5 Tips for Summer Travel with Kids

Summer is here and like millions of people, you are probably planning on traveling. If you have young children, you might be looking for some ways to make the trip easier. Here are 5 tips for summer travel with kids.

1. Do your research

There are lots of travel websites with customer ratings that can be very helpful. Many of them tell you if destinations are kid-friendly or not. You can also check out the travel section of the local bookstore or library. Travel agents can also take the guesswork out of booking a great vacation.

2. Pack plenty of activities for the car or airplane

A plastic tote fits perfectly in the backseat of the car and can hold coloring books, crayons, and small toys. Little Pim flashcards are a great addition to the box of goodies for the ride. If you're traveling by air, invest in a small book bag that counts as your child's carry on. It will easily hold these items and provide hours of entertainment.

3. Have electronic entertainment ready to go

Download a playlist of kid-friendly songs for your trip. Bring your copy of Little Pim's Spanish or French Bop so the whole family can sing-a-long in a new language. With Little Pim's digital downloads, you can watch our language learning videos anywhere, anytime. Of course, don't forget to bring your Little Pim Panda plush and tag your travel pics with #littlepim.

4. Take plenty of snacks

You'll save a lot of money and avoid unnecessary stops if you already have small packs of crackers or pieces of fruit ready. Some sweet treats are also a nice surprise.

5. Don't overbook your trip

It can already be difficult for little ones to be off of their normal schedule. If your kids still take naps, leave time for them to take one during the trip. Try to put them in bed at the normal time. If Little Pim is part of your daily routine at home, take some time each day to continue. Your child will benefit from progressing toward his or her goals.

Summer is the perfect time for your child to begin or continue learning a new language with Little Pim and going on vacation can actually be a fun way to incorporate our program. If you're interested in having your child learn any of the 12 languages we offer, visit our website to learn more and watch a free preview today.

Family Activity to Promote Bilingualism During Summer Break

Kids of all ages can't wait for summer. Family bonding and extended bilingual learning is something you can pursue when there is no school, and there is time to explore other interests and hobbies. Pressing flowers and leaves is a time-honored craft that our grandmothers and their grandmothers enjoyed. Generations of children in different cultures have delighted in preserving a bit of summer or fall, then using the pressed flowers and leaves in crafts.

Sample Flashcard for “sunflower” in Spanish

Help your child to learn the names of the flowers and leaves in their second language. Learning flower and leaf names is a great activity for extending your child's bilingual education through the summer months. You can even create flashcards using the dried flowers. Your handcrafted cards can supplement the Little Pim Flashcard set in your current curriculum. Not only will you advance your child's vocabulary in their second language, but you will also be adding to their botanical knowledge.

Research shows that children can lose many of the gains they made in reading, writing, math, and language acquisition over the summer months. Planning summer activities to keep your child learning will keep them on-track and ready to move forward when they return to school in the fall.

How to Press Flowers

The simplest way to press flowers is in between the leaves of a thick book. Any flat open-faced flower will work. Some flowers that press well are geraniums, pansies, oxalis, Queen Anne's Lace and phlox. These abound in the spring and summer months, in most areas of the United States and many other countries. Leaves press well too. Include leaves of common trees such as oak, maple, elm, and willow. For contrast, press the colorful leaves in the fall, as well.

1. Pluck dry, flat-faced flowers, to press. Remember, never remove flowers if there are only a few in that area. Choose flowers that are abundant, and don't take all of them. Make sure there are enough left so that the plant will be able to reproduce.

2. Spread the flowers out flat, on at least two layers of tissue paper. Cover with two or more layers of tissue, or white paper towel.

3. Place the paper, with the flowers inside, between the pages of a thick book.  Make sure the flowers are not touching.

4. Close the book, and place it where it will remain undisturbed.

5. Check to see if the flowers have dried, in about two weeks.  If the flowers are sticking to the tissue paper, they are not sufficiently dried. Close the book, and leave the flowers for another two weeks.

6. Use the flowers when they are sufficiently dried in your craft activities, home-made books, and flashcards. When flowers and leaves no longer stick to the paper, they are sufficiently dried.

To learn more about Little Pim's award-winning language learning program for kids ages 0-6, please visit our website or contact us during office hours. We hope you have a great summer with your little ones!

