StarletShay

We are slowly introducing Mandarin.

I’ve noticed that the kids learn best through music.

Here’s a song that they are learning. No idea if they are pronouncing it correctly since I don’t speak Mandarin yet. 😝

But I can help them learn some characters since they are similar in Japanese!

Watching reading “click” is the best feeling.

In this video, our daughter is reading from Set 1 of the Nonfiction Phonics Readers, and these have been a great bridge into independent reading for our kids.

The books follow clear phonics patterns so kids are actually decoding words, not memorizing stories.

We just finished Set 1 and are moving on to Set 2. I’m so excited to see their reading continue to grow.

✨ When learning feels like play ✨

I pulled out a Gakken workbook today and the kidlets ended up doing 12 pages in one sitting 😳

That almost never happens with toddlers unless something is really engaging.

I think the magic is in how these books are designed:
• lots of stickers
• a variety of tasks (not the same thing over and over)
• simple directions
• pages that feel like little games instead of “work”

They were so focused the entire time — peeling stickers, matching, tracing, and solving each little challenge.

Honestly, it felt more like playtime than school time, which is exactly what learning should feel like at this age.

If you’re looking for a workbook that actually keeps toddlers engaged, I highly recommend Gakken.

Have you tried these with your kids yet?

Hawaii twin mom raising multilingual kids�ハワイ在住・双子ママの多言語子育て 🇺🇸🇯🇵🇨🇳🇪🇸

One of my favorite parenting tips: use the public library.

Every week I stop by and grab a stack of books for our twins. Decodable readers, books about their interests, and longer picture books we can read together.

Our library even has a small foreign language section, so I always check for Japanese books too.

Rotating books keeps reading exciting and gives kids constant exposure to new vocabulary.

Free. Educational. Endless supply.

Do you use your library with your kids?