This month our nation will be celebrating Hispanic Heritage month. This is a great time for us to show our niños how important our history and cultures are to this country. As we all know a great way to encourage our bilingual kids is by sharing with them fun resources, like music, that they can relate to as bilinguals.

Chocolalala is Mister G’s first bilingual album. We shared Mister G’s first album Bugs with you a while back. Now Mister G has produced his first fully bilingual album which was inspired by his concert tours throughout Latin America.What’s great about this album is that every song offers tons of bilingual fun for kids. Each song is not only catchy but educational. Kids can practice counting, learn about colors and nature in Spanish and English. Kids will also love the silly songs on the album like “Chocolalala” and “Big Yellow Bus”. There is a wide range of musical styles from bossa nova to ska, funk, folk, pop and even rap. And of course Latin rhythms!

You can check out Mister G’s concert dates, videos, and hear samples of the new Chocolalala album by visiting his website here.

The Giveaway!

We are giving away one copy of Mister G’s bilingual Chocolalala album to TWO lucky winners!

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Plus, it came at a a perfect time because my girl, husband and I are getting ready for our first European vacation! Thanks to Norwegian Cruise Lines and Babble, we’ll be traveling to Barcelona where we’ll board the Norwegian Epic to visit coastal cities in France and Italy, to return to Barcelona.

Coincidentally, the first three countries mentioned in this fun ‘Round The World song are Spain, France and Italy. I think we have an anthem for our trip!

For more Hot Peas ‘N Butter visit their website and read our review of their latest CD here.

I’ll be sharing lots about our cruise here and on my Babble Voices blog, Besos. We’re super excited that Camila will get exposed to so many languages in just a week. Hope this opens up a whole new understanding of the world and cultures for her!

Watch the interview below and wait until the end for a special rendition of his classic song “Dos Manita, Diez Deditos.”

Check out Caramba Kids here and also this super cute video of José Luis Orozco singing Rin, Rin, Rin, Do, Re, Mi to my daughter and SpanglishBaby readers.

It’s here! Take a tour around the world with Putumayo’s new Latin Beat album. This album features latin music that ranges from Salsa and R&B to Latin Pop; by artists based anywhere from the US, Cuba, and Colombia, to even New Zealand. In other words, it brings a variety of musical cultures together for a good time.

Some of the artists that this album features are Moneda Dura adding the voice of Buena Vista Social Club legend Ibrahim Ferrer, Colombian’s Jontre and Mariposa Solar, and Spain’s Digitano.

This is truly feel good music that can get a party going. How could it not when there are hints of modern beats and a whole lot of tradition that blend to make great music for all generations and tastes. Kids will love the upbeat music and want to dance along, and grandparents will appreciate the traditional rhythms. Not to mention all that Spanish that just rolls off the tongue when singing along to this album. This CD presents another great way to incorporate language fun into our everyday routines.

THE GIVEAWAY!

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the winner: MamaGames!

Putumayo is giving away one copy of Latin Beat to one winner.

To enter just leave a comment telling us what is your favorite Latin rhythm and why.

That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway. If you want to up your chances at winning, then this is how you can get additional entries (only after you’ve completed the step above):

**Please leave a separate comment for each so we can count them and avoid mistakes.

1. Subscribe to receive blog updates and subscriber-only content via email and leave us an extra comment letting us know you did so or that you’re already a subscriber. Make sure to leave the comment using the same email you subscribed with.

2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway including a link to the post and @SpanglishBaby. Copy the link to the tweet in an additional comment on the giveaway’s post.

3. Like SpanglishBaby on Facebook and join a thriving community of parents.

This giveaway ends Thursday, September 8 at midnight EST and is open to everyone over 18 years of age.  Check out the Giveaway Rules.

Disclosure: We received a sample to review the product. All opinions are our own.

The first thing Camila said when I showed her the new CD that had arrived in the mail was:  “¡Mamá! ¡El mono de los colores!”  That was a very good sign. She had immediately recognized the Descubriendo Líneas DVD we had watched and reviewed over a month ago where Bubba–the “mono”–engages with “colores.”  I guess she liked it more than I gave her credit for!

This music CD, Descubriendo los Transportes, is part of the Argentinean-created Descubriendo Líneas catalog of entertainment products in Spanish for children 0-5.  An entrepreneur mom, Ana Eiras, decided to distribute the line in the U.S. after recognizing the value it had for her own bilingual children’s language immersion.

