High Five Bilingüe Magazine Cyber Sale

Opportunity Alert! 

I was looking for a magazine for my 2yo for the coming year. Right now is when all their subscriptions are on sale. So I went to check out the Highlights website and...

For those of you looking for bilingual (Spanish) magazines for your kids to gift for the coming year, check out Highlights' High Five Bilingüe Magazine for kids ages 2 - 6. It's on sale this week for 50% off the cover. Don't miss it!

Find it here on Highlights' website and check out all their other products on sale for the holidays.

You can also order it from Amazon (aff link), and it comes with an automatic renewal.

Spanish-Language Magazines for Kids

As time goes on, the number of Spanish magazines for children fluctuates. Some of my favorites have been discontinued😭, while new ones have emerged😃. I really am sad that Iguana magazine is no longer in production. If you're looking for a gift to give your children that will last the whole year long, here are a few Spanish-language or bilingual magazines currently on the market.

The following links are affiliate links.

High Five Bilingüe™ Magazine

Created for kids ages 2 - 6 years old, this 36-page magazine has 14 pages of stories, puzzles and activities entirely in Spanish, the same ones in English, and a few bilingual pages.

Muy Interesante Junior Mexico (Update: No longer available.)

Kindle version only. I'm going to take a guess here that the magazine is geared for kids up to 12 or 14 years old. According to Amazon, this magazine is created for kids who want to learn something different about the world every day in a fun way. It includes excellent information about science, technology, nature, history, art, space exploration, the human body, traditions and customs, and much more. The information is presented in a simple and entertaining format. It supports literacy habits and critical thinking in children.  

Scholastic Spanish Classroom Magazines

These magazines are not geared toward specific grade levels, so much as language proficiency. You pick the level you are interested in and subscribe!

Other Posts You May Find Helpful...

• Ask en español & Alternatives
• Resources for Parents of Children Learning to Read in Spanish
• Reading in Spanish Program: Nacho Books
• El Gran Nacho: A Spanish Literacy Workbook
• First Readers in Spanish

New Spanish-Language Magazine: Mira el Mundo Junior

I occasionally get messages asking me for Spanish-language magazines for kids. Sadly, most have been discontinued over the years. But I was delighted to see one of my favorite TpT authors - Mundo de Pepita - launch two digital non-fiction magazines for elementary through middle school students.

Mira el Mundo and Mira el Mundo Junior are super fun magazines giving tidbits of information about animals and ecosystems in Latin America. The first is geared for upper elementary and middle school students, while the second is for younger learners in Pre-K - 1st grade.

You can find past issues of Mira el Mundo in their TpT shop, but Mira el Mundo Junior is new. While the monthly themes are the same for both, the magazines include activities and materials geared for students of different ages.

For instance, each issue of Mira el Mundo Junior contains:

• Information pages about the issue's topic, highlighting location, diet, and description
• Mini Poster of the animal featured
• 10 Word Wall Cards (can also be used as flashcards)
• Activity Pages to practice facts & vocabulary
• Whole Group Activity and/or Game
• Lesson ideas and list of links for additional resources online  

Mira el Mundo contains:

• Information pages about the issue's topic (two for all students and one geared for heritage speakers with additional vocabulary)
• Fact pages for students to fill out (practices reading and writing skills)
• Orthography page (especially geared for heritage speakers, but can also be used for all kiddos)
• Mini Poster illustrating science vocabulary related to each issue's topic
• Activity Page (for fun!)
• Activity suggestions and list of links for additional resources online

I absolutely love the layout! The combination of photographs and Julie's original illustration are so engaging for both young learners and adults alike. 

Julie and Matt, the co-creators of Mundo de Pepita, say this about their newest digital release:

Mira el Mundo Junior provides a non-fiction magazine for young learners of Spanish, featuring a variety of animals and habitats in the Spanish-speaking world. Utilizing high frequency vocabulary in the context of motivating topics, our magazine allows teachers and parents to integrate language and content together in a comprehensible approach, a winning combination for language acquisition! In addition, each issue includes cultural activities, word wall cards, whole class games, Youtube links, and more. 

I think what is unique (and most desired!) is that these magazines are not simply an English version translating to Spanish, frequently without any connection to the Spanish-speaking world. Instead, Julie says that she "strives really hard to make both of these magazines from the perspective of Spanish and the Spanish-speaking world, which feels more authentic to me for learners and teachers alike."

A 10-month subscription is now available for both magazines via TpT. It begins in August for the school year. Upcoming issues highlight the Andean flamingo (shown above), jaguars, monarch butterflies, and the Pantanal in Paraguay.

As a former zookeeper, you know I love this magazine! And after seeing the first issue, I would highly recommend it for classrooms, including homeschoolers.

