National Poetry month and Día de los niños, Día de los libros all together.

This book is filled with inspirational poetry and whimsical illustrations that open our eyes to the beauty of our surrounding world...

The book was written to teach Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies. It touches on key concepts like rhyming words, animal habitats and behaviors, responsibility and generosity, life cycles, and descriptive language and imagery. It is also designed to build self-esteem, help children identify problems and solutions, and express emotions.

I can't tell you how much I love the poems in this book. I can't even pick out only one to share with you, they are that good. So here is just one, that I love...

 El árbol del abuelo

Abuelo sembró un árbol

que tiene ramas frondosas.

En él viven gusanitos

y hormiguitas laboriosas.

Vive un búho, tres gorriones,

y un montón de mariposas,

las abejas de un panal

y cuatro ardillas graciosas.

En invierno hiberna un oso.

En primavera, ¡qué flores!

En verano, nos da frutos,

Y en otoño, ¡qué colores!

Cuánta, cuánta, cuánta vida

tiene el árbol del abuelo.

¡Cuánta cuánta maravilla

nace de la tierra al cielo!

Some of the poems are longer than others. But they are all beautifully written and would be perfect for memorization.

And for those of you who prefer your books in English - the English version of this title, Imagine a Better World, is equally delightful! But you don't have to take my word for it. Just visit their website where you can preview each of the books they offer.

I cannot say enough about this company. Just looking through their catalog, I am drooling at all the excellent series and individual titles that cover such a great number of subjects!

Homeschooling mamis! THIS is a gold mine for you!

Parents, this is a must-have book for your family home library.

Bilingual education teachers: You cannot go wrong, I think, with this company.

So what are you waiting for? Go and check out their website at BrickhouseEducation.com.

Con mucho cariño...


Disclosure: I contacted Brickhouse Education to ask for a copy of this book, which they kindly agreed to send me for review. All the blubbering and glowing opinions found above are purely my own.

Bella's Mystery Deck: Mini-Mysteries with Latino Flavor

I'm excited to share with you a review of this fantastic product. If you haven't heard of Bella's Mystery Deck before, then let me introduce you...

Last Christmas, while trying to find educational games that my daughter would enjoy, I was looking for materials with a strong female character to inspire her and hold her attention. At some point I had already seen this deck advertised and had bookmarked it for future examination. But I hadn't really read what it was about.

Imagine my delight to discover that this set of mini-mystery cards features 13-year-old, Isabella Tia Marie Martinez...otherwise known as "Bella." Together with her faithful black Labrador retriever, Noche, she unravels mysteries around her town. This deck has 50 cards, each one with a short story. Embedded within the stories are clues, that your child must uncover to solve each mystery. And if you get stuck? No problem. The answer is written in mirror image on the back of each card. A mirror card is included to help you read the answer.

We love this product so much! Spanish words and culture are scattered throughout the stories, which have a Latino theme and reflect the lifestyle of Hispanics in the United States. For instance, there are two cards that tell the background of Bella and Noche. On Bella's card, we learned that she lives in South Tucson with her family. Our bilingual heroine is a chicana - her dad was born in Minnesota where his family harvested sugar beets, and her mother was born in Nogales, Mexico. And Bella has a younger brother, Antonio, and sister, Alejandra. Her dad now works for a landscape contractor, and her mother is an artist who makes masks. My favorite line? "You could say that we're a normal family and I'm an ordinary girl - except that I solve mysteries."

So far, we have been going through the initial deck, but we're happy to know that there is a Bella's Mystery Deck 2 with a whole new set of stories. These cards are perfect for children ages 8 to 12. My daughter, who is just shy of 8 finds the mysteries a wee bit too hard, but she loves them anyway. I usually help guide her to the solution with specific questions.

Teachers could use these decks as a reward at the end of class/week. Parents can use these cards to help their children practice their reading and critical thinking skills.

You can find both new and used decks available for purchase in La Librería.

Con mucho cariño...

Disclosure: I purchased this set online for my daughter. I was not contacted in any way by the company, Mindware, to review this product. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Make Your Own Chocolate Kit {GIVEAWAY}

My kids and I have had the absolute best time studying about chocolate. It was hard for me to remember not to get too detailed for my kids, who are only 5 and 7 years old. But I was really pleased with the mini-unit study that I created for them.

In our exploration of the world of chocolate, we started off with the book, Smart About Chocolate: A Sweet History by Sandra Markle. This book is written for children and was perfect for my two. It covers everything from the characteristics of the cacao beans (bitterness, color, etc.) to its historical roots in Central America with engaging stories about the Maya and Aztecs. I loved how the books shared brief stories about Montezuma (Did you know he drank more than 50 cups of chocolate a day?!?), Prince Philip of Spain, and Milton Hershey.The book also discusses when - and how - milk chocolate was formed.

