Chelsea Torres is SpanglishBaby’s Book Editor and a regular contributor. She is not a native Spanish speaker, but is raising her Latino son to be bilingual. A graduate of Rollins College, Chelsea lives in Orlando with her blended family.
Los Navegantes iPad App
Constantly on the lookout for new Spanish/bilingual apps, I am always happy to find something that is versatile. Los navegantes, created by second language teachers for Telefonica Learning Services is just that: a fun iPad app that can be used for young Spanish learners who have never been exposed to the language, but also for those who are conversationally fluent but are still learning to read in Spanish. The app contains a variety of games, including word searches and coloring,Read More ...
Transitioning From English to Spanish Reading
My son Isaiah LOVES books, much like Roxana’s daughter. However, he is a bit younger (just turned 5) and is still learning the fundamentals of reading in English. Since starting at a Montessori preschool last fall, he has made leaps and bounds in his reading abilities and has a good handle on the basics. In addition to his English homework and the reading exposure he gets at school, I read to him in Spanish and English every day. I’m aRead More ...
Review: My Big Sister/Mi hermana mayor
As those of you with preschoolers and early elementary schoolers may have discovered, it’s difficult to find bilingual books to transition them from the baby board book phase to the early readers phase. Books need to be complex enough for them to learn new vocabulary, but short enough for a bedtime story. My Big Sister/Mi hermana mayor by Samuel Caraballo is the bilingual story of a little boy named Pablito, who spends the days with his big sister, Anita, whileRead More ...
Fun Photo and Spanish Vocab App
In my quest to find more entertaining Spanish apps for adults and teenagers, I discovered 4 Fotos Más, a straightforward game that nonetheless provides hours of fun and brushing up on Spanish vocab. Each level presents four photos and a letter bank. To pass the level, you must correctly guess and spell the word that the photos indicate. For every level you pass, you collect monedas, which can be used to buy hints in future levels. As a nonnative speaker,Read More ...
PBS Parents Play & Learn App
Most PBS products are strictly for kids, but now PBS has created a useful tool for parents. With the PBS Parents Play & Learn and PBS Parents Play & Learn HD apps, parents can get free access to bilingual learning activities and games for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Instead of just handing the phone or iPad to your kids, you can sit and do the games with them or use the app as a playtime reference whether you’re at theRead More ...
Gombby Stickers Interactive App
If you have been enjoying the Gombby’s Green Island Channel I previously reviewed, you and your family will have fun with the latest app from Magnistage, Gombby Stickers. Once your little ones are familiar with the characters and adventures from watching the episodes on the Gombby Channel, they can use this app to make scenes on their own by placing virtual stickers with items and characters wherever they please. My son’s favorite is “Un día de nieve.” Here’s the sceneRead More ...