I noticed that my daughter easily engaged with the music thanks to the simple lyrics;  the words are easy to understand and sing-a-long to. I like that the CDs are grouped into basic themes like Discovering your Body, Colors and The Farm, plus the one we have, Transportation, with upbeat, danceable Latin rhythms.  I can definitely see this being useful in a preschool classroom setting as a fun element to incorporate and start conversations about cars, boats, trains, planes, etc.  My girl gets a kick out of the “Barco Pirata” song because the first time we heard it I told her that pirates like to go “ARGH, ARGH,” and now she shouts it every time we play the song. Which, lately, is a lot.

Aside from giving away this CD today, a Línea Descubriendo DVD is one of the many items you’ll have a chance to win next week as part of our Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza, where ONE winner will take over $400 in prizes!  We included Línea Descubriendo because their products make a perfect and original Holiday gift for the bilingual niños in your list; with a price tag to make you want to give and give!  To purchase, visit the Witty Planet store.

THE GIVEAWAY!

This giveaway is now closed.

We have one Líneas Descubriendo CD of your choice to give away to one winner. To enter please visit their site and come back to tell us which music CD you would choose and why.

That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway. If you want to up your chances at winning, then this is how you can get additional entries (only after you’ve completed the step above):

**Please leave a separate comment for each so we can count them and avoid mistakes.

1. Subscribe to our feed via email or RSS and leave us an extra comment letting us know you did so or that you’re already a subscriber. Make sure to leave the comment using the same email you subscribed with.

2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway including a link to the post and @SpanglishBaby. Copy the link to the tweet in an additional comment on the giveaway’s post.

3. Blog about this giveaway making sure to include our link, and you’ll get TWO additional entries.

This giveaway ends Sunday, December 12 at midnight EST and you must have a valid US address to enter.

Disclosure: We received a sample to review the product.  Witty Planet is one of our valued sponsors. We only accept sponsorship from companies we can write positively and honestly about.

Check out the Giveaway Rules.

We mostly review CDs of children’s music with Spanish or bilingual lyrics, but Putumayo Kids Presents deserves a rank of its own.  The children’s and educational division of the well-known Putumayo Music CDs dedicate themselves to the mission of introducing cultures to kids through the art of music. And they do it very well. As a parent raising a bilingual and bicultural child, I appreciate companies that create materials that reach out to to this generation of global citizens.

I recently received Putumayo’s latest yummy release from their Playground series, “Picnic Playground.” They’ve put together a collection of 12 songs from around the globe in a smorgasbord of languages, tastes and rhythms, all with the common theme of food.  And what could be more global and bridging than food and music?  Of course, I immediately put on the only track in Spanish-Jose Conde y Ola Fresca’s “Bolitas de Arroz con Pollo” and I suddenly got an urge to cook up a batch of this classic and heartwarming dish.

My girl has a blast shouting out “Ice Cream” to the tune of Asheba’s song.  I know, I know…she should be screaming out “Helado” or “Nieve,” but Ice Cream is one of those phrases that’s just much more fun in English.  And you’ve gotta scream it out.

I’m thankful for the English, Spanish and French song descriptions included with the CD because I was able to figure out that Pascal Parisot was singing in “Mes Parents Sont Bio” about a kid’s parents who only eat organic. The tune is incredibly catchy, and now I can pretend to know what I’m singing in my bad French.

“Picnic Playground” is a real treat for the whole familia to enjoy at any time.  ¡Buen Provecho!

Oh, and I need to let you know about a great contest Putumayo is hosting which ends this week:  The Putumayo Kids Dance-Off Video Contest.  Head over to their site to find out how you could win their full kids collection (retail value of $285)!

A great way to keep up with Putumayo Kids Presents latest releases and contests is to follow them on Facebook. Sign up here.

A Giveaway!!

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to Random.org the winners are:  #6 Stephanie and #11 Ashley. Congratulations!

TWO lucky winners will each receive a Putumayo Kids “Picnic Playground” CD. For your chance to win all you have to do is leave a comment telling us which of the 12 tracks on this CD is your, or your child’s, favorite and why. To sample the songs go here.

That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway. If you want to up your chances at winning, then click here to learn how to get additional entries.

This giveaway ends Sunday, December 13th Monday, December 14th at midnight EST.

For the part that nobody likes, but we’ve gotta have, check out the Giveaway Rules.

{Make sure you’re subscribed to the SBFinds feed via email or RSS so that you can be notified of our weekly Finds, special discounts and more awesome giveaways.}

Music is a vital element of our day to day life. I´m always making up silly songs that I would never dare to sing in public, and now my girl is joining me. Her´s are much better, for sure!

