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.
Smart Play Ingenio USA Map Puzzle {Giveaway}
Once your kids start to fathom what cerca and lejos mean, your next step is to expand the concepts by helping them understand where they fit in the world (literally). The Smart Play USA Floor Map Puzzle by ingenio can help you do just that. Along with cute symbols for each state, the puzzle includes Spanish names for many states and bodies of water. It is the perfect size – big enough to read easily, but won’t cover theRead More ...
What Does “Hispanic” Mean to You?
These days, it seems that the terms “Latino,” “Hispanic,” and “Spanish” are interchangeable in colloquial speech. Few people know the difference, including those who fit into these categories. Much like other racial and ethnic terminology, the words we use to describe Spanish speakers and those of Hispanic origin are confusing, inadequate, and often inapplicable. My son, for example, could be categorized as a white Hispanic. Yet, that’s only because he is part white and he looks white like me; inRead More ...
Announcement: SpanglishBaby Orlando Meetup!
Do you live in Central Florida? Do you love SpanglishBaby and want to be even more connected to your local bilingual parenting community? Come meet me (Chelsea) and some of your other bilingual neighbors at Lake Eola Park (playground) on Sunday, December 4th, at 1 PM. I hope to make some new Spanglish-speaking friends for me and my family! If you plan to attend, please send an email to chelsea@spanglishbaby.com or leave a quick comment. I look forward to meetingRead More ...
Books & Libros: Spanish Titles for Thanksgiving
It’s that time of year already! Time to celebrate a beloved American tradition of food, family, and football. Though it may seem that Thanksgiving is all about stuffing ourselves with casseroles and seeing out-of-town relatives, we must remember the lesson underneath all the holiday bustle: be grateful for the things and people around you. Regardless of nationality, language, or culture, we can teach our children to recognize the fullness of their lives and the history of giving thanks. Below areRead More ...
¡Oye!: Read Early, Read ALOUD!
Too many people associate the phrase “early reading” with elementary school. In fact, an affinity for reading begins developing much earlier than that. Exposure to how words on the page become spoken words are valuable even in infancy. This exposure is all the more crucial for Spanish reading skills, since many of our children will have less reinforcement of Spanish literacy than of English literacy in school. In an English-majority culture, we are always fighting the proverbial uphill battle toRead More ...
Chorrito Spanish Literacy Series {Giveaway}
I knew I would be impressed with the Chorrito series by Pacific Learning before it even arrived in the mail, but it was better than I expected. I cannot express how impressed I am with these books. The Chorrito I package comes with 20 excellent, entertaining, and well-illustrated stories and a Cuentos y canciones CD that includes story audio plus adorable sound effects and the songs whose lyrics are at the end of each book. The stories are about everythingRead More ...