BIG Discounts for Educational Product Subscriptions this Holiday Season

This post uses affiliate links, which help keep me in business!

Pssst! This is a biggie: If you are thinking about gifting a subscription-based product like a magazine, book club, or montly activity, NOW is the time to do it! I absolutely love to give subscriptions to the kids for Christmas and their birthdays because it is the ONE gift that truly lasts the entire year when they receive new, educational, and fun products in the mail every month.

And I'm REALLY excited that I have special discount codes for you from three awesome companies.

Fill Their Minds with Cricket Magazines

I've already written about how fantastic Cricket en español magazines are, and the giveaway I did on MommyMaestra was very popular. I'm thrilled that they've chosen to become a MommyMaestra sponsor. But the absolute best part is the fantastic discount that they are offering on all of their magazines to you! Get up to 60% off a subscription to any of their magazines - even the English ones. This is the lowest price they've offered all year.

Now through December 31st, you can get both a print and digital subscription for only $19.95 when you use the code: N5032

The hardest part is deciding which magazine to sign up for!

This Holiday, Give Your Child the World with Little Passports

Starting today, Little Passports is having a huge sale. 

Every month, follow Little Passports characters Sam and Sofia as they embark on a new country adventure. Your first month’s Explorer Kit arrives in a suitcase and contains everything your child needs to get started learning about our big world: a letter from Sam and Sofia, a map, a passport, stickers, access to online games, and more. Country-specific packages filled with fun souvenirs, letters, stickers, photos and activity sheets arrive every month thereafter. Get started with Little Passports today, subscriptions start as low as $10.95! (And that's without the discount!) 

Here are the details and discount codes you don't want to miss:

Details:

• From November 29th - December 2nd: 50% off first month of monthly subscription with code: BLACK50
• On December 3rd: 40% off first month of monthly subscription with code: BLACK40
• On December 4th: 30% off first month of monthly subscription with code: BLACK30

Restrictions: 

Discount is valid on first month only. All discounts are off of the retail price excluding the shipping and tax. Offer valid on new subscriptions only. Cannot be combined with other offers. Offer valid from 29th Nov - 2nd Dec.

Receive a New Book at Your Door Every Month

Zoobean is a curated catalog of children's books and apps. This amazing little company makes it easier for you to find remarkable books for your child. Each month, they deliver a handpicked book to your doorstep, with reading guides and app recommendations sent straight to your inbox! You can look through their online catalog for free to see some of the wonderful titles they offer.

Now through Monday, Zoobean is offering big discounts with 55% off of the first month of a monthly subscription and 10% off of any gift (up to a $20 value).

Details:

• Save 55% off first month of a monthly subscription with code: SMARTMOMMY
• Save 10% on Gifts, up to $20 Value, code: SMARTMAESTRA

Ask en español & Alternatives

A few years ago, Cricket magazine launched a line of Spanish-language magazines for kids. They. Were. Awesome. They even bought Iguana, a fabulous magazine put together by the remarkable Christianne Meneses Jacobs. 

But unfortunately, with a change of ownership, I believe, Cricket decided to discontinue all the Spanish-language magazines. Including, Ask en español, which is reviewed below. :( 

You can still read the review and lament the loss of such a great resource for bilingual children and their families. But all is not lost! Scholastic Magazines offer similar lines of Spanish kids' magazines to which you may still subscribe. 

This post contains affiliate links.

Ask Magazine in Spanish

Ask en español is lots of fun and SUPER educational. (That's my favorite combo, you know!)

I've written before about Cricket's new line of Spanish language magazines for kids, and I know you all loved discovering them because there really aren't any other magazines like these for kids. They are high-quality mags that are worth every penny of their subscription.

This month's issue of Ask en español is especially great because the whole issue is pretty much dedicated to bones. (Ask is Cricket's magazine for kids ages 6 - 9. It focuses on STEAM - SCIENCE, technology, engineering, ARTS, and math - stories.) Your kid will learn all about the bones in her body, what happens when you break a bone and how it heals, the different types of skeletons found in nature, and even learn about Día de los Muertos and its view of death and skeletons (i.e., not scary, just a natural part of life). There's also a section on archaeology and what archaeologists learn from bones. Honestly? There's actually a lot more than just this, but you'll have to wait to learn about it until you get your own copy! And can you believe that it is all in Spanish? They are really targeting bilingual families, and I think that's cool.

Alternative to Ask in español

It's a terrible shame that Cricket discontinued this line of magazines when there's such a huge need. Over and over again, I have parents asking me about Spanish-language magazines for their kids. But as I mentioned above, there is an alternative available for bilingual families. Check out Scholastic's Spanish Classroom Magazines!

