We’ve all heard the research:  there’s a window of opportunity for young children to learn a second (or third, or fourth!) language.  As we age, that window starts to close and learning becomes more difficult.  I am proof of that phenomenon.  Coming from an Asian-American home was much more normal when I lived near an army base.  Many of my friends had a parent from another country, usually Japan, so it wasn’t unusual to watch Japanese soap operas or have our moms speak in another language.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take a lot of that culture with me into adulthood.  At the time, my mom felt very self-conscious about speaking broken English. She didn’t want other kids to tease me about my Japanese heritage.  I didn’t really care about learning it either.  Because of that, I didn’t learn to speak much Japanese as a child.  I spoke a few phrases and enjoyed the food, but that was the extent of it.  Now that I’m a parent, I long for that connection to my mother’s family.  I especially wish I had learned to speak the language.  When my daughter asked about learning to speak Japanese, I was thrilled.  I’m so glad that she values her heritage more than I did!  I’m sure that I could learn another language if I really, really tried, but I know that it would be much more difficult for me at this age than it is for my kids.

When I was asked to review the Little Pim language videos, I immediately knew I wanted to try the Japanese series.  There are 11 different languages to choose from. If you’re planning a trip or want to help give your child a head start on multi-language development, be sure to explore your options.  There are lots of resources for parents and educators on the Little Pim site as well.  So what did my kids think?  They ask for this video.  Actually, my son asks for “the Panda.”  He’s 3 years old (almost 4) and he can’t get enough of this series.  We watch it in the van and I can hear him repeating the Japanese words to himself. The scenes in the video are familiar and child-friendly….cooking with a parent, blowing out birthday candles, sleeping on a couch, and other common things to a child.  My almost-9 year old daughter is out of the recommended age range but even she likes to watch these.  She enjoys using the Japanese words for items like “milk” and “apple” around the house.  Possibly the best thing to happen since watching this series is the thrill it gives my mother.  Knowing that her grandchildren are investing time in learning her native tongue is really heartwarming to her.  It’s a gift that I failed to give her myself, and I’m so thankful that my children are making up for my mistake.

If you’re wondering whether Little Pim would be right for your child, consider watching their free videos to start with.  There’s also a short quiz on that page to help guide you to the right language for your child.  As a bonus, you might also see a 20% off code on the video so keep your eyes peeled.  This would make such a great gift for any child or for your child’s classroom.

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