Little Passports is Perfect for Summer Learning

Are you looking ahead to summer and planning activities that will keep your child busy learning while having fun at the same time? Maybe you've been hearing about the dreaded Summer Slide in which students forget key concepts over the course of the summer and you want to prevent it in your own child.

This post contains affiliate links. 

Why not take the time to help your child explore world cultures? Most schools don't even teach this as a subject, but in today's global society, it's critical that our kids learn about other countries, the people that inhabit them, and their respective cultures.

That's why I love Little Passport (aff). We've used three of their four programs and have loved every one. When my children were younger, they would get so excited every time a new package from Little Passports arrived. It was hard to decide, but my son says his favorite program was their World Edition, which comes with all the goodies you see in the image above. The first month's delivery is perfect for building excitement about the program because it comes with the little suitcase in which your child can store all the other goodies and future memorabilia from the various countries they visit. There are maps and stickers, a camera and a passport. and much, much more.

I have written about this program a lot over the years because I think it is absolutely fantastic. It was an important part of my journey to raise global citizens. You can scroll through my posts about Little Passports to read my reviews and the experiences we've had with its programs and decide which one might be a good fit for your little one!

And to sweeten the pot, they have a current deal giving new subscribers a 15% discount. To redeem it, just enter the code BLOOM at checkout. This offer is good through next Monday, May 14th.

Find out more when you visit their website!


Disclosure: I signed up as an affiliate for this program because I believe in it so much. So the links in this article are affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The 2018 L4LL Latino Children's Summer Reading Program

Did you know that May is Bilingual Literacy Month?

So it is with extreme pleasure that I can share that the 2018 L4LL Latino Children's Summer Reading Program is now live!

Five years ago, my business partner Viviana Hurtado, Ph.D. and I launched the first national online summer reading program for Latino families. Our goal was to support literacy among Latino children, who consistently come in last when it comes to literacy.

Our mission has been to raise literacy rates through pedagogically sound, culturally relevant content, and technology is rooted in our belief that all educational and professional achievement, as well as economic empowerment, rests on the mastery of basic reading skills.

The program has changed a lot over the course of these five years as we strived to find the right way to make it accessible to families and educators. And, in fact, Viviana and I stepped back from it for the last year or so as she started a new job and I managed my pregnancy, move to Texas, caring for my mother, and the birth of my baby. But we knew that we had a really great program, and we are happy to say that we think we have found the best way to bring it to bilingual families and educators. All of our reading programs are now available as direct downloads from both our newly updated website and our new TpT store. 

We have three programs available.

Our free BASIC Summer Reading Program 

This consists of printable resources to help your kids have fun reading in English or Spanish during the summer. It contains:

• Our 2018 Summer Reading Lists
• Reading passport
• Reading logs
• Bookmarks
• Postcards
• Pledges
• Certificate of completion

You pick the materials that best suit your family’s/student’s needs.

Each year, we update our Summer Reading Lists to include new titles. You’ll only find Latino children’s literature on our lists as we strive to highlight this small – but important! – genre by Hispanic authors and illustrators. Choose books from our suggested 2018 reading lists of Latino children’s literature, or pick your own. Our program is easy, flexible, and fun!

ALL of the activity pages are available in English and Spanish.

Our Summer Reading CAMP 

This is a 10-week DIY Summer Reading Camp with culturally-based activities to develop reading and writing skills. It is for children ages 6 to 12 years old and includes more than 100 activity sheets designed to boost literacy skills over the summer break, as well as additional tools for educators and students. The program also includes original reading passages and illustrations by Latino children’s authors Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel Campoy, René Colato Laínez, and Lulu Delacre.

Each week covers a different theme:

1. Art/Arte
2. Family/Familia
3. Folklore/Folclore
4. Food/Comida
5. Immigration & Heritage/Inmigración y herencia
6. Music/Música
7. Nature/Naturaleza
8. Poetry/Poesía
9. Sports/Deportes
10. Summer/Verano

You can now buy the individual themes or save 10% when you buy the complete CAMP!

