I’m excited to share some of my 2014 “Top 10 PAL Award Picks” today on a segment on NBC CT TV with Keri-Lee Mayland. I wanted to get my list up so those who watch will 
have all the details of these outstanding language learning products. Click on the company to read my reviews and see where to purchase the product:
Disney Palace Pets Royal Pet Salon by Wonder Forge (3 and up, $20.00)
- Little girls love choosing their pets
- Spin to move through the 7 rooms, sudsy spa, tiara fitting, hair styling and collect cards
- Find where that object is located, hair brush, kleenex or nail polish
- Learn vocabulary within categories, great pretend play
Cook’n Serve Kitchen by Hape (3 and up, $150) accessories are sold separately.
- Little chefs can pull this kitchen on wheels to any spot and start cooking
- Reminds me of popular food trucks
- Backside has 2 blackboards to announce changing menu, specials of the day
- Pretend play has several options to start a story, practice in oral and written language
Ostrich Puppet by Folkmanis
- Kids are drawn out using puppets, take on a persona, here an animal
- Facts of interest–3 pounds of rocks in his gut to grind her food–imagination going, start for story, twist and turn in the story builds language skills
- set up show and sell tickets
uKloo Riddle Edition Treasure Hunt Game (7-9 years old, $18)
- Newest addition to uKloo family of fun treasure hunt games that promote reading
- Agonizing time for some parents as their kids are learning to read
- Fun “If there is rain or snow or sleet, put these on to protect your feet,” (boots)
- Kids compose their own riddles, problem-solving and thinking
Paint a Tea Set by Galt ( 5 years and up, $13)
- Make-and -play toy provides a double opportunity for creativity as kids design the toy that becomes central to pretend play.
- After the paint dries, let the storytelling begin, preparing little ones for later reading and writing
- Invite dolls and teddy bears to the party
- Add paper and pencil and now it’s a store, adding pre-reading skills to the pretend play
Mon Premier Bebe Calin Maria by Corolle (18 months and up, $42) with Stroller and Diaper backpack sold separately
- First hispanic baby doll for mommies 18 months and older
- Cuddly soft bean bag body fits into a child’s arms so realistically
- Burping, hugging, changing and walking
- Kids learn from imitating their world
Fort Magic by Fort Magic LLC(51/2 and up, $200)
- Perfect name, durable
- Seen kids build castle, airplane, rocket
- Critical thinking, group collaboration, problem solving
- 165 straight and curved rods, tools to follow their imagination
- Great prop for pretend play