Other Science Materials in Spanish

If you are open to other science resources, then you might consider some of these:

National Geographic Kids has science readers of different levels available in Spanish. 

ScienceNaturally.com has been growing their Spanish-language resources. They have some really excellent books out such as the Bilingual One-Minute Science Mysteries! (shown above), Las mujeres en la ciencia, El sol, and many others. Check out the Spanish section of the Science Naturally website.

Teacher Created Materials also has a lot of their Spanish version packs available on Amazon. And they are typically sorted by grade level. 

Other Posts that May Interest You. 

• Spanish-Language Magazines for Kids
  
  
• Children's Books About Sharks in English and Spanish
  
  
• Blossom and Root Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum Review
  
  
• Lelu Spanish + STEAM Program

Cricket Magazine Launches Babybug...en español!

Looking for an educational magazine in Spanish for your toddler? Well, I finally have one for you!

When my kids were little, we would get Babybug and other little magazines like it. At the time, I scoured the internet looking for the same type of magazine but in Spanish, and lamented over the fact that there weren't any. I even went so far as to play with the idea of doing it myself, but with a full plate, that idea never panned out.

Well, I am so pleased to share that Cricket Magazine, the leader in quality children's magazines, has embraced the idea and in a progressive move launched Babybug en español. Babybug is a boardbook style magazine made with nontoxic ink, rounded corners, and no staples. It is put together by the very talented Christianne Meneses Jacobs, creator of Iguana magazine, the only Spanish language magazine for kids ages 7 - 12. (Cricket Magazine now offers Iguana magazine as well.) Full of the highest quality content available from the world’s best children’s writers and artists, Babybug is available in a print or digital edition for your iPad!

With early learning a critical issue for Latino families that has a significant impact on academic performance, it is important for us to find the resources that we need to prepare our children for school. Babybug helps parents develop their children's pre-literacy and pre-math skills with fun but simple illustrations and activities. Inside you'll find stories and activities that teach them about the seasons, colors, number & letter recognition, ways to develop your child's vocabulary, and ones that teach them about the world around them and their own bodies. Poems and short stories prevail and make learning a lot of fun for you nenes.

I especially love how they incorporate cultural folklore and fingerplays that allow us to pass down the traditional stories of our heritage. So many of them are not only fun, but educational, too.

Check out this introductory video to the app...

Learn more about Cricket's Spanish Magazines for children here.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Babybug en español for review purposes.

Scholastic's Digital Math Magazines

With summer quickly approaching, it's time to start thinking about how to help your kids keep their reading and math skills sharp so they can avoid the dreaded Summer Learning Loss. But kids don't want to think they're doing school, so we have to get creative and find fun ways to keep them learning.

One of my favorite resources is Scholastic's digital magazines, and especially, their Math Magazine which takes real news stories about current events and turns them into math problems. From Iron Man to cicadas, their problems are fun, challenging, and engaging.  Math Magazine is for students in grades 6 - 9. If you have younger children, you might consider DynaMath for kids in grades 3 - 6.

We've been looking at the digital online magazines (my kids LOVE them), but if you want to order print copies, just click here. The digital mags are full of information including articles, videos, and downloads.

Enjoy!

The April Issue of Plaza Familia Now Available

The April issue of Plaza Familia is now available in select stores across the country. You can also view it and past issues online.

However, I wanted to share with you that if you are interested in subscribing to the magazine, individual subcriptions are available for a small fee. If you are a school or library and would like to order more than one copy to distribute to families, Plaza Familia will provide these to you free of charge. Please contact me and I will happily put you in contact with the right person at Plaza Familia.

This free, bilingual, family magazine focuses on sharing ideas and resources for raising healthy, happy children with a strong emphasis on education. It is a top-notch publication, beautifully presented and very well-written by a team of talented and knowledgeable writers. I hope you all have a chance to read each issue!

Un abrazo...

Plaza Familia: A Free Magazine for Latino Families

Today, I am so pleased to announce the launch of a wonderful resource for Latino families. Plaza Familia is a bilingual magazine and education platform designed to provide information on a variety of subjects related to raising a healthy family. From tips to having a healthy pregnancy to dealing with toddler tantrums (without throwing one of your own!) to helping your tween dream big, Plaza Familia helps parents find solutions and support.

The magazine will be distributed in some Walmarts and other supermarkets throughout the country - for FREE! But if you can't find one near you, don't worry. The beautiful issues are available online. You can find the inaugural February issue and even read ahead in the March issue online at issue.com. I am honored to be a contributor to this great project, and you can find my first article on How to Maximize Your Children's Learning by Reading to Them inside the March issue.