Again, all the activities are available in English and Spanish.

The L4LL Latino Children’s Year-Round Program 

For those of you who really enjoy our Summer Reading CAMP and want to use it during the school year, this extension is for you!

We’ve created three additional themes for educators who would like to use our CAMP during the school year. These three themes are:

1. Holidays & Traditions/Fiestas y tradiciones
2. Famous Latinos/Latinos famosos
3. Seasons/Estaciones

The third theme, Seasons/Estaciones, is meant to replace the Summer/Verano theme in our Summer Reading CAMP.  This then gives you an additional 75 pages and a total of 12 full weeks of materials to complete over the course of the semester or year. You decide your time frame, we supply the base materials.

Like our CAMP, these themes contain culturally-relevant literacy activities to boost your students’ reading and writing skills. You’ll also receive reading suggestions relevant to each theme.


If you want to learn more about what activities are found in each theme, visit our website's shop or our new TpT store!

Oh, and YES! We're participating in TpT's sitewide sale in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, so if you take a look there, you'll find all of our products on sale up to 25%!

Free Download: The Letter "O"

Before I share this month's freebie, I just want to give them a huge shoutout to Spanish for You! They have been a MommyMaestra sponsor for several years now and each month they provide free downloads for MM readers who are Spanish learners or teachers. Their free downloads remain extremely popular and if you are one of the people who downloads their materials and like them, then I want to encourage you to consider visiting their website and purchasing their actual program.

You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on a huge program that you aren't sure you'll use. Instead, they offer packets with different themes that are manageable for educators and parents to use with their middle schoolers. It's fabulous and well worth the time and money you spend to help your young Spanish learners.

If you've been following along with our monthly free downloads, then you know that Spanish for You! has been focusing on the Spanish vowels, and today's easy mini-lesson focuses on the letter "O."

It is a 3-page mini-lesson to help Spanish learners use and pronounce the letter "O." The file comes with an introductory page that is to be used with the audio file to learn how to pronounce the letter O as it is used in words and sentences. There is also a worksheet and a board game. As I mentioned, there is also an audio file to help you learn proper pronunciation.

Click here to download this file

And if you are looking for books about the Spanish vowels, check out last month's post!

Remember! Spanish for You!'s program is geared for middle schoolers and is the perfect choice for homeschoolers and afterschoolers alike because their concepts are carefully divided up into manageable bundles that are available for immediate download from their website.

If this is your first time here, you can find other free samples from Spanish for You! here. There are some fantastic downloads of games and activities for you and your family to enjoy. If you enjoy this activity, be sure to visit the Spanish for You! website where you'll find tons of additional resources for you to help your young Spanish learner!

Teacher Appreciation TpT Sitewide Sale May 8 - 9

You've worked hard this year. And you deserve something special for your dedication and commitment to teaching.

All of us over at TpT recognize that fact and want to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week! It doesn't matter what kind of teacher you are: public school, private school, homeschool, librarian, Spanish, ESL, whatever... We appreciate you all!!

I'm joining TpT in observing Teacher Appreciation Week so my ENTIRE TpT store will be on sale Tuesday and Wednesday, including these new items I recently posted:


Yes, I FINALLY bundled my popular 1-page reading passages. This particular bundle is made up of Hispanic holidays. Each one comes with a one-page reading passage on the history of the holiday, followed by a quiz with 7 - 8 questions, and the answer key. And yes, they are ALL available in English and Spanish.

Find it here in my TpT store.



I. Love. This. Packet!

I really do. It's made up of 7 fun activities for kids, all of them with a Mother's Day theme. Most (all?) of them would make great gifts for mom. Just make them in class and send them home.

You can find it here.


And don't forget that there are lots of fun printables for use during the summer, too!

Shark Week starts on July 22nd this year. I actually just finished adding three more activities to this kit and it is super fun. 

NOTE: NOW AVAILABLE IN SPANISH!

Find it here on TpT!