Smart About Chocolate also includes a fun recipe, surprising facts, a book list, and even an experiment for little scientists. The illustrations are funny and engaging and had my kids giggling from the very beginning. I totally recommend this book.

After reading this short book, we spent some time online at the Field Museum's website going through the interactives. I also used some of the activity/coloring pages on chocolate from this website (they're in English).

But the best part of our study was making chocolate ourselves. While researching my lesson online, I found a Make Your Own Chocolate Kit from Glee Gum. I purchased it from Amazon. The kit comes with the ingredients shown in the picture above. This includes organic cocoa butter, cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, starter crystals, a temperature indicator, two cacao beans, and paper candy liners. 

The instructions were easy to follow - but you have to follow them exactly! Making chocolate is not a simple process. While we were waiting for the chocolate to cool, we nibbled on the beans and immediately spit them out complaining about the taste. I thought this was a simple, but effective way of showing how important the process is of adding the other ingredients to combat the bitterness of the bean.

They also allow time in the process for adding extra ingredients such as marshmallows, nuts, etc. We chose to add peanut butter to 1/3 of our candies. And afterwards we had a "taste test." The girls loved the peanut butter chocolate combo, while my son preferred the straight chocolate.

Not only was the kit fun and educational, it's also all-natural and eco-friendly. Although the kit comes with the story of chocolate, you can also find an educator's guide and sample lesson plan on their site.

We really had the best time doing this!

If you'd like to find a store in your area that sells this, or any of the Glee Gum kits, check their online store locator.

THE GIVEAWAY

After we had so much fun with this project, I wanted to share. So I contacted Glee Gum and asked if they'd be willing to offer a kit or two as a giveaway. They graciously agreed and are offering one Make Your Own Chocolate Kit to a MommyMaestra reader.

To enter, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Wednesday, November 30th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment!

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post in the comments below.

2.) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win a Make Your Own Chocolate Kit from MommyMaestra! http://bit.ly/tyWqyj @LatinMami #chocolate #homeschool #giveaway

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

Disclosure: This giveaway is offered in collaboration with Glee Gum. I have not been compensated in any way for offering this giveaway, and it results from my contacting them and asking for a contribution to our Chocolate series.

Bilingual Preschool and Kindergarten Booklets

I'm super excited to share this latest discovery with you. I found it this past week. Do you already know about D J Inkers? They specialize in fun, teacher-friendly fonts and dowloads for the classroom and digital scrapbooking.

When exploring her printables, I found a whole series of downloadable booklets dedicated to the alphabet, numbers, shapes. And the best part? They are also available in Spanish! Yay! These are exactly the type of materials you can use to help your preschooler and/or kindergartner learn the basics. And I bet they will even inspire additional ideas for learning. They certainly have me!

They also offer an Alphabet Smiles Kit that includes an alphabet poster, book cover, an ideas & suggestions page, and one handwriting page for every letter of the alphabet. Available in Spanish or English.

I really like how fun the booklets and activity sheets are, and children can even color in the whimsical illustrations. DJ Inkers does charge a small fee per download, but I think it is reasonable and some are on sale.

Take a look at their freebies! page, too. I downloaded their handwriting templates.

Have fun exploring this awesome site!

Con mucho cariño...

Disclaimer: I found this site on my own and was not compensated for sharing it with you!

Using Photo Books to Supplement Your Child’s Education {Giveaway}

Do you remember how excited I was at the beginning of the summer when I told you about how I had learned how to create m'ija's first yearbook? It made me super happy because I had been looking for a way to document her progress, as well as something with which to reward her for all of her hard work.

In fact, I was so pleased with the end result, I wrote another article sharing additional tips for creating your own yearbook.

It has occurred to me that these photo books are not only a great way to preserve memories, but they can be a valuable educational tool, as well.

How often do we consider the power of personalization? When you read or watch something that is about you or your family, don’t you pay closer attention? I know I do. If I am watching a movie about someone, I can be sympathetic, but I am less likely to become emotionally involved than if I were watching a home movie about someone I know and love.

So wouldn’t it be great to harness the power of this personalization and apply it to our learning programs?

Imagine, if you will, the 8” x 8” photo book from Shutterfly. Wouldn’t this make a great personalized “text” book? Just imagine the possibilities!

• Make an ABC book for your preschooler. Creating your own abecedario using your family photographs would not only become a treasured family heirloom, but it could really make learning the alphabet a much more meaningful experience for your child.

• Make a book about colors. Wow. How much fun would this be? You could not only use photographs that you’ve already taken, but you could also involve your child by asking them to create a nice display of household items that are the same color. Then take a picture of it together!

• For older students, consider making a recipe book. Pick one day each week to create the recipe of your choice together. You know, paletas, natilla, alfajores, pan dulce…you get the picture! Be sure to document your progress.

• Make a book of your family tree. Ask everyone in your family to send in photos of themselves and put them together in your photo book. Be sure to label your pictures with nicknames and terms of endearment, as well as their full names.

An 8 x 8 photo book is smaller than the one I made for the yearbook, but it also includes 20 pages. If you have never used Shutterfly before, this is a great opportunity to practice creating your own book. You can read my description of Shutterfly's two (free) built-in programs that help you to design your project.

I would encourage you to involve your child. Ask your son to help you choose the photos you'd like to include in the book. Have your daughter pick which layout she likes best for each page. Write the text together. Be creative - make it bilingual!

And don't forget los abuelos! This year, Grandparent's Day is September 11th. If you start right away, you will have plenty of time to create a meaningful album that will start 'Buelita to crying with happiness.

Take a look around Shutterfly's site for ideas. I’ve been prowling around there looking at things, which is dangerous, because now I'm thinking of letting the kids design their own birthday invitations for their birthdays next year. And instead of slaving over our holiday cards in a few months, I think I will simplify and save us the time and effort by having the kids select one of Shutterfly’s templates (Warning: they have 805!). It will be a good lesson in working together.

The Giveaway

I'm excited again, because this time, I have the opportunity to offer one of you, dear amigas, a free 8" x 8" photo book from Shutterfly!

To enter, simply leave a comment below. I would love to know what type of album you would create. Would it be a simple memory book? Or would you get creative and assign it a specific theme?

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Sunday, August 7th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address (or some other way to contact you) in your comment! Open to United States residents only.

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post,

2.) Tweet the following: Free 8x8 photo book from Shutterfly giveaway on MommyMaestra.com http://bit.ly/raVUfS #giveaway

3.) Follow MommyMaestra on Facebook.

4.) Take the anonymous, one-question poll in the sidebar.

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

¡Buena suerte!

Disclosure: Shutterfly has offered me a free 8 x8 photo book in compensation for writing this post. I have chosen to offer it as a giveaway because I really think my readers will enjoy it (even though I really want to use it myself!). All the ideas and opinions expressed in this article are my own original thoughts.

This giveaway is now closed. Congratualtions to #48 Susan, the winner of the Shutterfly photo book!

Children Inspire Design

Today, I'm so delighted to introduce you to a company I discovered a couple of months ago, and the lovely lady who founded it. Children Inspire Design is a celebration of world cultures through the melding of art and eco-consciousness. Created by Rebecca Peragine, the goal of the company is to help children learn compassion for our planet and the people who inhabit it. Most of the products have been designed by Rebecca, who focuses on creative recycling, and many are available in multiple languages. I love how her art is also educational, and I think both children and adults will enjoy each piece.

She was kind enough to share her story here...

What motivated you to start your own company?

My husband and I (my husband's Italian, I'm American) met and lived in Mexico for 4 years before the birth of our first son. We lived in a beautiful place in Mexico with a very international community. You'd hear a dozen languages in a day and it was beautiful. It was the biggest piece that was missing when we came back to the States, something I felt that my children should be able to experience. So I used that as the base of Children Inspire Design. We both owned our own businesses there, so when we came back to the States, it was a natural next step for me. I already had a taste of being an entrepreneur.

You mention on your website that part of your desire is to inspire children to celebrate the "beauty of different world cultures." Why is this important to you? Why should it be important to others?

We're a multicultural family and I wanted to make sure my children were surrounded with images from each culture. It made me start thinking that there are so many families like ours with very little to offer in terms of culturally rich decor and teaching tools. So I slowly started creating art that incorporated a global and environmental element, including multiple languages. Our world gets smaller and smaller everyday and I really feel like our children are going to experience a future where their peers across the world will be right at their fingertips. We're already experiencing that on some level now. I want my children, and I think other parents do too, to instill a respect and curiosity for other cultures and traditions.



Can you tell us about your educational line of products for parents with young children just learning to read and count?

I created a line of alphabet, number, and animal cards and posters meant to be used as both decor and flash cards. They are simple starter words that will make learning a second language easy for both parents and kids. We're also about to launch a line of printable flash cards in 10 languages that takes learning a little deeper by offering almost 400 words in 12 different subjects.


You have a new line coming out, Fresh Words Market, would you tell us about it?

Fresh Words Market is a line of art for the space where adults and children meet. It's a more sophisticated line with inspirational messaging meant for both adults and kids. We've used this line as a tool for organizations to raise funds by creating an ambassador's program. Organizations sell our products and we donate 50% of proceeds. It's been a great success so far, I'm really proud of it!

Anything else you'd like to share?

Children Inspire Design is also about to launch the One Mother to Another Initiative where we partner with women's cooperatives in Mexico and Haiti to create beautiful recycled decor for your home (see the recycled birds and garland images). The proceeds are returned to the cooperatives to help grow business and aid in community development. It's been my favorite project by far!