LITTLE PIM BLOG
Little Pim on NBC's Weekend Today Show Segment "Visiones"
Little Pim's founder Julia Pimsleur Levine was on NBC's Weekend Today (WNBC/NY) on Saturday! Click the video below to watch Julia's interview with Lynda Baquero, host of "Visiones".
Julia and Lynda talk about Little Pim and discuss just how easy it is for young children to absorb new languages.
Hear what Julia has to say on bilingual kids, learning a new language and early childhood development, and see just how easy it is for your kids to learn a new language with Little Pim!
Olympic Moms and language learning with Ali Wentworth
Industries are struggling to find bilingual experts. Speaking a Spanish is becoming a big advantage.
The Huffington Post wrote this article on why speaking English is no longer enough. The article is about how "industries are adapting to the growing Spanish speaking population in the US. Did you know there were more than 31,000 job oportunities that needed bilingual expertise as a core competancy. Huffington Post Article "Why Learning English is No Longer Enough"
Teach your child French - soccer, summer and sun!
“His name is Mouadh and he is from Tunisia but he lives in Rennes!” our seven year old Emmett reported breathlessly, fresh from a game of soccer on the beach with his new friend. While on vacation in France this summer, I was reminded why it’s so important to us to take our kids abroad. Though international trips admittedly present greater challenges than vacationing in the U.S. – like the expense, jet lag, and unfamiliar foods - the chance for our kids to see how other people live, encounter other cultures, tastes and languages makes it high on our list of priorities. We feel traveling abroad gives them a sense of being world citizens that will broaden their opportunities and help them excel as human beings. I lived in France for seven years as an adult, and my husband lived in Israel for three years. We both feel those were some of our best life experiences, and want our kids to have a taste for seeing the world too.
Emmett speaks decent French and fluent soccer, the international language of boys. During our two weeks in France (and with a little prompting from us) he kicked soccer balls with a pair of Austrian boys at the Eiffel Tower, taught American football to Barnabé, a French kid who lives near Chartres, and held a regular soccer match on the beach with Mouadh, a Tunisian boy living in France. Emmett and Mouadh communicated in a mix of French and English; Mouadh spoke the best English of anyone in his family and loved learning English. We were very touched when he, his mother and two sisters came to the beach specially to find us to say goodbye. They were leaving for Rennes, heading back in time for Ramadan. That’s how Emmett learned what Ramadan is and we had a great conversation about Islam and Muslim practices.
As I write this at 2:30AM (up with jet lag!) and know our whole family will be tired for the next few days, it helps to remember Mouadh, the Austrian boys and Barnabé - and the reasons we choose going abroad over going local.
Halle Berry's Bilingual Tot
I was recently forwarded a "thank you" note from Halle Berry for a Jewels & Pinstripes Birthday Bag her daughter Nahla received that contained a Little Pim Deluxe French Gift Set! Halle Berry and her partner Gabriel Aubry are raising their daughter bilingual in both French and English.
Babycenter.com recently reported on how little Nahla's language learning is going.
"While out for dinner last night at Malibu’s Nobu restaurant with her mom and dad, 18-month-old Nahla was overheard speaking en français. A worker at the restaurant says, 'The little girl was pointing at the colourful drinks in the cooler and speaking French, like ‘Papa!’ and ‘Regard!'"
Trés bien,Nahla!
Little Pim French Word & Phrase Cards
Special Introductory Price! [link removed]
This handsomely boxed set of sixty beautifully illustrated flash cards features Little Pim the panda and introduces basic words and phrases This handsomely boxed set of sixty beautifully illustrated flash cards features Little Pim the panda and introduces basic words and phrases in Spanish (or in French). One side of each card includes a translation and phonetic transcription for adults; the other is the drawing alone. Each card indicates the Little Pim DVD on which the word or phrase is introduced.
Little Pim in The Toy Book
Little Pim was featured in the March/April 2010 edition of The Toy Book:
THE TOY BOOK is the leading trade magazine serving the toy industry. The Toy Book is the authority on news, trends, new products and happenings within the industry.
With the continuous advancement of kids’ electronics and the trend of children “growing up” at a faster pace, The Toy Book remains the top source for what’s new and what’s hot in the toy industry. The Toy Book is a “must-read” for anyone in the toy business.
