8 Do's and Don'ts of Raising a Multilingual Baby

The benefits of raising a multilingual child are plenteous. From improved cognitive performance to increased marketability in the future workforce, the multilingual child has the advantage over his/her peers and in life. Parents can begin the process of teaching their child languages from infancy! Research done by Dr. April Benasich, Little Pim Advisor and Director of the Infancy Studies Laboratory at the Center for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University has revealed babies learn languages in a different manner than a person who already knows a language. Those individuals learn a new language primarily through memorization, studying what letters make what sounds, and so on. On the contrary, a baby’s brain unconsciously follows sound patterns, changes in pitch, stress, or tone, and identifies slight changes.

According to various studies, teaching your child new languages between the ages of birth and five years old is the best time to accomplish this goal. Here are our 8 do's and don'ts of raising a multilingual baby:

Do’s

• - Make learning languages fun and creative, implementing multilingual videos, flashcards, storybooks, songs, and games (the latter as is appropriate for the age).
• - Use the immersion technique. Since young children are able to differentiate between phonemes, which are the “sound elements or building blocks of language,” it makes sense that immersing them into an environment where they are continually hearing the language, teaches them effectively.
• - Create a routine that you and the whole family can consistently stick with. Language learning videos, storybooks, and singing can be weaved into a routine for your child, making the whole concept of learning languages familiar and fun.
• - Help your older (speaking) child to find opportunities to use his or her newly developed skills in the acquired language. This will build confidence, as well as give practice.

Don’ts

• - Don’t judge the progress of your child’s advancement by what you see now. Even if your child is not speaking yet, the brain is absorbing the sound patterns, and it is creating new pathways that some day will be evident.
• - Don’t make learning stressful with either a lot of rigorous-looking “work” or stressful because of your attitude as a parent. Although, you may have the routine you want to be consistent with, keep things light and fun. The whole process should be viewed positively. This is accomplished by using interesting, colorful foreign language materials.
• - Don’t push your child too hard or too fast. As stated in the Do’s section, using the immersion technique with good quality material will acclimate your child to the language naturally.
• - Don’t worry if you notice your child is mixing up languages – this is normal when learning another language. Over time, your child will get it straightened out.

Learning a second or third language is so much easier for a child, and in today’s world it is fast becoming a necessity to know more than one language. Many parents are taking the step to introduce their child to the wonderful world of language(s).

Little Pim’s award-winning language learning program has successfully helped many children on their journey. Parents are amazed at how wonderful the program works with their child. "Entertaining and engaging" are just some of the words used to express the learning materials. If you would like to learn more about this program, please comment below or contact us today!

3 Ways to Help Raise Bilingual Children

There's no doubt about it – bilingualism is an admired trait these days. Anyone who's bilingual becomes more attractive to employers in the global age, but learning a new language takes a considerable amount of time. Even if you aren't fluent in a second language yourself, you can help your child become bilingual while learning a new language alongside them. Recent studies indicate that even exposure to a second language helps to improve a child’s social and cognitive skills. Videos

Videos are a great way to get started with a new language because your child will start to hear the correct pronunciation of words. Fun and educational videos like the ones offered by Little Pim build a foundation in the new language, teaching some of the most basic words and phrases. Our program is designed to keep children interested as they learn the language, with short episodes starring our cute panda. After learning a few words, the storyline and characters helps them see the language in use. Visit our website to watch a demo video with your little ones.

Flashcard Games

When people think of flashcards, they might simply think about the "drill and kill" style of learning – simply showing the flashcards to the child and having the child say what they are. This can get boring, and most children will resist these methods. However, if you turn it into a game, it becomes a lot more exciting. For instance, spread the flashcards on the floor and have your child toss a beanbag. Your child then has to say what's on the flashcard the beanbag landed on. Make this game harder by having your child use the word in a sentence.

Exposure to Native Speakers

As your child's language skills start to blossom, exposing him or her to native speakers – and opportunities to use his or her language skills in meaningful ways – is a fantastic way to solidify them. If you're lucky enough to have family members that speak a foreign language, encourage them to only use that language around your child. If not, look for cultural groups in your city or consider taking a trip to a country where they speak the language your child is learning.

At Little Pim, we're focused on helping young children learn new languages in fun ways. We offer Little Pim's language learning program in 12 languages, including Spanish, French, Chinese, and English. Contact us to learn more about how our program can help your child learn a new language.