And are you road trippin' this summer? Say "NO" to boring car rides and "WEPA!" to fun bilingual travel games!

Find them here on TpT.


Are you introducing your children to the Magic Tree House series this summer? Or maybe you're reading it in Spanish? Check out my activity pages to accompany the first three books in English or Spanish!

You can either get it with both languages or save money by choosing just one language.

Find them all here.


I've already combed through my wishlist on TpT and have moved some of my favorite materials over to my cart in preparation. ;)

English & Spanish Crossword Puzzles for Kids

Are you stocking up yet on books, crafts, and activities for summer? I'm always looking for materials and ideas to use to keep my kids busy learning and having fun during downtime, but especially during the hot summer months. If you're the same way, then I want to share with you a new book that I received recently! Bilingual activity and puzzle books are just one way to keep kids learning a second language during the summer.

Bilingual Crossword Puzzle Book for Kids

English & Spanish Crossword Puzzles for Kids (aff link) contains 80 puzzles that will boost your child's vocabulary in English or Spanish (or both!). It's perfect for ELL and Spanish learners alike.

The crossword puzzles cover 40 different topics, such as Family/Familia, Hobbies/Aficiones, Emotions/Emociones, Professions/Profesiones, Time/Tiempo, and many more.

I love the fact that when you open the book, the puzzles with the same topic are on opposite pages, so you can do the English on the left and then complete the Spanish on the right. This makes the book a perfect fit for parents raising bilingual children!

Of course, all of the answers may be found in the back of the book.

While I think this would be a fun way to pass the time during the summer at home, on vacation, or on long car rides (road trips?), it's also a great resource for homeschoolers and bilingual educators. All of the pages are reproducible for teachers, parents, and librarians.

The book is published by Woo! Jr. Kids Activities. If you haven't visited their website, you should! It's got tons of great crafts and printables. :)

To purchase this book, click here to find it on Amazon.

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Guy Crafter's BLANK Bead Pattern Journal
  
  
• Activity Books for Young Engineers
  
  
• 25 Spanish Words & Phrases to Use at Home
  
  
• Free Spelling Worksheet

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Free Cinco de Mayo Writing Pages

If you are a subscriber to my newsletter. be sure look for the one that just went out. It has these free writing pages for you to use!

If you haven't signed up yet, I hope you'll consider doing so. You can sign up at the bottom of my shop page, or just wait for the pop up when you click on this link.

Cinco de Mayo is just a week away! Are you ready? Are you looking for quick and easy materials to share with your kids or students? Don't forget that MommyMaestra has several excellent downloads available. Learn all about them here.

New from 123 Andrés: La Luna

For my 123 Andrés fans and those with little ones at home, this post is for you!

One of our favorite bilingual artists has released a new album and this one is just perfect for putting your nenes to sleep.

La luna: canciones para soñar (aff link) from 123 Andrés is lovely collection of lullabies, mostly in Spanish. From the opening song, De 1 a 10, your children will be captivated by both the tune and the child singers. (I, of course, love it because even as you put your babies to sleep, you'll be teaching them how to count!) In fact, there are a number of U.S. and Latin American artists who have contributed to this album, including Latin Grammy nominees Mariana Baraj and Sophia.

ALL of the songs are soothing and great for calming down our hyper balls of energy. :) And Andrés does with such creativity! He's has incorporated Latin American rhythms into his songs, including loncomeo (a form of Patagonia Folk Music), candomble (Afro-Brazilian music), huayno (Andean music), and merengue (the genre from Venezuela), to name a few.

There are also original songs mixed with traditional tunes that you probably recognize, such as Un elefante. Take a look...



How sweet is that?

What I might love best about the album, though, is the fact that Andrés and Christina, his partner, took the time prior to creating the songs to poll their followers and find out what words they use to send their little ones to sleep with love. AND THEN they incorporated those messages throughout the album!

I love it. And I think you will, too.

Bilingual Earth Day Activities for PreK - 1st

This Sunday, we'll be celebrating Earth Day. A wonderful reminder (especially with our current political climate) that we have a responsibility to take care of our planet so that it will take care of us!

