The Global Surprises of a Caribbean Getaway

If you’re anything like us, this winter’s arctic blasts, piles of snow, and ice coated roads have left you longing for a tropical break. To get you ready for a spring break warm-weather escape, we’ve rounded up great Caribbean getaways with an extra bonus: the chance for your family to practice their new-found language skills at islands throughout the Caribbean where bilingual culture shares the bill with sandy beaches. Enjoy our favorite Bilingual Islands of the Caribbean:

Trilingual Appeal

St Marten/St Maarten

Here’s a unique cultural experience beneath the palms: this little island is split in two by an imaginary line that creates Dutch-speaking St Maarten and French-speaking St. Martin. Rent a car and you can sample authentic croissants a la plage for breakfast and imported Gouda on the beach for lunch.

Where to Stay: On the Dutch side of the island, the Westin St Maarten is the place to stay with kids, with the largest fresh water pool on the island, Camp Scallywag for daytime escapades, as well as all the beach watersports fun they can handle.

French Flair

St Barthélemy

Petite “St Barths” feel like a slice of France on the Caribbean Sea with French cuisine and language infusing the beach scene here with a certain savoir faire. The French have laid claimed the island since 1877, but you’ll also hear English throughout your stay. Head to Lorient Beach for the friendliest family scene on the tres chic island.

Where to stay: The most kid-friendly spot on St. Bart's is the full-service resort, Hotel Guanahani & Spawhich features private suites and cottages (14 with private pools) and two separate kids’ programs.

Dutch Wonderlands

Curaçao

The largest of the Netherlands Antilles, known as the ABC islands (Aruba and Bonaire are the other two), the island's capital, Willemstad, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site offering a colorful trip through colonial history and architecture.

Where to stay:Sunscape Curaçao takes the family resort prize as the only all-inclusive property on the island, meaning not only all of your food and drinks are taken care of with one-stop shopping, but also that the excellent Explorer’s kids club and Core teen center are included in the price as well.

 Aruba

Another option to hear Dutch is on this sunny, wind-swept island, an independent entity of the Netherlands. Although you’ll see Dutch architecture in the capital city of Oranjestad, listen closely while you're here and you’ll also hear Arawak, Spanish, and the local lingo, Papiamentu. Global Caribbean indeed!

Where to stay:Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino is popular for it’s kids’s program and numerous family-friendly amenities and activities including a three-level pool complex with a cascading waterfall and two-story water-slide.

Spanish Caribbean

Puerto Rico

Rich in Spanish language culture and heritage, yet a Commonwealth of the United States, which means you get a salsa beat and the rich historic atmosphere of Old San Juan, without having to exchange your US dollars or even bring a passport. Kids will love the old Spanish fort of El Morro and it’s grassy slopes where kite-flying is a must.

Where to Stay: In addition to six pools and 500 landscaped acres on a cliff overlooking the turquoise sea, the family-friendly El Conquistador Resort also features Coquí Water Park and Palomino Island, the resort's private island which offers everything from snorkeling to horseback riding.

Dominican Republic

This Latin Caribbean nation is a great place to practice your Spanish while enjoying beautiful beaches and the all-inclusive resorts the island is known for (since the DR, as it’s referred to, has the most resort hotel rooms of any island in the Carribbean, you can also expect to hear English spoke in most hotels, too). Head to Santo Domingo’s cobblestone streets to walk in the historic footsteps of explorers such as Columbus and Ponce de Leon.

Where to Stay: At Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe, pint-size pirates can tame the high seas at Pirate’s Cove – a waterpark complete with a themed pool, swashbuckling pirate ship with water slides, and a one-of-a-kind wave pool.  There’s also a teen nightclub and an 18-hole mini golf course. Plus, the opportunity to soak up the sun on a beautiful white sand beach, por supuesto.  

--Melissa Klurman

5 Trendsetting Toys from Toy Fair 2014

Last week, Team Little Pim gathered at the Javits Center in New York City for four days of pure joy at Toy Fair 2014. Imagine a football field full of the latest toys from classic companies as well as some exciting newcomers. Now try to wrap your head around the fact that the Javits Center holds roughly 10 times the square footage of a football field. In other words, there were a LOT of toys to play with. An emerging theme at this year’s Toy Fair was customizable toys: toys that kids could build and change themselves. As you might imagine, many of these toys had a digital component, but some of them were simply classic toys with a twist. Here are five of our favorites:

1. Potatoyz – It was only a matter of time before your kids would be able to design and order their own toys online, but who would have thought that it would be as simple as pressing “Print?” Potatoyz begin as little blob-like avatars in the Potatoyz app, where kids can add colors, patterns, facial features, and custom drawings. Within the app, the Potatoyz can play in a variety of different environments, and if your kids really fall in love with their custom characters, they can order a figurine to be 3D printed and shipped straight to your door!