Why Bilingualism is Crucial to Your Child's Future

The world is getting smaller and smaller. Jet liners, bullet trains, the internet and new international markets are blurring the lines on our old maps. Our future is changing. The world that our children grow into isn't going to be the one of ours or our parents. That's why it's time to take the future seriously. Parents, grandparents and teachers need to put on their "game faces" and have a serious talk about bilingualism.

When a child is bilingual, their mind opens up to an entirely new world. We know that in this ever-changing global economy, those fluent in more than one language have better odds at a brighter future. The United States has seen a rapid change in language and culture over the last century that has facilitated the growth of professional bilingualism in the public and private sectors.

To put it into layman's terms: bilingualism = jobs.

Translators have always been an important component at every level of government and business. But translating isn't the only profession that requires the mastery of another language. Today, educators and medical professionals often find themselves in situations that require the use of a language other than their native tongue.

Complex global affairs have caused leaders to identify a need for bilingual talent within the government. Corporate outsourcing has increased the amount of multilingual interactions in the business world. Many nations around the world are rising as economic superpowers - such as Russia, China, and India - and to learn the languages of such nations increases the desirability of any potential hire.

You must be wondering...how are these things relevant to my child now? 

Foreign language careers are on the rise. When your bright-eyed three-year old graduates from college, she'll enter into a job market in which multilingualism is a highly sought after skill. Research done by Korn/Ferry International stated that over 66% of North American recruiters felt that being bilingual would become extremely important over the next 10 years. Today, many HR departments require eligible candidates to be bilingual. If you look on any job posting website, you will likely see hundreds of jobs - even part-time work - that require bilingual candidates.

Language learning should start young. Adults can learn languages, but as our brains mature they tend to over-analyze. This makes it incredibly difficult for many adults to pick up a second language. Young children don't have this problem. According to a study at MIT, children go through a "sensitive period" for language learning that lasts until puberty. Between birth and five years of age, the human brain is hard-wired for learning multiple languages*. After age five, this critical window begins to close and it gets much harder to acquire a new language and a good accent.*

Language learning is proven to "feed the mind." Learning another language gives kids an educational edge over monolingual peers. Longitudinal studies at Harvard suggested that language learning "increases critical thinking skills, creativity, and flexibility in children." Speaking more than one language can help kids with planning and problem solving. It also helps children with attention and cognition. According to Psychology Today, children in bilingual environments perform better on standardized tests and have better academic performance in general.

To give your kids a leg up in a competitive educational environment as well as the job market, it's imperative that language immersion starts now.

Getting your child started in language learning can give them the skills they need for a secure future. At Little Pim, we're here to help you through that journey by giving you the tools that you need. If you have questions about how Little Pim could benefit your child, or about the benefits of language learning, don't hesitate to contact us or comment below today.

Ways to Sneak Language Learning in Family Summer Fun

In the days before air conditioning and electronics, outdoor family games were a staple of summer evenings. Many times these activities involved both the adults and children, but more often the kids played while the grownups chat and relax. Often the whole neighborhood was involved. Depending on where you lived, you could hear happy voices calling out in Spanish, English, French, and many other languages as well.

Fireflies twinkled in the gathering dark, cool breezes offered relief from the heat of the day, and everyone was ready to unwind and enjoy good company, and good fun, in the late summer evenings. Music rang out, with one adult playing guitar while others sang favorite songs from their cultures.

You can readily update this time-honored tradition, bring in some nostalgia, and further your child's bilingual education. Following are some family favorites, along with suggestions on ways to help your kids learn a second language.

Badminton - Look for a set at your local sports shop or discount store to bring back Badminton for a fun family outdoor activity. Try keeping score in the second language.

Volleyball - Use your Badminton net for dual purpose and enjoy some fun while teaching the children new skills. Call out vocabulary words and instructions in a second language as the family plays Volleyball together. If you have little ones, use a balloon and try not to let it hit the ground by gently tapping it up and counting to practice your numbers.

Horseshoes - All you need is a stake in the ground and some used horseshoes, or you can buy a set. What is the word for horse in the second language? Practice animal and nature vocabulary in the second language while playing the fun yard game.

Frisbee - Toss around a frisbee and let the family dog join in. Each time someone catches the frisbee they must say a word or phrase from a chosen them in the second language. For younger children, you can say the word in the second language and have your child repeat after you on every throw.

Sidewalk Chalk - There are so many possibilities with sidewalk chalk. Your kiddos will love drawing on the driveway! Get creative and add in language learning activities by playing 'pictionary' outdoors with chalk so your little ones can guess the drawing in the second language. Another fun activity would be to draw the map of the language's country of origin or have the kids draw and color in the country's flag.

