Bilingual Toys Help Kids Learn English and Spanish

I do not speak or understand Spanish - No hablo ni entiendo español ... versus ... I do not speak or understand English - No hablo ni entiendo inglés. Not being bilingual is becoming a growing problem and toy manufacturers such as Mattel Inc.'s Fisher-Price division, LeapFrog Enterprises Inc. and VTech Holdings are trying to capitalize on this cultural language gap by producing bilingual toys.

Reyne Rice, who is a trend specialist at the Toy Industry Association, said that the interest of manufacturers' to target the Hispanic market has noticeably increased since the year 2000. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 43 million Hispanics in the United States in 2005, and nearly one-fourth of all babies born in the US since 2000 have been Hispanic.

Toy manufacturers have taken note of this ever increasing niche market, and are stepping up to offer more interactive electronic toys that use Spanish and English languages. These bilingual toys appeal to both Latino parents and English speaking parents for different reasons. The toys are also a great way for parents to learn English and Spanish along with their child. Being bilingual can give your kids an advantage as they grow up and interact with other cultures.

My cousin works at a large daycare center and she said they use a lot of bilingual toys in their classrooms and that parents are very enthusiastic and receptive to the idea. These are her top picks for bilingual toys, based on popularity with the kids and approval rating of their parents. All of these toys teach both Spanish and English.

Talking Garden Activity Table
The Talking Garden Activity Table teaches your child to count to 10, learn the alphabet, and learn shapes and colors. Engaging sound effects and flashing lights and nursery rhyme songs will keep your child's interest as they learn. Requires 3 x AA batteries 1.5V and is for ages 1 year and up.

Telly the Teaching Time Clock
Telly the Teaching Time Clock is a fun way to help your child learn how to tell time. The brightly colored clock features two modes - teaching mode and quiz mode. In teaching mode, each time the hands of the clock move the time is announced. In quiz mode the child is asked the find the correct time by moving the clock hands to the requested time. Telly teaches time in five minute increments and the LCD screen matches the time on his hands. Requires 2 AA batteries and is for ages 3 years and up.

Talking Farm
The Talking Farm uses over 250 words and phrases to teach your child in both English and Spanish. Your child will learn to count to 10, learn the names of animals, colors, and sounds. There are four interactive modes that include learning games that engage your child's interest with naming, matching, answering, and sequencing methods. Each level gets more difficult so that the toy can expand as your child's skills increase. There are also 8 fun nursery songs that encourage your child to listen and sing along. Requires 2 AA batteries and is for ages 1 year and up.

Smart Driver
The Smart Driver is an interactive steering wheel and dashboard with bright colors and realistic sound effects with the toy ignition key, accelerator, brake, horn, and turn signals. Your child can "drive" to different locations such as the grocery store and the playground. At each stop along the route the Bilingual Smart Driver teaches your child the name of the place & a sound to associate with the place. It also teaches your child how to count from 1 to 10. Requires 2 AA batteries and is for ages 1 year and up.

PC Playbook
The PC Playbook looks like a miniature computer so kids can feel grown up like mommy and daddy. The toy folds up to be very compact and portable so it doesn't take up a lot of storage space when it's not in use. The PC Playbook is a wonderful electronic teaching assistant that features five different learning activities - Letter Learning, Word Learning, Find It, Spelling Practice, and Music Fun. Requires 3 AA batteries and is for ages 2 years and up.

Talking Cube
This Talking Cube has 5 sides to it. Two sides are designed to improve your child's mechanical skills, and the other three sides have interactive speech that teaches letters, numbers, shapes, and colors in either English or Spanish. Requires 2 AA batteries and is for ages 9 months and up.

Learning Spanish and English can be fun for both you and your child, and these bilingual toys are a creative way to learn. If you can't find these toys at a local store, hop on the web and you'll most likely find them online at walmart.com, babiesrus.com, toysrus.com, or ebay.com.

Sources:
http://www.hispanictips.com
http://www.toystore.info