Being Bilingual Can Improve All Areas of Your Child's Life

We live in an increasingly global world where learning a second language can give your child many advantages. Learning a foreign language at an early age improves overall fluency, but the issue is that most schools do not offer the opportunity to learn a second language until high school. According to Forbes magazine, we have a "foreign language deficit" in our country, especially when we are compared to other countries. Overseas, most countries require their students to learn English as a second language from a young age. When researching the benefits of bilingualism, it seems that the pros are endless; speaking more than one language can improve social skills, school performance, emotional health, and so much more. With all of the positives that come from being bilingual, it's a wonder that more young children are not being raised bilingual.

Learning a Second Language Improves School Performance

According to a study performed by Stanford researchers on language, the language children are exposed to in infancy and early childhood has a massive impact on their academic abilities and ability to communicate later in life. The best way to set your child up for success is to teach them both their native language, alongside a foreign language, during the critical period between infancy and six years old. Bilingual children have been proven to score higher on tests throughout their entire school career.

Speaking Multiple Languages Improves Social Skills

In a piece exploring the superior social skills of bilingual children by Katherine Kinzler, published in the New York Times, she found that children who are bilingual or multilingual have an easier time understanding different perspectives. This is because they have to understand when to speak a certain language, and to whom. This greatly improves their ability to communicate and empathize with people from all different walks of life. For more information about this study, check out our blog post on "Raising a People Person."

Bilingual Children Tend To Be More Creative

According to a study performed by the University of Strathclyde’s School of Psychological Sciences and Health, children who speak two languages statistically scored higher when it came to creative thinking and problem solving. Bilingual children scored much higher than monolingual children all across the board, in fact; especially when it came to questions assessing their critical thinking skills. In other words, bilingual children's ability to think outside the box helped them eventually work out answers to questions that they otherwise may not have been able to answer.

It Can Even Improve Emotional Health

Language plays a large role in our emotional health, because it is the only way we can articulate our deepest feelings, whether we choose to write them in a journal or discuss them with friends and family members. The ability to express their emotions in more than one language offers children more opportunity to talk to more people; it's also a good way to vent their emotions when around those who are monolingual. Also, when observed in school, bilingual children showed a better ability to pay attention and exhibit inhibitory control. It has been shown that bilingual children tend to have better relationships with their teachers and peers as well. Those early experiences with teachers and friends are vital to a child's emotional health and social development; teaching your child a second language can help ensure those interactions will be positive ones.

Cultural Curiosity and Tolerance

Bilingual children often have a natural curiosity about the country from which their second language originated. From a very young age, they have also been shown to be more tolerant of other cultures; they play more easily with children who come from different socioeconomic backgrounds, they are more likely to engage in play with children who do not speak their language, and they show more of an interest in socializing outside of their usual social circles. Since our world is becoming more globalized every day, the ability to tolerate and show interest in other cultures is an important advantage.

The Benefits Are Endless

There are endless benefits to teaching your child a second language from an early age - this article has only covered a small handful of the advantages your child will get through becoming bilingual! If you would like to introduce your child to a new language, try out Little Pim for free by watching a demo video to get started as soon as possible!

Bringing Culture Up Close: 5 Multicultural Activities for Kids

To best incorporate language, culture, and an expanded worldview into a child's day, it's wise to use what is already set in place: a weekly schedule! Repeat these 5 multicultural activities for kids on a weekly basis, and your son or daughter will begin thinking outside-the-ordinary. Have fun!

Start by choosing a different culture every week. Use these weekday suggestions as parameters to build upon. Then, as a pattern develops, watch your child eagerly anticipate the ways new cultures come alive in your home.

Monday Meals:

Spell new language words using alphabet cereals, carrots, or noodles. Make pancakes into Chinese letters, for example. Count healthy food pieces using the culture's language, or make a cultural dish, together, as you discuss other common foods of the region. While you're in the kitchen, review your food vocabulary with the kids with the help of Little Pim videos or flashcards. You can also learn and teach the kids about the variety of eating utensils from other cultures.

If you have family members who have a different cultural background than you do, invite them over to teach you and your kids about their cuisine and you can even prepare a meal together. Your family can pick up on new words and ethnic ingredients you've never tried which can be fun and tasty!

