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.

Latino Children's Literature - It's About More Than Just Reading

As most of you probably already know, an article came out last week in the New York Times talking about the lack of Latino children's literature available to Latino students. This is an issue that I have spent a lot of time working on, starting with MommyMaestra's sister blog, the Latin Baby Book Club. In recent months, things have been quiet over there because, quite honestly, I'm just one person (and a homeschooling mother) and my plate is full. I have been seriously considering merging the blog with MommyMaestra, and that option remains on the table, so some big changes may be coming soon.

But back to the article...I expressed some of my views about it this weekend in an article on NBC Latino, as well as on HuffPo Live with Alicia Menendez. If you read the article, you probably have a good understanding of what the market has done in the last few years and where the disconnect occurs.
I've frequently heard publishing companies say that there's no market because Latino families don't buy books. What?? I say in disbelief looking around my home, in which almost every room has a set of bookshelves or two... or nine (yay for home libraries!).

I also asked you, dear readers, what your opinions were on this whole subject. Here's what some of you said...

Now let's get back to the focus of the New York Times article which was on how having access to Latino children's literature could improve literacy rates among Latino students.

Let's talk about that a minute. Does giving a Latino child a book about another Latino child instantly cause that child to start reading better? Of course not. Could a Latino child learn to read without them? Sure! I DID!

But here's my take:

1) Latino children's literature is a valuable tool for developing literacy skills. As I said in my NBC Latino article, one key doesn't fit every lock, just as one book [series] doesn't fit every child. My friend, Marta, shared a post giving an excellent example of how it is important to match your child's reading selection with their interest. In her article, Marta shared how she used the Tin-Tin books to develop her reluctant reader's interest in books. Guess what? It worked.

So here we have thousands of young Latino children in school. Am I to believe that having access to books about children that look like them and experience similar situations will have NO IMPACT on them? That they will have NO INTEREST in a book about someone who looks, acts, and maybe even speaks like them? Ummm...sorry. I'm not buying that. When I was growing up, I gobbled up stories about girls with long, black hair who loved books and the outdoors. If I'd had books about Latino children, I would have consumed them, too. The point is that our children need to have the option to read a book with characters who reflect their own faces available to them. If they aren't interested, fine. But what if they are?

2) Access to Latino children's literature could increase the likelihood of parental involvement in the reading process. Do you think that a parent is more likely to sit and read a book with their child if it is about a subject they know well, or one they don't? Well, sure, they might read both, but which one are they more likely to be interested in reading and talking about? I know that I am more likely to be enthusiastic about sitting and reading Carmen Lomas Garza's Family Pictures to my children because almost every story in this book calls to my mind a childhood memory (some I had forgotten!) that I am eager to share with my kids.

3) Access to Latino children's literature can improve academic performance in Latino children. Oh, YES IT CAN!  Studies have shown that "Latino adolescents in the U.S. who maintain ties to their culture of origin are more likely to develop healthy behaviors than their peers who do not. Latino adolescents with strong awareness of their family’s culture reported higher self esteem, fewer social problems and less hopelessness, aggression, and substance abuse." Students who take ethnic studies classes about their own Latino heritage, tend to see an improvement in their grades and academic performance. Why? It's simple, when you learn about the wonderful accomplishments of people just like you, you are more inclined to see the endless possibilities that await you. AND you are willing to work harder to make your own dreams come true.

Giving little Linda or Manuel access to Latino children's literature isn't just about learning to read. It's about fighting negative stereotypes that they see in the media every day. It's about offering them hope, motivation, and the courage to realize that they, too, can do great things.

More for you tomorrow about what you can do to make a difference.

Un abrazo!

Little Passports: A Global Adventure

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

I love, love, LOVE products that are fun, educational, AND hold my kid's interest for longer than a week. Magazines or activity books that come once a month or more are high on my list of best gifts to give children during the holidays. And so today's product has been on my list to check out for a while now.

Name: Little Passports: A Global Adventure
Subject(s): geography, reading, critical thinking
Brief Description: Educational kit delivered on a monthly basis.
Price: Subscription, $11.95 - $131.40
Ages: 5 - 12

Little Passports: A Global Adventure is a subscription-based education kit that is delivered to your child once a month in the mail. You have the option of choosing from two different geographic adventures: The USA Edition and the World Edition. I really like the fact that both include hands-on materials and activities to help capture my child's interest, as well as an online component that allows them to explore new countries through virtual tours.