And it is never too early to start teaching our kids responsible habits, such as recycling. So I've created and expanded this bilingual packet full of Earth-Day-themed activities.

The picture above is just a peek at the fun printables you'll find. This packet actually contains:

• "Things I do to help the Earth" chore chart
• Tracing worksheet
• Shadow match
• A counting activity
• Vocabulary words
• Notecards
• Recycling craftivity
• puzzle cards

And, yes, they are ALL available in English and Spanish! It's geared for kids in PreK through 1st grade.

You can find it in my TpT store.

Happy Earth Day!

6 Children's Books that Feature Latino Poets

A few days ago, I recommended three books of Spanish poetry for children in honor of National Poetry Month. This week, I'm sharing six children's biographies featuring Hispanic poets.

This post contains affiliate links.

Marti's Song of Freedom

by Emma Otheguy

This is the most recently released picture book featuring a Latino poet, and it is a beautiful tribute to the Cuban poet and activist, José Martí. Beautifully written, it is the story of Martí's life, how and why he left Cuba and his subsequent fight for Cuba's independence. With gorgeous illustrations by Beatriz Vidal, the book also includes excerpts from Marti's most famous work, Versos sencillos. 

Ages 7-12

Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People

by Monica Brown

Another remarkable picture book whose illustrations are poetry in and of themselves, Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People is a tribute to the Chilean poet. He, too, was passionate about his country and served as a diplomat and a senator. But he was outspoken about its people and his criticism led to his becoming an activist and, eventually, a fugitive. 

Ages 7-12

My Name Is Gabriela / Me llamo Gabriela

by Monica Brown

Another Chilean poet, Gabriela Mistral was a passionate supporter of children's education. In 1945, she became the first Latin American author to receive a Nobel Prize in Literature for her poetry. This book is the lovely story of her life and an inspiration to all who read it.

Ages 7-12

A Library for Juana: The World of Sor Juana Ines

by Pat Mora

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a 17th-century nun, self-taught scholar, and poet.

Her poetry is recited by schoolchildren throughout Mexico and is studied at schools and universities around the world. Here is the story of her life, an incredible one full of knowledge, achievement, and inspiration.

Ages 7-12

FOR OLDER CHILDREN:

The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano

by Margarita Engle

For tweens and teens, this book is a close look at the life of Cuban poet, Juan Francisco Manzano. Born into the household of a wealthy slave owner in Cuba in 1797, Juan Francisco Manzano spent his early years by the side of a woman who made him call her Mama, even though he had a mama of his own. Denied an education, young Juan still showed an exceptional talent for poetry. His verses reflect the beauty of his world, but they also expose its hideous cruelty. Powerful, haunting poems and breathtaking illustrations create a portrait of a life in which even the pain of slavery could not extinguish the capacity for hope.
Ages 12-18

The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba's Greatest Abolitionist

by Margarita Engle

Opposing slavery in Cuba in the nineteenth century was dangerous. The most daring abolitionists were poets who veiled their work in metaphor. Of these, the boldest was Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, nicknamed Tula. In passionate, accessible verses of her own, Engle evokes the voice of this book-loving feminist and abolitionist who bravely resisted an arranged marriage at the age of fourteen, and was ultimately courageous enough to fight against injustice. Historical notes, excerpts, and source notes round out this exceptional tribute.
Ages 12-15

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• 10 Latino Poets Your Children Should Know
  
  
• Redacted Poetry Resources
  
  
• Hispanic Poets: One-Page Reading Passages
  
  
• 3 Books of Spanish Poetry for Children
  
  
• 7 Books to Help Celebrate National Poetry Month

The Magic School Bus Science Club Sale

I've written before about how our science-loving family absolutely adores Ms. Frizzle and the Magic School Bus. Even when I was a kid, this series was one of my faves. And I was happy to share it with my two oldest children when they were just the right age to appreciate it. 

