Top Multilingual Toys
by Phoebe Assenza
Open up a whole new world to your grandchildren with these toys and games that speak their language.
Mastering one language is easy enough for your bright grandchildren. Toys and activity sets that speak Spanish, French and even Chinese expand their vocabulary across continents, making them more wordly than they already are.
Sing With Me Kitty Book
A bilingual kitty sings nursery rhymes when different buttons are pressed on each page of this "book" for babies. For early language-building skills, a switch lets your grandbaby listen to the songs in either English or Spanish. The big
buttons (in cute shapes like fish
and mice) help with manual coordination.
Price: $22
For ages: 6 months to 3 years
Available at: Amazon.com
Learn & Groove Animal Sounds Guitar
Babies and toddlers learn numbers and animal sounds in English and Spanish, while they enjoy a creative outlet with this multifunctional toy. The Learn & Groove Animal Sounds Guitar features rhymes and sing-alongs to teach basic counting lessons and animal recognition. The big buttons on the fret board and whammy bar let older kids rock out to various, amusing sound effects.
Price: $11
For ages: 1 to 3 years
Available at: Amazon.com
Discover and Play Stackers
Each of these cardboard blocks features a photo of a real-life animal, a drawing of the animal's cartoon counterpart, a number, color, and the color's name in eight different languages. The set of 10 blocks nest into one another for easy storage, and the tapered sizes let toddlers build a three–foot tower.
Price: $10
For ages: 9 months and older
Available at: Amazon.com
Professor Toto Language Education Series
Toddlers through grade-schoolers who are really serious about learning a second language can immerse themselves in Spanish, French, German, Chinese, or Italian in this multimedia pack. Based on lesson plans from the Language Workshop for Children, in New York City, children learn a target language. This set of CDs, DVDs, books, and reference material includes activities, animation, and songs. A handy tote bag and plastic carrying case are also included in the bilingual bundle. Individual CDs are available for grandchildren who would rather ease their way into fluency.
Price: $200 for Professor Toto Multi-Media Language
Education Kit, $17 for individual CDs
For ages: 2 to 12
Available at: Amazon.com and ProfessorToto.com
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