2. DIWire – While 3D printers have yet to become a common household appliance, wire printers are just about to hit the market. A fellow Kickstarter success, DIWire can bend metal wire into complex, detailed sculptures that you design on your computer. It's especially cool for older kids looking to expand their toy horizons. Check out this video of DIWire in action at Toy Fair.

3. Tiggly -- Little kids love to play with iPads, but finding interactive games that teach at the same time they entertain is always a challenge, especially if you're looking for a physical element that allows them to look up from their digital realms. This fun  game is just the ticket: it lets kids play with shapes that they hold in their hands that combine with an iPad app where they learn and explore new concepts. We also love how portable it is; perfect for long car rides and other travel.

4. Stuffies – Who needs another stuffed animal? You can hardly get your kids to clean up all their toys as it is! Stuffies aren’t your typical stuffed animal, though. With up to seven hidden zip pockets, they provide a place for your kiddos to hide their favorite toys. Kids have a special spot to keep their things, while you have secretly won the clutter battle!

5. Ugly Doll – They might be less functional than Stuffies, but we don’t really care. Just look at that face. The latest “bad hair day” Ugly Doll sports a tuft of sculpt-able hair that your kids can style and restyle according to their mood. It’s a simple, but effective update of the classic troll doll. It’s also 100% less creepy than the classic troll doll (okay, maybe 99%).

The New ABCs: Surprising Foreign Alphabets Kids Will Love Learning

Do your kids love saying their ABCs?  Then they'll be delighted to find out about completely new alphabets, such as Russian, Arabic, or Japanese. Not sure where to start? We've created a quick overview of just a few options we have at Little Pim. Try them out with your kids for some tongue twisting, language learning fun!

RUSSIAN

Pay attention to the following letter combinations that do not exist in the English language:

" “hl” as in “Hlieb” (bread) " “zh” as in “Nozhe” (bread), “Zholtoy” (yellow) " “ts” as in “Tsveta” (color) " “hv” as in “Hvost” (tall) " “zs” as in “Litzso” (face)

It’s important to pronounce your vowels correctly to be understood – you should open your mouth wide and purposely stretch out the sounds (always fun instructions for little learners!)

Now try this sentence out:

Hello, my name is Little Pim. I am a panda.

Привет! Меня зовут Крошка Пим. Я панда.

Privet! Menya zavut kroshka Pim. Ya panda.

ARABIC

The consonants in the following table are distinctly Arabic in the way they sound.

Kh -- The "ch" in "Bach" or "loch"; has a raspy sound H -- H is pronounced from the back of the throat The phrase SabaaH al-Khayr(good morning)  has both the “Kh” and “H” R -- A rolled "r" sound, similar to the Spanish R, as in the word marHaban (hello)Gh -- A "gargling" kind of sound between "g" and "r," produced deep in the throat, as in the word Ghadaa (lunch)

Now put them together:

Hello, my name is Little Pim. I am a panda.

• .الصغير "بيم" إسمي مرحباً،
• .باندا أنا

Marhaban, Ismi Pim Assagheer. Ana Panda

JAPANESE

Here are some basic pronunciation guides for Japanese:

• A pronounced “AH”
• I pronounced “EE”
• E pronounced “EH”
• O pronounced “OH”
• Double vowels – note elongation of the vowel

Now see if you can use the rules in the following sentence:

Hello, my name is Little Pim. I am a panda.

• こんにちは、
• 私の名前は小さいピム。
• 私はパンダ。

• Konichiwa, watashi no namae wa chiisai pim,
• Watashi wa panda

Ready for more unique alphabets? Keep the fun going with Litte Pim's Mandarin Chinese and Hebrew.

Our Valentine to You: Free Little Pim Valentine Coloring Pages

Here's a treat that will be even more welcome than Valentine sweets for your little ones: fun coloring pages featuring our favorite panda, Little Pim, playing Cupid. Just click, print, and color for Valentine's Day fun. Joyeuse Saint-Valentin!

Print Version 1

Print Version 2

4 Surprising Infographics about Bilingual Education

Did you know the most commonly spoken language on earth is Mandarin? Or that students who studied a foreign language for at least 4 years scored an average of 140 points higher on the math SAT than those who didn’t? We found these fascinating facts and much more as we explored language learning and bilingualism Infographics around the web. We’ve collected a few of our favorites here. Click through to see the full graphic.