The USA Edition - The first month's Discovery Kit introduces your child to the adventure and comes with a letter from Sam and Sofia (the main characters who act as travel guides), a field guide with pages your child has to fill in using the materials provided, a USA wall map, a USA scratch book, a disposable camera!, and a photo scavenger hunt. After this your child will receive each month, a 2-state travel journal filled with activities, postcards, sticker sheets, 3D pop-out models, and access to more information online.

For example, in New York, Sam and Sofia's adventures take them from Times Square to Niagara Falls. Along the way they learn about everything from famous NY scientists to how to make New York pizza (Yum!). And because they enjoy the taxis so much, Sam and Sofia send your child a 3D paper taxi cab to build.

You can learn more about the USA edition and sample the monthly here.

The World Edition - The first month's Explorer Kit for this series includes (again) a letter from Sam and Sofia introducing their magical scooter which takes them anywhere in the world they want to go, a suitcase for storing all your child's LP "souvenirs," a world wall map, LP passport, suitcase stickers & photo, an activity sheet, and a collectible boarding pass with a secret code to access the games in the online Boarding Zone section of LP's website. So much fun stuff!!

Each month after this, your child will receive a adventure kit featuring a new country. And each one includes access to the Boarding Zone, which is filled with educational activities about that month's country.

Example: The Japan kit includes another letter describing Sam and Sophia's adventures on Mt. Fuji, as well as their experiences at Tsukiji, the largest fish market in the world. Your child will receive souvenirs, including a sushi eraser and origami paper. And they get passport and map stickers, too. Online your child will learn about traditional Japanese Shinto "wish tablets," and Japanese food.

You can learn more and sample the monthly adventures here.

Different packages are available. You can choose a 12 month package, 6 month, 3 month, or even monthly payments.

The best part is that this gift can last ALL YEAR. My kids love getting mail and something like this is like getting a present in the mail every month. :)

I received both kits in the mail to review. Here's what the packages looked like together:

We LOVE the little suitcase!!

So if you are looking for a fun gift that your child can enjoy every single month and introduces him or her to other peoples, cultures, and even languages, Little Passports may be for you.

Enjoy!

New Freebie from Lectura Para Niños

So many of you visit MommyMaestra looking for resources related to teaching children to read in Spanish. In fact, I have a whole series of posts dedicated to that subject, and today I am happy to share with you another free download from our friends at Lectura Para Niños.

Here's their description of the download:

The game download is available via an INK file.

It works using the Mimio software that you can download from http://www.mimio.com/en-NA/Support.aspx for a 30 day free trial. I’m going to look into making these games available using the Promethean software, as well as Smart. 

On the first page, the child clicks on the pictures to practice vocabulary.  Each additional page provides practice for classifying syllables according to initial syllable.  It doesn’t give you a yes or no answer, but it provides the teacher with feedback on whether or not the child understands the key concepts of classifying syllables. You can save the individual pages for a parent conference if they need to be to shown at conference time. 

Here's an example of what the pages look like:

Dual-Immersion Teachers, perhaps you especially will benefit from this free download?

DOWNLOAD THIS FREE GAME HERE

Lectura Para Niños has a great program. They also offer other free downloads at their TpT store. She currently has a sale going on and it ends Saturday.

Muchisimas gracias to our friends at Lectura Para Niños for sharing this with us!

Happy Holidays, MommyMaestra Readers!!

Disclosure: I have not been compensated for this post. Lectura Para Niños contacted me and offered the giveaway for MommyMaestra readers.

“The Hobbit Book” Family Giveaway

We love books. We have so many in our home, we could give one away every day for a year and still have some left over. I started introducing the Classics to my kids when my oldest was five. I bought the fully illustrated versions, to make them more enjoyable. But the illustrations aren't necessary. My kids love a good story.

So it gets me excited when Hollywood makes movies based on books. Oh sure, the books are usually better, but when Hollywood really puts some thought into it and tries to stay true to the novel, then the end result actually motivates more people to go and buy the actual book and read it - many of whom might never have even considered doing so before. And if they read and enjoy that one, then they might even go buy (or borrow) another one.

