Becky's Top Tips

Time for some tradition!

Where I live in the Pacific Northwest, and maybe where you are, the weather is just beautiful this time of year. Autumn is just around the corner, but summer is holding on for all it’s worth. No matter how much I love summer, the fall also has a beauty all its own. It is definitely a time of change and transition. And at this time there are many holidays that celebrate and acknowledge these changes and others that are significant in our lives.

Here are some products that I think are great for sharing the traditions, cultures, and meanings of these celebrations with children.

 

Round Is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes
written by Roseanne Thong, illustrated by Grace Lin

Though the Moon Festival is only briefly mentioned on the first few pages, Round Is a Mooncake is such a great book that I have to mention it. Did you know shapes can be found everywhere? In this little girl’s neighborhood there are many items, mostly of Asian origin, that are round, square, and rectangular. Roseanne Thong also addresses numbers and colors in One Is a Drummer and Red Is a Dragon – two other books that I highly recommend.

Les plus belles comptines anglaises from Didier Juenesse

I was very excited to receive this recommendation from Caroline, a French mum of Hugo, an English/French baby who is now 14 months. Here is what she had to say:

“This email is to recommend a fabulous little book/CD for children, called ‘Les plus belles comptines anglaises’ (in case you don’t speak French, this means = ‘The most beautiful English Children’s songs’). It features beautiful songs/poems sung by children in two languages. Each song/poem is a ‘classic’ children’s song from each country, following a common theme for each couple of songs: for example two songs (one in English, one in French) will be about the rain, then there are another two where the child needs to learn the lyrics by counting on his/her fingers (“this little pig goes to the market…”), again one poem in each language etc, etc. A truly bilingual CD for little bilingual kids!”

Jewish Holiday Stories, by Jim Weiss

This is another example of something that doesn’t quite fit my theme here, but it’s so good that I have to share it. Jim Weiss is a master storyteller, and while he doesn’t present stories about Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, the ones about Chanukah, Purim, and Passover are superb. Weiss’s voice is very soothing, and he delivers the authentic tales in a very engaging manner. Appropriate for ages 5 and up.

Spooky Spelling Game from Haba

Haba is one of those companies that has a reputation for quality products, and this one is no exception. Spooky Spelling is a great game that teaches kids how to spell words in English, French, German, and Dutch. Players must find the right letter stamps within the ghost tins and be the first to spell two words. It’s more chance than skill, but the fun repetition will help kids to learn something without feeling taught.

Felipa and the Day of the Dead / Felipa y el Día de los Muertos
by Birte Muller

Written by a German author and available in English or Spanish, Felipa addresses the idea of keeping those who have departed with us by remembering and honoring them. There are few details about the holiday, but can be used as an introduction or in conjunction with other books and activities. Best for ages 4 to 8.

Chinese Culture for Children, by Marisa Lin Fang and Helen Ma Jung

When we think about China and its culture, there are a number of things that come to mind. The Great Wall, red envelopes, and pandas are just a few of the country’s culture icons that are explored in this book. Presented in Pinyin, Mandarin, and English, the simple text makes it easy to introduce these topics to young children. The book also includes coloring pages and games to reinforce learning.

WHO IS BECKY? Becky Dolan is the mother of two and has degrees in early childhood and elementary education. She has combined her life-long loves of children, language, and learning to create Magellan’s Toy Shop – an online specialty store that features Learning and Fun from Around the World.

If you have a game or toy at home that you’d like to tell us about, drop me a line at becky@biculturalfamily.org, and I can pass it on. I hope that the change you encounter this season leads to lots of opportunities for learning and fun.

Bon voyage!

Becky Dolan
www.MagellansToyShop.com

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