Tuesday Topics:

Tuesdays are about learning the traditions of a culture. Find pictures which display these traditions and common hobbies most popular there. Review parenting traditions and how life events are celebrated differently, for example, have you heard of the "baby grab" tradition celebrated in Korea? The parents give their baby a basket of items associated with a career, i.e. a book for scholars, ball for athletes, food for chefs, toy stethoscope for doctors, etc. Tradition says that the item the baby reaches for first will have some bearing on his or her future.

How do children from these cultures spend their day? Is family important? What is same or different from who we are?

Wednesday Wardrobe:

What do children, moms, and dads wear in China (for example)? Does this culture dress special for occasions or holidays? Find articles of clothing or hit the thrift shop to role play with your child as though you live in the area of study. Put on a play or skit to show what you've learned. Alternatively, you can find pictures of cultural attire to share with the kids.

Thursday Thinker:

Using story books, articles, and Little Pim, engage in activities suitable to your child's comprehension. Have young children color a picture of a significant holiday, symbol, or food item from the culture you're studying. Start discussions with older children, for example, you might discuss the culture's schooling system or the country's flag. Ask, "What do you think?"

Visit your local library to find books about the culture of the week and take turns reading. You can find children's books that introduce kids to different cultures around the world, focused on cuisine, holidays, and traditions.

Friday Flick:

Find a movie, short, or some kind of visual representation of the events, foods, and cultural differences discussed this week. What are some famous children's characters from each culture? Learn a native song or cultural dance important to the people.

Go out and explore!

Discover local events within your community to expose your young children to different cultures in your very own neighborhood. For example, if you're living in the NYC-area, here are some fun upcoming events you can attend with your kids:

• Multicultural Food Festival - Thursday, April 14th
• NYC Holi Hai - Saturday, April 30th
• The Queens International Street Market - Saturdays, 6PM-Midnight, starting on April 23rd
• Japan Day at Central Park - Sunday, May 8th, 2016

For further ways to develop your child's awareness of cultures and new languages, start teaching them a second language with Little Pim. If you have any suggestions or upcoming multicultural events in your area, please share them in the comments below. We look forward to growing with you and your child!

6 Benefits of Raising Bilingual Children

According to the American Community Survey, close to 20% of people in the United States are bilingual. The number of individuals who have the ability to speak more than one language is on the rise. So, why are parents opting to teach their children an additional language (or two)? Just what are some the advantages of being bilingual? Let’s examine 6 benefits of raising bilingual children:

Increased Cognitive Ability

Jeffrey Kluger in a Time Magazine article says, "Babies are born with the inherent ability to speak and understand the world’s 6,800 languages, and that babies, and then children, are able to continue to easily learn multiple languages up into early grammar school."

Kluger goes on to say that later in life, having gained these language abilities as babies and children, multilingual adults “are better at reasoning, at multitasking, at grasping and reconciling conflicting ideas. They work faster and expend less energy doing so, and as they age, they retain their cognitive faculties longer, delaying the onset of dementia and even full-blown Alzheimer’s disease.”

More Flexible Brain

The ability to balance two separate languages and alternate between the two when the situation dictates would require a certain degree of flexibility. And as is true with any muscle, over time exercise will increase flexibility. Because bilinguals may acquire two languages in the time in which monolinguals acquire one, they quickly become more flexible learners*. The speed and apparent ease with which young infants learn the basics of a language regularly astound parents and scientists alike*.

Increased Listening Skills 

As children begin to tune their hearing to learn unfamiliar sounds and words in the new language, their listening skills develop. It is somewhat similar to a musician having a trained ear for the sounds of the notes over time.

Did you know that babies hear their mother’s voices before birth and as newborns, they already know the rhythm of their native language? Once born, babies can actually recognize differences in languages*.  Babies are particularly attuned to hearing phonemes, the sound elements or building blocks of language, and repeated studies show that babies are actually more attuned to perceiving phonemes than adults.

Higher Memory Retention

As children memorize new words, they are actually helping their brain to be better at memory work in the future. How is that? As you stimulate the brain with difficult, new challenges, you work it out; thus, giving the brain a boost in overall health, vitality, and increase in memory power.