So when Warner Brothers asked me to offer a giveaway, I said yes. Because I'm a book/movie lover. The movie is probably best suited for older children (I'm talking high school, Gente), but I don't want the younger kids to feel left out. And this giveaway includes something for everyone in the family.

One MommyMaestra reader will win the Grand Prize package.

The Grand Prize includes:

• THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY One Sheet

• The Hobbit Book

• 2" x 7" Double Sided Bookmark

• Tattoo Booklet With 17 Tattoo Sheets

• 12" x 12" Wall Calendar

• 2.25" Button

• Youth Map T-Shirt

• Gandalf's Hat

• AND ADMISSION FOR TWO to THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY Hollywood Movie Money (Hollywood Movie Money is a free admission voucher to see a predetermined film (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) redeemable nation wide starting 12/15/12 through Thurs., 01/10/12 in any theater excluding AMC Theaters.)

To enter this giveaway, just count and submit the number of Dwarves you see on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey poster shown at the top of this post!

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) Follow MommyMaestra on FB.

3) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Enter to win "The Hobbit Book" Family #Giveaway from @LatinMami  http://bit.ly/Xv39IM

 
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 Warner Bros.

Book Review: Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World

Today I am SO pleased to introduce to you a new contributor to MommyMaestra. Please welcome Betty Galvan, whose beatiful blog, My Friend Betty Says..., chronicles her life as a Latina mother and shares what she thinks, reads, and the things that inspire her.

Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World

by Tony Wagner

This book was recommended by a dear friend who is an administrator at a Chicago public high school. As a former teacher myself (and now a stay-at-home mom with three little students I call my own), after I read it, I thought, every parent should read this book.
In Creating Innovators, Tony Wagner states that the future of our country is in desperate need for young children to be taught by adults that will foster creativity and lend an abundance of support. As jobs are being shipped overseas and the unemployment rate is alarmingly high, the future of our country depends on the youth and their innovative ideas. Wagner states that children need three simple things to succeed: play, passion, and purpose. As teachers and parents, I asked myself, are we doing enough to create future innovators?

Through his research, Wagner observed young innovators and pieced together their unique educational upbringing. He concludes that the young men and women he met had this in common: parental support, differentiated instruction, and interested mentors who guided each and every one of them to the right paths. He is also a firm believer that students involved in STEM programs (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) are making a great impact in creating a healthy future for our economy.

By showcasing young adults with different backgrounds and a variety of socio-economic status, Wagner introduces us to young men and women like Jamien Sills. Jamien, raised by a single-mother, aspired to become a shoe designer despite of his traditional school trying to convince him of choosing a "safer" career. After a lot of trials and tribulations, we learn of the new journey that helped Jamien find his way.

While learning all about the manufacturing business in China, Jamien found that the making and assembling of sneakers was toxic to the employees. He was alarmed but determined to do something about the situation. He found a way to make a greener and less harmful shoe in a less expensive way. Even more remarkable, he is now paying it forward. Jamien has worked as a counselor for the Memphis Youth Leadership Program, teaching an eight-week course on entrepreneurship skills to inner-city minority youth. He took his passion and now delivers it with a purpose.

Jamien's story is one of the many featured that are truly inspirational. The subjects presented are a group of remarkable young people, but the stories of the support system behind them, such as innovative teacher, Amanda Alonzo, are quite amazing as well. Many (if not all) of the people involved in Wagner's research have the gift of going against the traditional way of thinking, teaching, and assessing.

While reading Creating Innovators, I picked up a few pointers for the teacher and the mom in me. I realized that not all planned and structural teaching moments (even if it's just for fun) are as important as relaxing the schedule a bit, stepping back a lot of the times and letting my kids be bored for a bit. A significant amount of creative play might be my best new plan to foster a passion in my children that would lead to a greater purpose.

The book is an innovation in itself! This is the first book that I personally have read with Microsoft Tags. You can use your smartphone by downloading a free app and scanning the QR codes throughout the book for an extensive reading experience.

---------------------------------------

Betty Galvan, is helping her readers "find the positive and seek the benefits" over at her blog, MyFriendBettySays.com.

She is the mother of three beautiful little boys and a teacher.

