With the school year already under way in some parts of the country, it’s time to develop or sharpen your child’s bilingual skills. Using technology, be it apps or interactive websites, is appealing to kids and a great way to get them excited about learning.
Here are two digital learning platforms to help you get started this fall!
cwist (ages 5-11): cwist is a parent-educator collaboration that provides crowd-sourced learning through an interactive library of educational, community service and outdoor “cwists,” or challenges that help kids make a healthy connection between the things they want and the effort it takes to get them. The new transaction-based platform will offer both homegrown parent-approved rewards and great products that kids can choose and receive upon successful completion of a cwist.
Read Related: Mommy Maestra: Apps for Reading in Spanish
Below are a few examples of cwists to encourage learning Spanish:
1. Complete a Spanish reading list;
2. Set up 20 minutes daily to practice grammar at home;
3. Label things around the house in both languages (door/puerta, window/ventana, etc.); or
4. Research and answer a few questions (in Spanish) about the next family vacation location—great for looking up information on heritage as well
Speakaboos (ages 2-6): Speakaboos is a multi-platform subscription service that helps children read, explore and discover the books they love by delivering educational, entertaining, interactive books to children. With one of the largest catalogs of children’s interactive picture books, and a growing catalog of stories in Spanish, built in partnership with leading publishers, authors, and illustrators, such as The Jim Henson Company, Speakaboos aims to inspire a lifetime love of reading among small children. Speakaboos has just launched its iPad app with Android and iPhone applications to be released in the following months.