Fati, a native Argentinian, and Charles are a husband and wife team and parents to two bilingual kids who decided to give life to those silly songs we parents like to make up with our kids and record them on to a CD.  She wrote the lyrics, he rocked out the tunes.  The result is El Baile del Sombrero-a quirky, high-energy, danceable CD with 17 original tunes in Spanish. The music was made with 1-5 year olds in mind, but the melodies and beats feel more grown-up, while the fun lyrics remain repetitive and basic enough for your child to grasp and even sing-a-long to.  These all-Spanish songs can easily become part of your child’s life soundtrack.

Expect some salsa, some cumbia, some tango, some pop tunes, and even an intense mariachi “Ay, ay, ay!!” in songs that give an ode to sombreros, blankies, a family of pulgas (fleas), and a rabbit who goes by the name of “Teo.”  And lucky you if you live in the New York City area since you can actually watch Fati and Charles give life to Teo and other silly amigos in one of their live shows.

You can listen to the songs and buy the CD or individual tunes at CD Baby, iTunes, and La Tiendita, via Amazon.

A Giveaway!!

This giveaway is now CLOSED.  Congratulations to our winners:  #3 BETH BUTLER and #10 MIGUEL ORDOÑEZ!!  Sorry, Miguel.  Since there was no response we had to pick a new winner:  #13 Tina R.

We’re giving away an El Baile del Sombrero CD to TWO lucky winners.  All you have to do is click here and let us know which of the songs you, or your kids, like and why.

That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway.  If you want to up your chances at winning, then click here to learn how to get additional entries.

This giveaway ends Friday, October 16th at midnight EST.

For the part that nobody likes, but we’ve gotta have, check out the Giveaway Rules.

{Make sure you’re subscribed to the SBFinds feed via email or RSS so that you can be notified of our weekly Finds, special discounts and more awesome giveaways.}

Iwas pleasantly surprised by award-winning Whistlefritz‘ Spanish for Beginners DVD + CD series because I expected my 3-year-old daughter, whose first language is Spanish, to be a bit bored with it. I was wrong.

Vanessa actually loved Adentro y Afuera‘s DVD’s main character, Fritzi, a cute little mouse used throughout the program to teach children Spanish vocabulary. She also loved the songs and actually got up and danced to “El Baile de las Manos.” The rhythm was contagious, I must admit, and the lyrics simple.

One of the things I enjoyed about the DVD’s production is the variety of methods used to teach basic Spanish. The DVD includes animation, entertaining music and fun puppets, among other things, making the process of learning actually fun. I caught Vanessa giggling several times when the puppets came on. I also caught her responding to the questions asked by Maria, the program’s hostess.

The latest CD of this series, ¡A Bailar!, was also a hit with my daughter because she immediately recognized a bunch of the more popular songs and quickly started singing them.

Whistlefritz is a company founded in 2006 by a mom who wanted to teach her children Spanish, but couldn’t find high-quality immersion programs. So she decided to create her very own CDs and DVDs. Two things I really liked: both CDs and DVDs are completely in Spanish (immersion is the idea here) and you really don’t have to speak Spanish yourself to use them with your kids.

A Giveaway!!

This giveaway is now closed.  Congratulations to our winner #14: Julie.

We’re giving away a Whistlefritz’ DVD + CD set (Adentro y Afuera + ¡A Bailar!) to one very lucky winner!  For a chance to win visit Whilstlefritz website and come back to leave us a comment telling us something you learned while you were there.

That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway.  If you want to up your chances at winning, then click here to learn how to get additional entries.

This giveaway ends Sunday, October 4, 20o9 at midnight EST.

For the part that nobody likes, but we’ve gotta have, check out the Giveaway Rules.

{Make sure you’re subscribed to the SBFinds feed via email or RSS so that you can be notified of our weekly Finds, special discounts and more awesome giveaways.}

Dan Zanes and Friends’ ¡Nueva York! is the first all-Spanish album the family musician has created and also his personal favorite.  With eleven of his CDs released to date, that’s a huge statement for Latino music.

The fiesta vibe Zanes and his amigos, in this case musicians from the Latino world, were in while making this music is definitely felt throughout their renditions of traditional songs from Puerto Rico, México, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and other parts of the Spanish-speaking Americas.  Your little one will get a musical tour of some of the most representative sounds from her roots, or be introduced to new ones, and you will be thrilled to be part of a true “21st Century party.”