Hasbro Marvel Role-Play Products {GIVEAWAY}

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

I have written before about the power of role-playing in a child's life. I believe it is a valuable part of childhood which allows children to better understand the world around them and develop their imagination. But the fact that it may have a physical effect on a child's brain has sold me on the importance of role-playing. Needless to say, we have a steady supply of costumes and props scattered about the house.

I like to encourage them to act out those little stories floating around in their heads. It's WAY better than seeing them sitting in front of the TV or playing some hand-held game. So when I got the opportunity to review the new Hasbro Super Hero products, I said sure! We picked Spider-Man, because my son has been dying for a Spidey costume.

We received the Hero FX Mask, Glove, and Chest Light. I barely got the box open before Spidey's voice was echoing throughout the halls. The mask makes web-slinging sounds and says 10 different phrases. It just totally cracks me up when my kid walks into the room in his get up and the mask says matter-of-factly, "That's right. I'm Spider-Man."

The Glove also makes web-shooting sounds when you move your wrist around in the air. Or you can do like my son does and point it at me then push the little button to activate the rapid-fire sound effects.

The Chest Light easily snaps on to the front of your T-shirt. My son keeps putting it on crooked, but he doesn't care. He's thrilled that it lights up when you push it and makes sounds.

The good news? The Mask has an off button and the other two have to be turned on, as well. So when you've had enough of Spidey, like I eventually do, I can either send them to their rooms to play, or tell them to turn off the sound.

And you know what my favorite part is? They are good for at least a whole hour - or even two! - of fun. Keeps them busy and I don't get any pleas for screen time.

Spider-Man isn't the only super hero Hasbro has created products for. Check out the Hasbro website for a complete list of their Super Hero products.

THE GIVEAWAY

Hasbro has agreed to offer a set of the same Spider-Man products we received to one MommyMaestra reader! (Hello! Christmas present!)

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below letting me know which Marvel hero your kids are requesting toys and action figures of this holiday season.
.
The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Tuesday, December 11th. 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) Follow MommyMaestra on Facebook.

2) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win a free set of Spider-Man toys from @LatinMami & @HasbroNews http://bit.ly/YvRkDx #giveaway #HasbroHoliday

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 part of a product review campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and Hasbro; complimentary products were provided. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

This giveaway is now closed.

PBS KIDS Launches New Toy Line

Over the next couple of weeks, we're focusing on educational gifts for children. If you're looking for products that are not just mindless entertainment, but rather help your child to learn and grow, we have some great recommendations for you! Our Educational Gift series will highlight a variety of fun, educational toys that your children will be guaranteed to enjoy. To make it easier for you, we'll have a list of "quick stats" at the beginning highlighting the product and the age for which they are best suited.


Name: PBS KIDS Toys
Subject(s): math, science, fine motor skills
Brief Description: A new toy line created specifically for preschoolers to extend off-screen learning.
Price: $1.99
Ages: Preschool, Elementary
PBS KIDS has partnered with Tuesday Morning to offer a new line of age-appropriate preschool toys and games. AND most of them come with bilingual packaging!

All of them are designed to encourage imaginative play through role-playing or a hands-on activity. I've included brief descriptions of the new toys below.

Fine Motor Skills
Perhaps my favorite toy in the line is The Build, Repair, Play Carpenter's Set. It comes with a larger than usual assortment of wooden tools that all fit perfectly inside a wooden box that opens in a tri-fold manner to display the contents. Your children will have a great time putting on their imaginary hard hats and exploring the world of carpentry. (Fine motor skills, role playing, imaginative play)

Along the same lines is the Exploration Blocks: Neighborhood set. The 40-piece set builds problem solving and critical thinking skills as your child puts the pieces together to design their own original neighborhoods, cities, and towns. I love that it features PBS KIDS' animated hosts, Dash and Dot. (Fine motor skill and hand-eye coordination development, creative expression)

The Catch of the Day Fishing Game may actually be the most sought after toy in your home. My kids got it out at our Thanksgiving Dinner and they had to fight the adults for a turn. The game develops hand-to-eye coordination skills as your child uses small wooden fishing rods to catch the fish (or boot or treasure chest!) using magnetic force and hang them on the wooden pegs. (Fine motor skill and hand-eye coordination development)


Math
The Travel Card Games and Dominoes sets are easy to transport and fun to play. They are colorful versions of the favorite children's games. The Dominoes come in a wooden storage box for easy storage.