Campfire - Make a fire in a fire pit or other safe area and sing camp songs or tell stories while roasting marshmallows. Bring out the guitar or maracas for even more fun. What songs can you introduce in a second language? Check our Little Pim Spanish Bop and French Bop on our website. You can download your copy instantly to make summer travel a lot more fun!

Now, look back to when you were a child and recreate some of your best summer fun with your kids. How can you involve your children in the culture, memories, and the language of your childhood or the language and culture your kids and family are learning? Time together is how we make lasting memories that children will cherish.

Current brain research and best educational practices show that active, hands-on learning and parental involvement is an unbeatable combination to help further a child's ability to grasp and retain knowledge. Comment below for more information on Little Pim's award-winning language learning program for kids ages 0-6.

To make summer travel a lot easier and fun for the little ones, check out our post on Summer Travel Tips with Kids.

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!

Need Summer Travel Tips with Kids? Little Pim to the Rescue!

Tell a parent there's an unanticipated three-hour car ride or plane trip in the near future, and in five minutes flat you'll find a lined bag busting with tissue, snacks, coloring utensils, and the child's comfort item of choice. Relief, however, will be not be found. Why? It takes this bag just to get to the grocery store! If there's one thing capable of infusing fear, hesitancy, and anxiety into an upcoming summer adventure, it's traveling with kids. What we hope is an exciting and restful experience, can often become a melting pot of opposites. Fortunately, Little Pim has come to the rescue!

Not only has Little Pim created learning tools proven to plant seeds of exploration, joy, and an expanded worldview into the youngest of children, the tools offered are as transferable to travel as to an afternoon at home. If you're looking for tips for Summer travel with kids, the following products will do the trick.

Colorful flashcards

Use these flashcards to familiarize your kids with sights and sounds discovered along your way. Play a guessing game or have your children quiz each other. To play, point to a flashcard and your child has to say the word in the language he or she is learning. If your child is having trouble remembering the word, you can say the word and he or she can point out the card. Before starting, read through the flashcards, pointing to each as your child repeats after you so it sinks into his or her memory.

Reward your child when they get 5 correct with a small treat like a gummy bear for example. Little Pim flashcards are really easy to travel with and make long trips with kids fun & educational for the whole family!

Engaging videos

Thank you, technology! Rest assured your kids are learning while you're resting, enjoying while you're planning, and engaging while you're focusing on what's next. Each of our videos has a unique child friendly theme, such as eating, playtime and feelings. Our Entertainment Immersion Method® is based on how children naturally acquire language.

The videos are segmented into 5-minute episodes to accommodate a young child’s attention span. The more your child watches, the more they learn. Simple sentences are broken down and are reinforced through repetition by native speakers.

Vocabulary scripts

Whether traveling to a foreign country where shopping and touring elicits perfect opportunities to put new languages into practice, or just a state away to visit family, these scripts and companion guides will help your family enjoy not only the vacation, but the book-ending miles. Memorize a conversation and pretend you are in the nation where the language is native. Discuss fun facts about the place.

Little Pim Plush

Whether this panda is involved in a learning activity, or your child just needs some comforting to fend off travel-sickness and tears, this plush friend delights to come along.

For more fun tips, products, answers and ideas, please contact us. We look forward to hearing how Little Pim helped replace your stress with rest this Summer!

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!

Easter Celebrations in Russia

Spring is beginning to bring forth its many blooms, and children everywhere are enjoying more seasonal temperatures. We also just celebrated the holiday that marks the start of Spring – Easter. Americans who celebrate this special holiday may attend church services on Easter Sunday and participate in Easter egg hunts, decorating eggs, attending parades, and/or visiting the Easter bunny. But there is one country just getting ready to celebrate this big holiday. Russia’s Easter will be on May 1st.  Let’s take a look at Russian Easter celebrations. Orthodox Easter Services

For the Russians, Easter is a highly religious celebration. A church service is held the evening before Easter that begins just prior to midnight and lasts into the wee hours of Sunday morning. The large churches are filled with church attendees who participate in the celebratory service. Thousands of candles are lit and fill the beautiful church.

