These recent discoveries receive triple points from me. Number one, both the Slide & Discover and Math-o-Matic can be used in English and Spanish. They are also both appropriate for a variety of ages (perfect for my sixteen month-old, almost three year-old and six year-old)! Finally, as a mother who believes children can and should learn through play, both of these products are super educational.

Slide & Discover is full of vocabulary for Spanish speaking,  English speaking, or bilingual children.  A great educational toy if the child is learning a second language.The thematic cards are stored in the back of the carrier and one can slip in a bright and colorful choice through the front. My younger children are working on colors, numbers and animals. The cards feature ten pairs of vocabulary words and my oldest is practicing Spanish vocabulary for seasons, objects in the classroom and marine animals. With about 150 words to discover, children also benefit from picture-word association and fine motor skills. My little ones love to slide to discover something new!

All my children love language and reading but my oldest is already practicing basic math skills while my middle child is fascinated by puzzles. Math-o-Matic is designed with two learning levels in mind: Stage 1 helps children learn numbers and their spelling in English and Spanish and Stage 2 allows children to play by self-checking their math game using numbers and symbols. This product truly grows with your child. Even the baby benefits from the sturdy and colorful number pieces we point and count aloud for him!

Both the Slide & Discover and Math-o-Matic are ideal for homes with multiple-aged children and those who are working at developing or strengthening a second language. Early-childhood education and bilingualism is important in our home and I appreciate products designed with all of these factors.

The Giveaway!

We are giving away the Bilingual Slide & Discover Spanish + the Math-o-Matic to one lucky winner. Just leave us a comment telling us who you’d like to share this giveaway with and enter the Rafflecopter below.

There’s more! If you enter all three Ingenio giveaways going on this week you will also be entered to win a $100 gift card from Toys R Us! giveaway 1 | giveaway 2 | this is Giveaway 3

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Do you have a child beginning to learn to read and write?  Need some help at homework time?  Learning to write is a huge milestone for children, and not all children learn at the same pace.  That is a fact.  I’ve seen children whiz through the process of reading and writing. Others, I have witnessed, struggle with letters such as b, d, and E, as well as numbers, 2, 5, 9, and 6 (which is very common for a kindergartner).  If you find yourself in this predicament, don’t worry too much yet.  Just remember that with patience, a steady routine, good study habits, and lots of practice, it will get better.

Today’s SB find is the perfect tool for this task.  Smart Play Magic Alphabet & Magic Numbers 3D lenticular flash cards are a wonderful tool for children who are in the process of  learning to read and write.  The best part about these is that they are in three languages! English, Spanish, and French.  Since we received them, we have referred back to them as a practice/reference guide almost everyday when my daughter (now in kindergarten) is doing her homework.  She loves them!

When tilting one of the cards, you see the images magically transform between the uppercase, lowercase, and word image (or number). On the other side is a wipe-off writing surface where you can practice tracing and writing with a dry-erase marker (marker not included).  They are made of a layered laminate wipe-off material, light weight, and durable enough for a child to carry around the house or even in their backpack. The ring that holds the flashcards together is made of a solid flexible plastic that is easy for older children and adults to open and close again if needed.

On a side note, we own a different set of alphabet cards (in English only) with a metal ring that is too easy to open and can pinch a child’s little fingers when doing so.  Sometimes it opens up all on its own in fact, so I was relieved to know we wouldn’t have that problem with these flash cards.  Having the flash cards on a plastic re-closable ring was a huge benefit to us because it also allows for sharing with other children at the same time!  The Bilingual Smart Play Magic Flash Cards measure 3.5″ x 4.0″,   and are available in opposites and animal themes as well.

All in all, these make a perfect gift to any child learning to read and write!  Especially if they are learning Spanish like mine!

The Giveaway!

We are giving away the Magic Alphabet and Magic Numbers flashcards to one lucky winner. Just leave us a comment telling us who you’d like to share this giveaway with and enter the Rafflecopter below.

There’s more! If you enter all three Ingenio giveaways going on this week you will also be entered to win a $100 gift card from Toys R Us! giveaway 1 | this is giveaway 2 | giveaway 3

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As a teacher, I found these 3D Magnetic alphabet and number cards very appealing. They are very sturdy and durable and feature bright, fun colors (great for kid-appeal!). I love the way they identify the number as well as provide the number-to-object correspondence. When the child moves the card, he can identify the quantity that corresponds with the number on the card. As a parent, I knew my child would find these magnetic cards fun because of the colorful illustrations and the promise of interaction. When he’s engaged with them, I know that he is having fun and learning all in one and I often catch him going over to our magnetized cabinet where we keep them and he sits there to play. I hear him reciting the alphabet and identifying the objects on the card as well as identifying the numbers! This enables him to expand his vocabulary and identify the numbers in isolation as well and I couldn’t be more proud of my preschooler for working so hard with them.

As a bilingual parent I was delighted that the cards arrived with a Spanish guide so we could continue to reinforce the spanish language in our household. This serves as a wonderful addition to place beside the cards so the children can see the numbers while I can verbally recite the numbers and letters to them in our second language. Encouraging him to repeat the numbers in Spanish is a great way to introduce another language to those parents who want their children to become familiar with or even master a second language.

The magnetic alphabet cards included the same guide with English, French, and Spanish names for the animals on the cards. It was great to hear my son recite the names of the animals and use correct pronunciation in English and Spanish. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the products themselves and how my kids chose to use them both together and independently.

As I think about the different learning styles of children, I know that this works best for visual and tactile learners like my boys. They love to touch and see visuals of certain concepts so these magnets are a perfect fit in our household. These magnetic cards are an ideal extension and tool for reinforcement for what my preschooler is now learning in school. I encourage all parents to have a set of these cards in their home. With the new Common Core State Standards in place, we want our children to receive a strong foundation for early learning and these can be a great asset to get there!

The Giveaway!

We are giving away the 3D Magic Magnets- Animal Alphabet and the 3D Magic Magnets- Numbers to one lucky winner. Just leave us a comment telling us who you’d like to share this giveaway with and enter the Rafflecopter below.

There’s more! If you enter this giveaway and the two upcoming Ingenio giveaways you will also be entered to win a $100 gift card from Toys R Us! Giveaway 2| Giveaway 3

a Rafflecopter giveaway