Toys ‘R’ Us has released its top 5 toy trends for the 2006 holiday season and trend number two was nice to see…
Trend #2: Bilingual Toys
Catering to the growing demand for products that promote dual language skills among children, toys that boast English and Spanish capabilities have gained momentum this year. Leading the list of bilingual toys for the toddler set are the Learn and Groove(TM) Alphabet Drum and the Learn and Groove(TM) Musical Table from LeapFrog®, both of which introduce the alphabet and encourage physical movement, vocalization and musical exploration in both English and Spanish. Taking a cue from two popular Nickelodeon programs, Fisher-Price® has introduced toys based on the adventures of Dora the Explorer(TM) and Go, Diego, Go!(TM) The Go, Diego, Go!(TM) Diego’s Talking Rescue Center lets children go on rescue missions with Diego and his animal friends, while providing commentary from Diego in both English and Spanish. Dora the Explorer(TM) Magic Hair(TM) Fairytale Dora allows kids to imagine whisking Dora away on adventures through magical lands while she offers them encouragement in English and Spanish. The Pink Nitro Notebook(TM) from VTech® features Spanish language activities for developing readers.
How long before we begin seeing English <> Chinese toys as well?