1. Second Language Acquisition By The Numbers

(credit, Huffington Post)

The facts and nothing but the language facts are the focus of this Infographic, including the most popular language to study in the United States (Spanish) and where scores improved on the SAT when students studied a second language (actually, they improved in all three sections!):

bilingual huffington post infographic

2. 50 Awesome Facts About Languages

(credit, UIC London)

If you’re looking for biggest, best, and most unusual language facts—from the number of world languages (7,000) to the easiest foreign language for English speakers to learn (Frisian, only spoken in parts of the Netherlands) this Infographic is for you:

3. The Benefits of Being Bilingual

(credit, BlueData International Institute)

What are the benefits of bilingualism? This Infographic links speaking a second language to improved concentration, boosted brain function, and increased creativity just for starters. Find out more:

4. Languages of the World

Finally, check out this Infographic from our friends at Pimsleur (which was created by Little Pim founder Julia Pimsleur Levine’s father, Dr. Paul Pimsleur) exploring the perceptions and realities of language learning in the United States.

Sochi Olympics Bingo!

The 2014 Winter Olympics is being held in Sochi, Russia, creating the perfect opportunity to introduce your children to not only the excitement of Luge and Speed Skating, but to basic Russian winter sports vocabulary as well.

We've made learning even more fun with this Sochi Olympics BINGO! To create your own bingo card using our word list, or your own special Olympics words, click here.

Winter Olympics Russian Vocabulary List

• спорт [Sport] - Sports
• зима [Zi-ma] - Winter
• снег [Snyek] - Snow
• Лёд [LYOT] - Ice
• Cнежинка [snye-ZHEEN-ka] - Snowflake
• Снежная буря [SNYEZH-na-ya BOO-rya] - Blizzard
• Холод [HO-lat] - (The) cold
• Коньки [kan’-KEE] - Skates
• Лыжи [LI-zhee] - Skis
• Санки [SAN-kee] - Sled
• Сноуборд [snow-BORT] - Snowboard
• Кататься на коньках [ka-TAT’-sya na kan’-KAH]
 - Skating
• Кататься на лыжах [ka-TAT’-sya na LI-zhah]
 - Skiing
• Кататься на санках [ka-TAT’-sya na SAN-kah]
 - Sledding
• Кататься на сноуборде [ka-TAT’-sya na snow-BOR-teah]
 - Snowboarding

If you're interested in exploring Russian more with your children, check out our great Little Pim Russian programs here.

A Sweet Craft for Valentine’s Day: Stained Glass Heart Cookies

Here’s an easy, and very tasty, way to transform store bought cookie dough and colorful candies into sweet treats to give or keep for Valentine’s Day.

Supplies

• Sugar cookie dough
• Hard candy, crushed into small pieces
• Cookie cutters
• Parchment paper
• Cookie sheets

 

Directions

To start – purchase (or make, if you’re feeling your inner Julia Child) plain sugar cookie dough. If it’s not in sheets already, roll out to ¼ inch.

Use a large heart shape cookie cutter to create a base shape. Then using a smaller heart cutter, or plain circle shape, make a hole in the center of the cookie.

Put the cut-out hearts on a parchment lined cookie sheet (the parchment is important here so the hearts don’t stick to the pan).

Take hard candy (we used leftover candy canes, but the sky’s the limit colorwise, think LifeSavers or Jolly Ranchers), unwrap and crush with a rolling pin between two layers of parchment or in a plastic bag.

Now fill the hole in the center of heart with the crushed candy.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until candy is melted and dough is golden brown.

Voila, stained glass hearts!

Get Ready for Sochi with an Olympics-Worthy Winter Moviethon

The 2014 Winter Olympics will be here soon (February 7, 2014)! To introduce your children to some of the events that will be featured in Russia this year, try watching one of our favorite family-friendly movies about winter sports. Added bonus? An excuse to snuggle up with your little ones and savor a movie during the Academy Awards season. And since we know not many parents have time to hit the movie theaters, we included one for you to watch without kids as well.

5 Family Friendly Winter Sports Movies

1. Miracle– The true story of the underdog United States ice hockey team that competed in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. This edge-of-your-seat story shows how a team comprised of US college students took on the might Soviets. Great movie; even greater story.

2. Mighty Ducks – For a more kid-centric introduction to ice hockey, try this Disney movie about junior players at the bottom of their league who come together to play in the junior championships. This is the Bad News Bears of winter sports, but with such soaring popularity that a real team was named after them – the Anaheim (home of Disney Land) Mighty Ducks. Note: If the kids like this one, there are two follow-up films, D2 and D3.

3. Cool Runnings – Jamaica has a bobsled team! No really, that’s the real-life premise of this movie about a team of Jamaican bobsledders who started out as warm weather sprinters, but went on to compete in the 1988 Calgary Olympics. This is both laugh-out-loud funny and inspiring, in true Disney style.

4. The Cutting Edge – Also set at the 1988 Calgary Olympics, this movie is about figure skating and the Olympics, but that’s as realistic as this pic gets. Still, there’s a love story, figure skating, a hockey player learning to skate and no gross-out humor, so it’s a sweet intro to figure skating for kids.