Dr. Andrea Mechelli of University College London published her team’s research that found “grey matter” density in scans of the left-brain was greater in bilinguals than in monolinguals. The brain’s left side is responsible for processing information and controlling aspects of sensory perception, memory and speech. Dr. Mechelli found this increase was most significant in children who had learned a foreign language before the age of five.

Increased Marketability in the Future Workplace

A study from a Los Angeles-based recruiter found that almost 9 out of 10 headhunters in Europe, Latin America, and Asia reported that bilingual skills is critical for success in today's business setting. In this increasingly global world, bilingualism carries many benefits. Furthermore,

“66 percent of North American recruiters agreed that being bilingual will be increasingly important in the next 10 years.”

Better Problem Solvers

Language is like a puzzle. Letters and sounds fit together to make words, and then words fit together to make sentences. By fitting the pieces together in a new language, children become naturally more adept at problem-solving abilities. Visit the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's website for more advantages of being bilingual.

People everywhere have discovered the Little Pim program to their delight. Celebrities who have utilized the program offered these words of praise for Little Pim:

• Alyssa Milano – “Thank you so much for sending Milo The Little Pim language. . .”
• Tori Spelling – “Thank you so much for  sending us Little Pim -  Spanish. The kids love it – and I am learning from it too!”
• Kevin James – “We [love] little Pim. . .”
• Bill Horn & Scout Masterson – “Thanks for the Panda. . .We’re actually fans of Little Pim. . .”

At Little Pim, we have developed an award-winning program that taps into the young child’s unique capability to absorb new languages at a rapid rate.  Using what children love most, lively adorable animals and other babies, we developed language learning videos that have been highly effective. Try us free today to start teaching your little ones a new language!

Read to Them and Let them Read

(Some rights reserved, David D via Flickr Creative Commons)

A few days ago, Little Pim shared some great ways to make snow days fun, and we’ve certainly had a wonderful time picking out family-friendly winter movies to watch while curled up on the couch together. But here’s another idea: read your children a book.

Reading to kids is a great way to bond, but more than this, reading to them can have great benefits for their education. According to research discussed by the USA’s National Education Association, children who are read to not only develop stronger reading skills, but stronger language skills as well, with kids who read or are read to at home having better reading proficiency and even higher math scores. Parents who are trying to help their kids learn a new language through Little Pim may actually find that reading to their kids in the language they wish for them to learn can be of great benefit, as research has shown that reading aloud is great way to help them recognize the sound patterns of the language being used. As children are exposed to more of the language, so too do they learn how to formulate different sentences and learn how to use the words they are learning.

This is also supported by research discussed by UNESCO, who state that reading is one of the most effective ways to encourage systemic language development, and that “At a higher level and with longer texts, the comprehension of relationships, of construction or structure, and interpretation of the context, becomes more significant.”

The only problem is that, for many of today’s kids, reading can seem like a boring activity. Contending with gadgets and TV shows and cartoons these days can be difficult, but parents should find that encouraging their kids to read can be much easier depending on their mindset. In an interview he did with childrenswear manufacturing brand Tootsa MacGinty, preschool teacher James Ross said that the best way to get kids to enjoy reading and writing is to, “Be positive and enthusiastic yourself! Children are like sponges: if you delight in reading with/to your children (or at least for their sake pretend that you do!) it will be a fun experience for you both. Children love stories, so try to weave them into everything they see and do. Make sure that they enjoy reading and writing and don’t see it as a chore. Praise them for effort… and persevere!” And because children respond to different teaching methods differently, he also adds, “If you have a really reluctant reader, don’t think of books as the only option. Put subtitles on when they watch films; comics or simple worded picture books work too. Find a format and context that works for your child.”

It’s great practice to read to your kids every day, and if you want to start reading to your kids this winter, you can check out Common Sense Media’s list of 50 books your kids should read before they're 12.

Exclusive for Little Pim Written by BeingMommy

Snow Day Family Fun

Brrrr!

If you’re stuck inside this winter, you might need some extra tricks up your sleeve to keep little ones occupied. We’ve got you covered with some great ideas for the perfect snow day.

Snow Day

Photo credit: catdancer735 / Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Warm up your home by cranking up the oven! Spending some family time in the kitchen is easy with these tips for cooking with kids. If you’re looking for a fun, delicious, and seasonal recipe, try out these adorable melted snowman cookies.