Their website is http://toybook.com/
Click the images to view a larger versions.
The Little Prince: Growing Roots
Chapter 18 of The Little Prince is as rich with meaning as chapters one and three. My blog series featuring the iconic French children's book has allowed me to explore the text with new eyes. The passage below describes a melancholy exchange between the Little Prince and a flower. The Little Prince, always full of questions, wants to know where all the people are. The flower's answer is simple: "The wind blows them away. They have no roots...".
In 2007 the U.S. census reported that the average American will move 11.7 times in their lifetime. To most a passport full of colorful stamps is a most coveted possession. My children have both visited France with me and I look forward to more trips in the future.
Would the flower in The Little Prince look down on us? I think not. The roots that come to mind when the flower speaks are those of personal conviction. One's truth. What are your values? What do you stand for? What truths do you hold dear? Those are our roots.
Thomas Kempis, a medival monk, once said, "Wherever you go, you will always bear yourself about with you, and so you will always find yourself." Travel the world, learn languages, eat exotic foods but remember to do deeply rooted in who you are.
Le Petit Prince: Chapter 18 (en Français)
Le petit prince traversa le désert et ne rencontra qu'une fleur. Une fleur à trois pétales, une fleur de rien du tout...
"Bonjour," dit le petit prince.
"Bonjour" dit la fleur.
"Où sont les hommes ?" demanda poliment le petit prince.
La fleur, un jour, avait vu passer une caravane:
"Les hommes ? Il en existe, je crois, six ou sept. Je les ai aperçus il y a des années. Mais on ne sait jamais où les trouver. Le vent les promène. Ils manquent de racines, ça les gêne beaucoup."
"Adieu, fit le petit prince."
"Adieu, dit la fleur."
The Little Prince: Chapter 18 (in English)
The little prince crossed the desert and met with only one flower. It was a flower with three petals, a flower of no account at all.
"Good morning," said the little prince.
"Good morning," said the flower.
"Where are the men?" the little prince asked, politely.
The flower had once seen a caravan passing.
"Men?" she echoed. "I think there are six or seven of them in existence. I saw them, several years ago. But one never knows where to find them. The wind blows them away. They have no roots, and that makes their life very difficult."
"Goodbye," said the little prince.
"Goodbye," said the flower.
Memorial Day Travel With Little Pim
We're thrilled to announce that Little Pim was selected to win two prestigious awards this month! Our Gift Set Plus has been chosen to win a Dr. Toy's Best Vacation Children's Product Award.
Dr. Toy, Stevanne Auerbach, PhD, has been for many years one of the nation's and world’s leading experts on play, toys, and children's products. With 30 years of direct experience, Dr. Auerbach includes educationally oriented, developmental and skill building products from the best large and small companies in her four annual award programs.
As you plan your Memorial Day getaway, be sure to take Little Pim along- our Digital Downloads are compatible with your mobile device or smartphone.
Our second award of the month was given by the Dove Foundation Review Board. Our Spanish 3-Pak (Vol. I) has been deemed "Family Approved".
The Dove Family Approved Seal is awarded to movies, DVDs, made for TV movies and specials, books and other entertainment products that portray and encourage positive values.
The positive feedback we receive daily from customers is always an encouragement and we're delighted that these recognized media outlets agree with our Little Pim parents.
Happy Cinco De Mayo!
Happy Cinco De Mayo! Today commemorates the unexpected 1862 victory of the Mexican army over the French army in the battle over the city of Puebla. I've compiled some Spanish vocabulary words that follow the theme of today's festivities.
La batalla - battle La revolucion - revolution La bandera - flag El heroe - hero La independencia - independence La victoria - victory
Get the kids together and practice your espanol today! If you're heading out to a party, I've included a guacamole recipe below that will entice even your pickiest eaters.
Yummy Guacamole
Ingredients
2 large ripe avocados 1 small red onion, finely chopped 2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice 1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin 1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped cilantro 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Cooking Instructions
Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, and peel them. If they are ripe, the peel should come off easily. Dice the avocado flesh, and dump into a bowl.
Add all the remaining ingredients, and toss to combine without mashing. The ingredients should remain separate, and the salsa chunky. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping, or as an accompaniment to tacos or burritos.
Servings: Makes about 2 cups (500 mL).
recipe from Kaboose.com