Science
And as a homeschooling mom, I absolutely love the science-based activity kits. There are three: the Growing Gators Activity Kit, Test Tube Adventures, and Snow Explosions. We've already broken open Growing Gators and performed our experiments, keeping records of our results. My son has been begging to open the Snow Explosions kit, so I'm sure that will go on our schedule for school this week!

The line is scheduled to launch with exclusive prices at Tuesday Morning stores tomorrow, Tuesday, December 4th, but you can already find a few of them online at Tuesday Morning's website.

#LittleChefs Twitter Party This Thursday

The last of the Little Chefs Cook-Alongs is over. I hope you had time to watch at least one of the livestreamed videos. This project was very special to me because I know that for Latino families especially, so much love and interaction goes on in la cocina. Some of my fondest memories from my childhood take place in my 'Buelita's kitchen, and I want my children to have similar memories of ours. 

As the project draws to a close, I want to invite you to join us for a Twitter Party this Thursday, December 6, from 2-3 p.m. ET. We'll be celebrating special holiday moments with family in the kitchen, inspired by The Little Chefs Project, the first-ever crowd sourced e-book on cooking with little chefs! In partnership with Chef Boyardee, The Motherhood and 40 fantastic mom bloggers have written a virtual book that will truly make you feel like a kid again. From creating family time in the kitchen to bonding over everyday and holiday fun, we have tips and recipes for creating kitchen magic with your family. 

To participate, just follow the #LittleChefs hashtag to track the conversation.  You can see the details and RSVP via this Twtvite: http://twtvite.com/littlechefs

Chef Boyardee will give away five total prizes, each consisting of a Chef Boyardee Pizza Kit, coupons, a Chef hat, apron and cookie cutters.  Winners will be chosen randomly from among participants who respond correctly to trivia questions.

Create a Chef Boyardee e-cardAnd as a final gift to you, I wanted to share with you a way to make this hilarious animated e-card! We just laughed and laughed, and played the animated video over and over.  

Just follow the instructions to create the recipe card and watch what unfolds in the kitchen. After you see the animation, you'll have the option to share it via Facebook, Twitter, etc.

It is totally worth the laugh.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration between the Motherhood and Chef Boyardee.

New Episodes of Curious George Start Monday! {GIVEAWAY}

My son loves all animals, but he has a special soft spot in his heart for Australian animals. I don't really know where this interest comes from, but we nurture it here at home when we can. For the last year or so, he's been saying that when he grows up he wants to be an Animal Rescuer...perhaps we spent a little too much time reading Diego books when he was little?

Or perhaps he comes by his love of animals honestly, seeing as how I am a former zookeeper, and my husband remains in the business as General Curator of the country's largest waterfowl park.

So when WGBH offered me the opportunity to take a sneak peek at the new season of Curious George, we immediately said Sí! George is also one of his favorite characters... probably because he can relate to the monito whose curiosity is always getting him in trouble! I'm happy with his love for Jorge because a recent study shows that Curious George boosts children's science and math skills.

This new season is especially exciting for us because in the season premiere, Curious George heads down under...to Australia where he meets animal conservationist, Bindi Irwin, daughter of the famous Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin.

WGBH wound up sending me a small Curious George-themed party kit that included fun activities centered around animals. It included worksheets for making Cootie Critter Catchers to a list of family science activities and even a stack of the book, Curious George Dinosaur Tracks. The book is a level 1 reader that includes educational nature-based activities inside.

What we decided to do was throw a little viewing party at our local library with our homeschool group in town. I asked the older kids to act as the hosts by setting up the table and room, and help the little kids cut out their activity sheets. Then three of the older kids volunteered to read a few Curious George books there in the library. I was so proud at how well they did! And we finished up the party by watching the preview of George's trip to Australia. They premiere this Monday on your local PBS KIDS station.

The party was a big success, due mainly in part to the theme. Curious George is irresistable. Children of all ages love him and the Man in the Yellow Hat. And it was so simple to throw this party that you could easily do it at home or at your local library, too! You can find printables and lesson plans in English and in Spanish here on PBS Teachers. You can also visit the Curious George official website for additional printables, games, and stories. And Amazon offers many Curious George books for a special discount (buy four for the cost of three) in English and Spanish, too! You can even go all out and buy your nene a Curious George doll (we borrowed the library's doll for pictures)!