The Magic School Bus Science Club is a 12-month science kit subscription based on the award-winning series, The Magic School Bus. If you haven't heard about the series before, each of the stories center on the antics of a frizzy-red haired fictional elementary school teacher, Ms. Frizzle, and her class, who board a “magic school bus” to take them on field trips to impossible locations, like the solar system, clouds, the past, and inside the human body. This story-based learning took the science scene by storm in the 90's.

This club is perfect for kids ages 5-12 who enjoy the Magic School Bus books or videos–and if you like doing science experiments with them–then you'll LOVE The Magic School Bus Science Club!

The activities have been developed by a team of Harvard graduates, scientists, and educators. The award-winning Science Kits are delivered monthly right to your doorstep. Your kids will explore science through experiments that will spark their interest and curiosity. Each kit includes a colorful manual based on The Magic School Bus characters, as well as everything you need to complete at least SEVEN (7!) experiments related to that month’s theme.

What's in the Magic School Bus Science Club?

A 1-year subscription includes 12 Magic School Bus kits!

Each kit includes:

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

The topics are engaging and cover a wide variety of subjects that should complement a classroom science curriculum.

So don't wait! Go and check them out for yourselves.

Free Download: The Letter "I"

If you've been following along with our monthly free downloads, then you know that we've been focusing on the Spanish vowels, thanks to MommyMaestra's sponsor, Spanish for You!. This month's printable is another easy mini-lesson focusing on the letter "I."

Once again, we have a 3-page mini-lesson to help Spanish learners use and pronounce the letter "I." The file comes with an introductory page that is to be used with the audio file to learn how to pronounce the letter I as it is used in words and sentences. There are also two worksheets for practicing pronunciation and writing. As I mentioned, there is also an audio file to help you learn proper pronunciation.

Click here to download this file

And if you are looking for books about the Spanish vowels, check out last month's post!

Remember! Spanish for You!'s program is geared for middle schoolers and is the perfect choice for homeschoolers and afterschoolers alike because their concepts are carefully divided up into manageable bundles that are available for immediate download from their website.

If this is your first time here, you can find other free samples from Spanish for You! here. There are some fantastic downloads of games and activities for you and your family to enjoy. If you enjoy this activity, be sure to visit the Spanish for You! website where you'll find tons of additional resources for you to help your young Spanish learner!

3 Books of Spanish Poetry for Children

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? Over the years, I've shared a few poetry resources with you, such as 10 Latino Poets Your Children Should Know and 7 Books to Help Celebrate National Poetry Month. But I was thinking about how often I get emails asking for Spanish poems or places to find Spanish poems that children can memorize and recite in school. Here are the books that I recommend to everyone!

This post contains affiliate links.

Poesía alada: Poesía y arte para volar 

by Mariana Llanos

A beautifully written and illustrated collection of Spanish poetry for children. The poems are about topics to which children can relate - the seasons, the ocean, ice cream cones, reading, animals, clouds, and many others. And it features whimsical black-and-white illustrations by seven artists. A definite must-have for all school and family libraries.

Read more about this book and take a peek inside in my book review.

Poesía eres tú 

by F. Isabel Campoy

One of my favorite authors, F. Isabel Campoy has created a lovely book of poetry for young readers. There are 107 poems for you to choose from and they are all about topics that children love, such as family, animals, imagination, the world around us, and more.

Todo es canción: Antología poética 

by Alma Flor Ada

The other half of my favorite writing duo for children, Alma Flor Ada has put together a huge collection of poems for children to enjoy. Teachers will love how this is organized by curriculum themes such as the parts of the body, numbers, vowels, food, nature, etc. This anthology is perfect for students and teachers looking for short, medium, or long poems to memorize and recite.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• 10 Latino Poets Your Children Should Know
  
  
• 5 Redacted Poetry Resources
  
  
• 6 Children's Books that Feature Latino Poets
  
  
• Hispanic Poets: One-Page Reading Passages
  
  
• 7 Books to Help Celebrate National Poetry Month