We have a super special treat for you! (We love having super special treats for you!) Just last month we shared with you our review of Mister G’s newest bilingual album for kids,  ABC Fiesta, and we all agreed it truly was a fiesta!

Now, we bring you exclusively Mister G’s first music video from ABC Fiesta for the song “Cocodrilo.” He mixes in fun, pop animation with footage of him playing his songs to audiences around the world. Your kids will love seeing other kids dancing with chomping arms and I’ll bet anything they will start doing it themselves and singing to the catchy tune of “Cocodrilo.”

Enjoy! Oh..and head on over to our Facebook page to win one of three MP3 downloads!

My bilingual 19 month-old daughter has two new favorite words. She went from only saying “Hi” to “Hola Hello” after listening to Mariana Iranzi’s new album. “Hola Hello” is the album’s title and the name of its catchy single. I loved it because it is not only bilingual but also multicultural. Her songs, besides being in Spanish and English, also touch cultural aspects such as Latin American rhymes like “Los Pollitos,” and English classics that she has made her own like “Five Little Monkeys.”

The fact that the album is bilingual was what caught my attention first, but after listening to every song I was moving my tail and can attest that it’s more than just a source for parents raising bilingual children — it is a fiesta for all! Play this CD and Mariana will have everyone in the family dancing thanks to the wide variety of musical styles and instruments played. The lyrics are very cheerful, which is great for the little ones. On the other hand, the contemporary style and the rock, reggae and Latin-flavored tunes make this album appealing to older ones as well. Some soothing songs are also included which will be perfect for the nursery and nap time.

There is a lot of room for entertainment and learning with this 13-song CD. The song “Veo Veo” teaches the different animal names and sounds, “Arco Iris” aims to teach the colors of the rainbow and “La Semana” the days of the week. Mariana is an Argentinian professional musician, singer and composer with a focus on child education, which makes this a well thought-out resource for fun and learning.

Mariana shared with us the newest music video she just released for the song “Arco Iris.”

Grab a copy of “Hola Hello” by downloading her album ($9.99) or purchasing the CD ($15) at CDBaby.  You can also find her on Facebook and YouTube.

The Giveaway!

We’re giving away one copy of “Hola Hello” to THREE lucky winners. All you have to do is visit Hola Hello’s CBBaby page, preview the songs, and let us know which is your favorite in the comments below. Then enter the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Anyway, back to business! This week I wanted to share something a little different. I often get asked, “how do you encourage your kids to speak Spanish without stressing them out?” Very good question and one that I’ve thought about many times. Luckily, that hasn’t been a major problem with my son, but every child is different and it is something to be aware of.

The best advice I give is to make it fun and enjoyable by playing games, singing and dancing. I make up songs and encourage Matías to add on his own verses and then repeat. However, instead of telling you about our Spanish fun, we put together a video of us singing two songs that we composed ourselves!

We hope you like them and that you are inspired to come up with your own canciones. It’s amazing how well children react to them and it allows the second language to flourish with ease.