THE GIVEAWAY

Stride Rite is a proud supporter of Curious George and the way that the show encourages childhood discovery through outdoor play. To celebrate the show's 7th season, they are offering a $50 Stride Rite gift card to one MommyMaestra reader.

To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Saturday, December 8th. 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) Follow Stride Rite (@striderite) on Twitter.

2) Check out the Curious Geroge website and what you like best about it.

3) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win a $50 Stride Rite gift card from @LatinMami & @StrideRite http://bit.ly/TxXUlN #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: I was compensated for this post in collaboration with WGBH and Stride Rite.

This giveaway is now closed.

Cyberchase 3D Builder App

I'm finishing off this week of Apps for Gifts series with one for older children. Cyberchase 3D Builder from PBS KIDS is designed to help kids understand how 3-dimensional geometric shapes are made from simple 2-dimensional ones.


Name: Cyberchase 3D Builder 
Subject(s): math (engineering)
Brief Description: A 3D puzzle game that introduces players to geometry concepts.
Price: $1.99
Ages: 6-9

What my kids like:

There is a short animated video at the beginning of the game that establishes the story line and explains why they are putting together these 3-dimensional shapes. My son enjoyed watching the clip, but even more, he loves the interactive component of the game. He has to rebuild the houses in Botopolis, which were accidentally flattened by the bumbling bots Buzz and Delete who pushed their spaceship's zapper button by mistake.

There are eight levels (neighborhoods), each one more difficult than the last. To rebuild the houses, in each neighborhood, my kids have to use their fingers to fold the 2D shapes into 3D structures. It is sort of like origami, but on a virtual level. Each level provides a picture that looks like the building you are trying to construct. As the levels get harder, though, you are given more choices including stacking, turning, and even choosing which shapes to use.

What I like:

There is a lot of conceptual thinking required for this game. I played it myself and was so engrossed trying to visualize how which shapes would fit the models once they were assembled. Level 7 and 8 were hard! Not unreasonably so, but enought to challenge young (or old!) minds.

I also love the number of challenges. By the end of the game, over 70 flat 2D shapes transform into 40 3D structures. And I like how it is paced. You cannot go on to the next level until you have successfully completed the one before it.

Enjoy!

Lee Paso a Paso Spanish Reading App

Update: For my complete list of apps to teach kids how to read in Spanish, click here.

Today's app was recommended by a reader. Lee Paso a Paso is available in a free Lite version, or a more comprehensive version available for purchase here. I would recommend you download the free version and see if you like it first.

I don't have any experience with it, but I wanted to share it with those of you looking for Spanish educational apps. You made it pretty clear on FB that you want Spanish apps that are interactive and require thinking on your child's part. So I thought the best way to do this feature was to share the developer's explanation of the app and let you be the judge.

Name: Lee Paso a Paso
Subject(s): Spanish, Reading
Brief Description: A phonics-based app to teach Spanish reading skills using a step-by-step methodology.
Price: FREE for the Lite version, $1.99 for the complete version
Ages: 4 and up?

Product Description:
Go step-by-step by learning the sounds of vowels, and identifying syllables and their sounds to form words. With the use of images, letters. and words children build skills to read on their own.

*** Great for kids who speak Spanish as a first language and are just starting to read
*** Great for kids and adults who are learning Spanish as a second language, helps them with vocabulary, identifying sounds of letters and words.
***Learn skills with games to achieve prizes. Use syllables to form words. Match words to pictures. Complete words with missing syllables.

With Full Version obtain….More than 130 images and more than 200 words and more to come…
Currently 15 letters and 60 syllables covered, more to come in future updates.

Choose different levels of difficulty-
Level 1 … Step by step… Learn step by step one letter at a time; earn prizes as you advance thru the games.
Level 2 … Practice…. Choose which letter to practice, have a greater range of words and images to practice with.
Level 3 … Expert … Choose which game to practice, all the letters and images are presented in the game in no specific order.

You can also watch an introductory video in English or Spanish.

Con mucho cariño...