Food

The Russian people enjoy a scrumptious Easter breakfast when the church service is completed. Three popular Easter dishes include Kulich, Paska, and colored eggs. Kulich is a Russian sweet bread which looks like a vanilla cupcake with white frosting and sprinkles. Paska is a “rich and very sweet cheese pudding." The great feast lasts for seven days as people visit family, friends, and neighbors.

Children’s Activities

Russian children enjoy Easter with games and fun, just as American children do. One such game the Russian children play involves Easter eggs. Children try to crack each others eggs as they roll them down a hill. Candy is often used in the game, as well. The Easter eggs are beautifully decorated and painted. Easter morning begins with children visiting neighborhood homes handing out Easter eggs.

Social Activities

The Russian celebration of Easter involves some interesting social activities. One such custom begins the evening before Easter during the night service and lasts forty days; people recite a specific greeting to one another. The first person will say “Khristos voskres!", meaning Christ is risen!  The next person is supposed to reply, "Voistinu voskres", meaning truly He is risen! Traditional hugging and kissing three times will follow the greeting. This is called the "kiss of peace".

Also, if following the older Russian customs, people will give gifts to the poor, orphaned, and those in hospitals or prisons.

Learning about how other countries celebrate major holidays is one way in which children can be more culturally aware; this inspires a love for learning the language of that culture. As you and your child embrace new cultural experiences and learning a new language, Little Pim is right alongside you with products to enhance immersion learning. Try a free demo video to teach your child Russian with Little Pim today!

Fun Earth Day Activities for Kids

Earth Day is Friday, April 22nd and we have a bunch of fun ideas on how you can celebrate with your little ones! More than a billion people around the world celebrate Earth Day and you can too! Find Earth Day events in your area on Google maps via earthday.org or enjoy one of the activities below that your kids will love:

Plant a Seed

Planting seeds with your kids is a great way to help them understand why nature is so valuable. You can simply plant a bean or marigold seed in a cup and help your children take care of their growing plant.

Seed Starting Tips:

• - Once your seed germinates, place your plant in full sun by a window or use fluorescent light
• - Keep your seedlings warm (70-75 degrees) and your soil moist
• - Choose easy-to-grow annuals (flowers such as sunflowers, zinnias, or cosmos or vegetables like radishes, lettuce, and dill)
• - Be sure to label your cups if you're planting a mix of seeds (kids can have fun with creating their own labels!)

Create a Bird Feeder

This is a fun recycling art project reusing your toilet paper rolls via The Resourceful Mama. The best part is that you only need 5 supplies to build this simple bird feeder with your little ones. Note: This project is not recommended for children who have peanut allergies.

• - Toilet paper rolls
• - Bird seed
• - Peanut Butter
• - Craft or Popsicle Sticks
• - Twine

Simply spread the peanut butter on the outside of the toilet paper rolls using the craft sticks and roll them around in the bird seed. Once the outside of the roll is covered in seeds, thread a piece of twine through the roll until your desired length and tie a knot. Hang your bird feeder outside on a tree and wait for the little birdies to enjoy!

Sing an Earth Day Song

Sometimes singing a song can help young children learn the importance of Earth Day and conserving the world's natural resources in a fun and meaningful way. The Earth Day Song by Let's Play Kids Music is a great way to get the whole family involved with song and dance. Sing the lyrics to the tune of 'Nick Nack Paddy Wack' and enjoy the playlist they put together to celebrate the Earth all day long!

Visit a Farmer's Market

Take the kids to the farmer's market or a local farm to learn about the fruits and vegetables grown in your local area. Farmers can explain to your kids about what produce is in season and where they were grown. Let your little ones pick fresh fruits and vegetables to take home to prepare an Earth Day picnic. Show them how to wash and prepare fresh produce into fun-sized bites for kids.

Earth Day Reading

Visit your local library to read books about Earth. One of our favorites is "Talking with Mother Earth" by Jorge Argueta, which is a great bilingual/bicultural read as it's beautifully expressed in English and Spanish.

Color a Tree

Do April showers have you and your little ones stuck inside today? No worries, you can print out this coloring page via ABC Teach for the kids to color in an Earth Day tree with leaves in the shape of hearts.

Join the Community

Most local communities host Earth Day events throughout the month of April to celebrate Earth Day. Be sure to visit earthday.org to find events in your area to participate in with your little ones. It's a great opportunity to help raise your global citizens and meet like-minded parents aiming to make a difference- not only on April 22nd, but year-round!

Do you have any fun ideas for Earth Day? Please comment below to share your activities! Happy Earth Day & Stay Green!