5. Downhill Racer – OK, it’s from 1969 and stars a young Robert Redford– but you don’t need to tell your kids that. They’ll just focus on the excitement of downhill skiing in this classic winter sports movie.

PS – Bonus for adults only*:

*Men With Brooms-- A raucously funny look at curling – yes, curling, the winter Olympics sport that combines bowling with sweeping (yes, sweeping, like with a broom) on ice. Unfortunately, a few foul language choices give it an R rating, making it a late-night adult viewing option.

A Family Friendly Chinese New Year Celebration

  Streamers? Check. Noise makers? Check.

Don’t put away your New Year’s decorations just yet -- January 31 marks the start of the Chinese New Year and it’s a great excuse to have a fun-filled celebration with your family.

This year is the Year of the Horse and will be celebrated with parties, food, dragon dances, and fireworks both in China and in Chinatown’s throughout North America.

Chinese New Year is also called the Lunar New Year because it’s celebrated on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar – and this year’s celebration will ring in the year 4712.

Want to celebrate the Year of the Horse? Here are 4 easy ways to join in the fun.

1. Learn a bit of Chinese:

Kung Hey Fat Choy! Means “Happy New Year!” and is the standard greeting throughout the holiday.

2. Dress the part:

Don whatever red clothing you have --- red is a lucky color in Chinese culture.

3. Decorate for your celebration:

Paper lanterns are a perfect project for craft time with your kids (although they can be any color, consider red to keep the new year’s theme).

4.  Wok up a family-friendly Chinese dish:

The Lunar New Year is a usually celebrated with a big family meal.

Fried Rice is a great option to make at home with your family – let your children add their favorite veggies and practice picking up larger pieces of veggies with chopsticks while you cook.

CHINESE NEW YEAR FRIED RICE

(The vegetables below are just a guideline, feel free to substitute or add your favorites) 

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet.

Add 1 chopped onion and 2 small cloves of chopped garlic. Cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add approximately 1 cup of chopped pepper, carrots, celery or sliced snow peas. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Mix in 2 cups of cooked rice and stir until vegetables are fully mixed in.

Create an open hole in the middle of your pan and add 1 tsp of oil, then add 2 beaten eggs. Scramble eggs in hole, then mix into rice mixture.

Finally, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of soy sauce and stir through rice mixture until full seasoned.

Here's one more Chinese phrase you'll want to know when you're done eating:

Nn, mìan hăo chī! 嗯,面 好 吃! Mm! It’s good!!

Holiday Treats From Around the World

If you’ve been looking for some new treats to get your holidays off to a sweet start, all you need to do is spin the globe. We’ve found a selection of easy, and delicious, international treats that your whole family will enjoy both making and tasting for the upcoming holiday celebrations.

Swiss Basler Brunsli

(Courtesy of Saveur)

Courtesy of Saveur

These gluten-free chocolate-almond-spice cookies from Switzerland taste like chewy brownies. Note: Be sure to use the parchment paper when rolling out your dough to avoid sticking.

• 8 oz. whole blanched almonds
• 1 ½  cups sugar, plus more for rolling
• 6 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 ½  tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½  tsp. ground cloves
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1. Finely grind almonds and sugar in a food processor. Add chocolate; pulse until finely ground. Add cinnamon, cloves, and egg whites; pulse until dough comes together.
2. Sprinkle a large piece of parchment paper with sugar; transfer dough to paper. Lay another piece of paper over dough; roll dough to 1/8" thickness.
3. Cut out cookies with star-shaped or other cutters; transfer to parchment paper lined baking sheets, spacing cookies 1" apart. Reroll scraps and repeat. Let dough dry for 3 hours.
4. Heat oven to 300°.
5. Bake until cookies are slightly puffed, 12–15 minutes.

French Palmiers (Elephant Ears)

(Adapted from Saveur)

Easy baking alert! You can make these light and crispy French pastry treats with just 2 ingredients!

• 1 package puff pastry dough
• ½ cup of granulated sugar

1. Cut dough square in half and roll out ¼ inch thick, sprinkling with sugar as you work. Roll or fold the short ends 2 or 3 times inwards to reach the middle. Fold the dough in half along the center and press gently to seal. Repeat with remaining half of puff pastry. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Slice the rolled dough about 1/3 inch thick and sprinkle with more sugar. Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
4. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, turning the cookies once halfway through.

Norwegian Crowns

Melt in your mouth butter cookies from Norway.

• ½ cup butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 1 ¼ cups sifted all purpose flour

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cream butter with an electric beater and then gradually add sugar. When mixed, add the egg and the almond extract.
3. Slowly add the sifted flour.
4. Fill cookie press and use a half moon shape to create crowns.
5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden.