Bring FunImmersion home! Below is a list of language resources to help you select fun, effective ways to reinforce budding language skills at home. We note several Star Picks - products we have reviewed and especially like as they share our commitment to fun, native speakers, and 100% immersion! Please note that the majority of this list reflects Language Stars’ current language offerings in Spanish, Mandarin, French, Italian and German. However, resources for other languages can be found on the list under Resources in Additional Languages.

Rhythm and Receptive Learning: Audio

Around the World with Language Stars

Over 60 songs in Spanish, French, Italian and
German designed to directly complement
Language Stars FunImmersion programs.
Lyrics and translations included. 100% immersion,
100% fun! Available at your local
Language Stars center or by clicking here.

Baby's First Words in Spanish/French/Italian/Mandarin

Each disc is a collection of 50 songs sung by native speakers,
all entirely in one foreign language. While marketed to
newborn-2 year olds, the collection of songs, rhymes and
native sounds is appropriate and effective for older children
as well. Lyric book and language immersion commentary included.
Available from Living Language.

Other titles, including:

The Adventures of Pouce and Poucette. Available at frencheducation.com.

Charlotte Diamond’s “Qu’il y ait Toujours le Soleil” and “Soy una Pizza”
Available at charlottediamond.com and amazon.com.

Trepsi (Spanish)
Available at bilingualjourney.com.

Rolf Zuckowski’s “Im Kindergarten,” “Starke Kinder,” “Vogelhochzeit” (German)
Available at www.amazon.de.

Putumayo World Music, Putumayo Kids: Latin Playground, French Playground, Italia,
European Playground, Sesame Street Playground, and more! Available in your
Language Stars center and at www.putumayo.com.

Interactive Immersion: Software & Games

JumpStart Spanish

This CD-ROM offers vocabulary and simple
phrase review through a selection of games
“hosted” by Hopsalot Rabbit. Various levels
of difficulty help children learn at their own
pace and challenge themselves.
Available at amazon.com or wor.com.

Other interactive games including:

Whistlefritz: Los Animales, Vamos a Jugar

Full immersion, bright colors, and fun songs
make these Spanish DVDs appealing for
young learners! Available in your
Language Stars center.

Little Pim: Eating and Drinking, Wake Up Smiling, Playtime

Little Pim is an award-winning DVD series that introduces babies, toddlers and preschoolers to Spanish, Mandarin Chinese or French (also available in other languages). Guided by Little Pim, a loveable panda who is also the teacher, children are led through theme-based DVDs. The DVD series features a fun mix of animated sequences and footage of real kids in action to introduce over 180 words and phrases for everyday activities. Language Stars families enjoy a special discount: simply enter in the code LangStars upon checkout to receive 10% off your entire order. www.littlepim.com

Let's Go Guang!

Recipient of 2009 iParenting Media Award, Dr. Toy's 10 Best Educational and 100 Best Children's Products Awards. Meet Guang, the Chinese Dragon, join Ling and Kai while you learn Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture through storytelling, songs, and games! Language Stars families enjoy a special 20% discount when they enter the code: LStars when purchasing online.
www.ahachinese.com

Muzzy

This story of a loveable monster from outer space captivates kids as it follows a silly plot line entirely in the foreign language. Short sequences highlight concepts and phrases, such as “big/small” or “Can you give me a...please?” Includes vocabulary builder and activity book.
www.early-advantage.com

Other videos, including:
Available from Target, Toys R Us, and many of our listed Shopping Sites.

Disney films, Blues Clues, Sesame Street, other children’s programming,
in Spanish. “Caillou” series (French)

Big Bird in China (a great introduction to China & Chinese culture)
Available at amazon.com

Follow Jade: Learn Chinese
Available at amazon.com

Play and Learn with Mei Mei
Available at amazon.com

Did you know many American children’s DVDs have a toggle option to view in another language?