Remember the “Pollitos Chicken” song from our childhood?  Listen to it explode with soul when Dan Zanes and his amiga La Bruja get a hold of it.  I don’t ever remember shaking my hips to it before. The hand’s-down favorite in our casa is “Palo Bonito”.  Camila grabs her bongos and orchestrates the family’s smashing sing-a-long to it.  Now my husband has two girls begging him to dance!

A Giveaway!!

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the two winners:  MARCELA + CHRYSA!!

We’re giving away copies of Dan Zanes and Friend’s first all Spanish language album ¡Nueva York!, 2009 Independent Music Award Winner, to TWO lucky winners here and ONE more over at our Facebook page. We want you and your familia bailando for sure.

All you have to do to win one of the two copies here is go to the Dan Zanes website, come back to this post and leave us a comment telling us one thing you learned while there.

That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway.  If you want to up your chances at winning, then click here to learn how to get additional entries.

Now, go to our Facebook page, become our fan, and then follow the instructions on our page to enter the giveaway of one more ¡Nueva York! CD there.

This giveaway ends tonight, Tuesday, September 8th, at midnight EST.

For the part that nobody likes, but we’ve gotta have, check out the Giveaway Rules.

{Make sure you’re subscribed to the SBFinds feed via email or RSS so that you can be notified of our weekly Finds, special discounts and more awesome giveaways.}

My daughter is at the ripe age where new words are just constantly flying out of her mouth every day.  I’m in total awe of this natural language-acquisition process of an almost two-year old.

I’m also in awe that she’s definitely already a bilingual little niña, using her hundreds of new words to construct mini Spanglish sentences, like: “Más jugo, please.” “Shoe acá pié.”

I’m totally not bothered by it because that’s exactly how my own brain functions, moving seamlessly from one language to the other.

That’s why the language-introduction approach used in the Professor Pocket CDs was completely relevant to us. Professor Pocket is a family-owned company that’s created two bilingual (Spanish/English) CDs and supplemental materials to help children develop a lifelong passion for learning languages.

At first, I thought Camila was still too young to completely understand and follow the storyline in “Our Silly Farm Adventure” since it’s recommended for children ages 2 and up. That was not the case at all. Maybe she still doesn’t grasp the context of what she is listening to, but she loves the silly animal sounds, the catchy songs and the identifiable kids’ voices. I’ve also caught her adorably repeating the key words and anticipating the songs many times.

You will like:

• How it naturally and aptly flows from English to Spanish through the wacky interaction of the three main characters: Professor Pocket (English), Desi the Dinosaur and Chico the Chicken (mostly Spanish).
• The original story lines with just the correct dose of silliness to entertain toddlers and older kids alike. A dinosaur on a farm?  Yes, it’s far-fetched, but it works.
• Spanish words and key concepts are effectively reinforced with the use of songs which you will find yourself singing along to in no time, like: “¡Ay, caramba! No hay dinosaurios” and “La la la la Leche” (a song about a cow that produces chocolate milk, yum!).
• PERFECT FOR LONG CAR RIDES!! OK, in my book, this should be reason enough to love these CDs. Your child will be absorbed, entertained, she’ll learn new words in both English and Spanish and you’ll have a smile on your face from watching her dance in her seat and imitate the voices she hears. At least I do.

The two mom’s behind Professor Pocket, Nathalie and Paula, want to give you a chance to win a free copy of both “Our Silly Farm Adventure” and “Our Hawaiian Hula Adventure.”

To enter to WIN:

All you have to do for your chance to win is visit the Professor Pocket website Shop section where you can listen to samples of some of the songs on both CDs. Come back here and leave us a comment telling us which song you liked and why. Please be detailed so we know you visited their site.

If you want to increase your chances of winning you can get additional entries by doing any of the following.

1.  Blog and/or tweet about this giveaway. Please leave an additional comment with the link.

2. Subscribe to our feed via email and leave us an extra comment letting us know you did so. Make sure to leave the comment using the same email you subscribed with. And please do verify the subscription once you receive the email to do so. We will check in order to validate the entry.

3. Subscribe via RSS. Once you do, or if you’re already a subscriber, email us the “Secret Phrase” at the bottom of the post to: giveaways@SpanglishBaby.com.

4.  Become a fan of our Facebook page.  Leave us another comment letting us know you did so.

This contest will close tonight at midnight PST Sunday, July 5th at midnight EST…so don’t hesitate and enter now. These two Professor Pocket CDs could be yours!!!

For the part that nobody likes, but we’ve gotta have, check out the Giveaway Rules.

Scroll down to the next post for another giveaway from fabulous t-shirt line with a Latin attitude: ChíChí&Flaco