In addition to the magazine, Plaza Familia is also creating multiple platforms online. First up, check out their new blog for some excellent articles in Spanish. You might especially enjoy the printables, like this letter "A" worksheet for preschoolers and kindergartners.

Don't be afraid to show some love and leave a comment or two!

Together, we are all working toward the education of our children and the future success of our country.

Con mucho cariño...

Resources for Parents of Children Learning to Read in Spanish

Okay, so this is the post where I share a bunch of miscellaneous resources related to teaching your children to read in Spanish. These are tools, websites, books, etc. that don't necessarily fit into other categories and should get placed together. I think that I will place some of the resources mentioned over the last few days here, too - but an abbreviated version - so that everything is located in one spot. And I do plan to add to this page as I discover new resources, so be sure to bookmark it if you are teaching your child to read in Spanish, or if you are planning to do so eventually.'

Previously mentioned resources will be simply listed with a link to the previous post for more description. The other fantastic tools will have a more lengthy commentary. And check back tomorrow to read how a homeschooling mami has taught her daughter to read.

This post does contain affiliate links.

Reading Programs, Curricula, & Activities

 
(Go here to read more information about each one.)

• Hagamos Caminos - This is MommyMaestra's #1 recommendation for a Spanish reading program. Created by acclaimed children's author, Alma Flor Ada, the program combines the benefits of both phonics and whole-language approaches. This program is a first reading, writing and printing program with workbooks. You can read our fabulous review here.

• Some of the best workbooks/curricula come from Nacho Books. This series is used throughout Latin America to teach children to read. Read our reviews of some of the books available here in the U.S. Or visit the Nacho Books website.

• Estrellita

• Lectura Para Niños- Download your free printables from our sponsor here. 

• Villa Cuentos & Senderos (look for their books on Amazon)

• Scholastic Guided Reading en español

• Español: Primero Grado Lecturas - Spanish curriculum available on Amazon. Take a look at Teaching Español's excellent review.

Blogs and Articles

• EducaPeques has an excellent site full of resources, such as this: Actividades para estimular lectoescritura

• Guía Infantil has a lot of great content. Here are a few examples:

•  Cuándo los niños deben comenzar el aprendizaje de la lectura
• 31 divertidas actividades de lectoescritura para hacer con niños

• "Reading in First Grade: How reading relates to ELLs" by Colorín Colorado. Available in English and Spanish.

• Materiales Educativos Para Maetras: preescolar • primaria • infantil

• 5 actividades de lectoescritura para trabajar en casa

• Educación 3.0 has this excellent article full of Spanish resources for preschool and elementary

Websites

• Cosicosas - An online poetry magazine for children. Their objectives are to inject poetry into the field of infant and juvenile literature, to create a space where writers of children's poetry can be inspired and exchange ideas, and to develop unity among Spanish-speaking countries. The site was created and is published by children's writer, Carmen Gil Martínez. 

• Guía Infantil has a lot of resources, too, including a section of poetry, fables, and more.

Books

• You can read about the Primeros Lectores series and the Jovenes Lectores series.

• For chapter books in Spanish, here's what I recommend.

• ISSUU - I am so very grateful to Lori Langer de Ramirez from Mis Cositas for sharing this site! ISSUU is a self-publishing site where many Spanish writers and illustrators have added their work. Here are a few of my favorites: La Gallina Cocorina, La luz de tu corazón, and Versos que el viento arrastra.

Con mucho cariño....

LEGO® Magazines for Young Minds {GIVEAWAY}

I'm sure you have all figured out by now that we are LEGO® fans. I enjoy the creativity that they inspire in my children, and I like using them as manipulatives to reinforce concepts that I am teaching in math, science, and other subjects.

LEGO® publishes two magazines: Club and Club Jr. (school editions). In their magazines, you can find puzzles, comics, building ideas, fun contests, and other activities. This latest issue of Club magazine features Ancient Egypt and includes facts about the pyramids, mummies, and myths and legends. You can visit their website at http://www.legoclub.com/ and discover more building ideas, games, and other activities. You can also subscribe to their free magazines.

But because I happen to have a few extra copies of their LEGO® Club magazines that I'd like to share with you, I am going to giveaway a set of both magazines to four (4) Mommy Maestra readers. If you have children who enjoy playing with Legos, and would like to see some samples of their magazines before you subscribe, then this giveaway is for you!


THE GIVEAWAY:

• To enter for your chance to win a set of LEGO® Club magazines, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is Monday, February 28th Tuesday, March 1st at 11:59 EST. Four winners will be chosen using Random.org. and notified via email next Tuesday, March 1st! (So be sure to leave your email addy in the comment.)

For an additional chance to win, you can follow us on our Facebook page. Don't forget to let us know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

¡Buena suerte!