Reading and Receptive Learning: Books

Usborne First Words and Sticker Book series

Bright pictures and fun stickers in Spanish,
French, German, Italian and Mandarin make
vocabulary reinforcement easy.
www.languagestars.com/books.html

Mandy and Pandy Board Books and CDs

Mandy and Pandy teaches Chinese to pre-K to 3^rd graders in a fun and easy way. Bright, simple illustrations and a combination of simplified Chinese, pinyin, and English are accompanied by a CD with native pronunciation.  Language Stars families enjoy a special discount: simply enter in the code "Language Stars" upon checkout to receive 15% off your order.
www.mandyandpandy.com

The Pet Dragon

Introduce your child to Chinese characters in
the context of this simply told, and boldly
illustrated picture book by Christoph Niemann.
Available at amazon.com.

Real Language

The REAL LANGUAGE right away program, available in both Spanish and French, is a unique communicative approach for young learners. These products are wonderful tools for practicing the language at home with your child. The program includes a Partner Conversations book, an Audio CD, and a Student Activity Book. Enter the code LANGUAGESTARS to receive a 10% discount! www.reallanguagerightaway.com.

Other books, including:

My First Spanish Word Book (DK Publishers)
Available at amazon.com.

“Spot” series by Eric Hill available in multiple languages
Available at amazon.com.

El Castillo Misterioso.
Available at www.languagestars.com/books.html.

“In the Park” series by Huy Youn Lee. Lovely, simple books that introduce
a bit of Chinese culture and characters. Available at amazon.com.

Resources in Additional Languages

Little Guru Skool Introduce your child to Indian culture in a fun and interactive way! Little GuruSkool features both Hindi and English to familiarize children with basic vocabulary and the sounds of both languages during the early developmental years.

The Reading Corner Stories for advanced readers and heritage language students in Albanian, Armenian, Czech, English, French, Hungarian, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, and Ukranian.  Sponsored by the International Step By Step Association.

General Shopping Sites:

www.wor.com multilingual resources

www.bookswithoutborders.com multilingual resources

www.multiculturalkids.com multilingual and cultural resources

www.applauselearning.com multilingual resources

www.bilingualjourney.com (Spanish)

www.sprachhexen.com (German)

www.germanvideos.com (German)

www.alphabet-garten.com (German)

www.abckinderladen.com (German)

www.infrench.com (French)

www.chinasprout.com (Chinese)

www.childbook.com (resources in Chinese)

Europa Books, Chicago (312-335-9677)

Amazon has German, French and Chinese sites where you can find numerous books, CDs and DVDs for children. Please note that the sites are in the target language, so you’ll need a fluent guide to help you shop. Also be aware that DVDs will need to be ordered in the North American or multistandard zone.
www.amazon.de. (German)
www.amazon.fr (French)
www.amazon.cn (Chinese)

“Parent Picks” – our parent recommendations:

www.asiaforkids.com
Multilingual resources in Mandarin, Spanish, French, German, Italian and more!

www.pentonoverseas.com
“Hear-Say” vocabulary builder CDs and activity books in Spanish, French, German and Italian.

www.symtalk.com
K-12 sentence building activity kits in Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Other Ideas:

Host an exchange student or send your child abroad: www.ceran.com, www.afs.org, www.yfu.org

Attend a foreign language summer camp – Language Stars day camps,
Concordia Language Villages (overnight): www.concordialanguagevillages.org

Find an international pen-pal – www.epals.com

Hire a second language babysitter or au pair – www.iapa.org, aupairbox.com,
bulletin boards at local cultural organizations

Visit your local cultural center: take advantage of local cultural offerings, befriend a family newly arrived from another country, learn about another country’s customs, traditions and language.

French: Alliance Francaise, www.af-chicago.org
German: Goethe Institut Chicago, www.goethe.do/ins/us/chi/enindex.htm
Spanish: Instituto Cervantes, www.chicago.cervantes.es
Spanish: International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago, www.latinoculturalcenter.org
Italian: Italian Cultural Institute, www.iicchicago.esteri.it/IIC_Chicago