Photo credit: Tim Pierce / Foter.com / CC BY

The birds get hungry too! Little hands can help you make some cute birdseed ornaments to hang outside. Use different cookie cutters and look out the window to see who’s nibbling your delicious creations.

Photo credit: emmacraig1 / Foter.com / CC BY

Don’t have any birdseed around the house? Extra buttons make great crafting materials! Check out this idea for a button tree your kids can make on paper. 

Photo credit: Pano e Papel / Foter.com / CC BY

If you just want to relax all day, curl up with some hot cocoa and turn on one of these family-friendly winter movies.

Photo credit: PersonalCreations.com /Foter.com / CC BY

What do you like to do with your family on snow days? Let us know!

Helping Your Kids Transition from Summer to School

Summer flew by faster than most of us expected and getting back to our school day routines can actually be exciting for parents. In order to make a smooth transition from vacation mode to strict schedules, we've put together a list of tips to make this as easy as possible. Good luck and happy parenting!

1. Sleep Schedules

Photo credit: Ozyman / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

You may not hear it often but it's time to get back to your old habits! It is important to start getting the kids to bed at a reasonable hour at least two weeks before school begins. This way they will be well adjusted and rested when the first day of school rolls around. Setting morning alarms can also be helpful for those of us that like to sleep in.

2. Adjust Your Eating Habits

Photo credit: theglobalpanorama / Foter / CC BY-SA

Time to get healthy again! We all know that summertime causes our shelves and refrigerators to become full of unhealthy snacks like ice cream and chips. It's time to get your kids back on track. Plan quick and healthy meals that meet their school lunch schedule.

3. Establish a Learning Environment

Photo credit: Holtsman / Foter / CC BY-NC

In case you got carried away like the rest of us, now is your chance to get crafty with your kids at home! Set up a well-lit, quiet study area and make sure your kids become comfortable with the space. Whether it's by using your Little Pim flashcards or simply drawing with a pen and paper, make sure you set aside some time for your children to adapt to a learning environment.

4. Rekindle Friendships

Photo credit: swambo / Foter / CC BY-SA

Children can sometimes be worried about finding friends at school. Schedule play dates with parents and friends that you may have lost touch with over the summer. This way your kids can feel more confident and comfortable in the classroom.

5. Motivate your kids

Photo credit: Jeff Pioquinto, SJ / Foter / CC BY

School is fun and it's important that your kids know! Talking about school will make your kids more confident and encouraged to do their best. Ask questions like: "What are your favorite subjects at school?" "What are your goals this year?" Setting goals is the first step to reaching them.

5 Back-To-School Stress-Relief Tips for Busy Parents

Back-to-school can be a stressful time for parents. Between homework, routine changes and the difficulty of parting with your child for the day, it's not easy dealing with the back-to-school bustle. In honor of busy parents facing the new school year, we've put together some stress-relief tips and tricks to help calm you down and get your school year off to the right start.

1. Prepare the night before.

Planning ahead is the best way to avoid the morning time crunch. Packing your child a lunch or snack the night before can save some early-morning headaches. Lay out the cereals, muffins or anything else you need to make breakfast the night before so it's ready to grab and go. Help your child pick out his or her outfit in advance so there's nothing to worry about in the morning.

2. Get a massage.

Don't think of a massage as an indulgence--think of it as something that'll help you manage your stress so you'll have more time, energy and smiles for your little ones. You can also do self-massage--or perhaps persuade your little one to give you a nice foot rub in exchange for a treat.

3. Do stress-relief exercises and stretches.

Modern parents are particularly susceptible to shoulder and neck pain because so many of us work in front of a computer for most of the day. In addition, breastfeeding, stress, sports, and carrying a heavy baby bag or purse can also contribute to pain in this area. Check out some of these great tips from Stress Free Mama, or try some of these stress-busting yoga poses perfect for busy parents, even if you have no yoga experience.

4. Have some fun with the kids.

You can still relieve your stress even while hanging out with the kids. Dance to some fun multicultural beats, cook up a global-inspired meal or sit down together and read one one of these famous children's books from around the world.

5. Don't try to be SuperMom or SuperDad. No parent is perfect. We're all going to mess up, be late or forget to do something for our children on occasion. Learn to forgive yourself for your mistakes and use the experience to figure out how you can be better next time.

photo credit: Nikki McLeod via photopincc and billhd via photopincc