CSC Giveaway: French English Flashcards from Mudpuppy

This contest has now ended. Please check out our contest page for our current contests and giveaways.


Note: This giveaway is a part of the Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival! Thanks for stopping by!

Do people ever ask you why you chose the career that you did? It's a reasonable question, right? And you probably have an answer like "because it was stable", or "because I really like math" or "because I've always loved it". Well, my answer for choosing to get a degree in French is a little more, urm, weird.

In 6th grade, my teacher started French lessons with us. And I thought it was SO cool. I was always coming up with my own "secret" languages -- comprised of symbols or from rearranging the alphabet -- so I thought that it was just AWESOME that my teacher was teaching us this new "secret" language -- and it was called "French".

Studies have proven that when it comes to learning a second language, the younger the better. Aside from that, children who speak a second language score higher in both Math and English than children who speak only one language. Being bilingual teaches a child to think outside of the box -- to learn that there is always more than one way to accomplish something. Obviously, I am a major proponent of bilingual education -- no matter the language.

Don't worry if you don't speak another language -- there are still ways to encourage your kids to learn another one. That is why I love these French-English Flashcards with illustrations from Mudpuppy. It features 26 nouns in both French and English (and includes the ever so difficult to memorize Definite Article with the French version). I also really like the fun illustrations that go along with each card, done by artist Sarah Wilkins. The cards are all bound by a ring, so you can clip them anywhere you'd like, and they can go wherever you go (on a car ride or plane trip is the first thought that comes to my mind!). Little AG listens to French nursery rhymes every night (and has since she was 5 weeks old), and when she gets old enough, I plan to use these cards to play little games with her and to help her to expand her vocabulary in French.

While 26 words is obviously not enough for your child to speak much French, it is a great way to test the waters and to whet their appetite for the beginnings of a bilingual education, or just simply pique an interest in another language.

And who knows? Maybe they'll enjoy learning this "secret language" just as much as I did.

Win it! The kind folks over at Mudpuppy have graciously offered to giveaway one of these great French/English flashcard sets to a lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader. To enter, just follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Go to the Mudpuppy website and look around at all of their great stuff -- then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me what is your favorite product from them (besides the flashcards)!
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
• US AND CANADA entries only please!!!
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

That's it! This contest will end on August 3rd, 2008 at 11:59 pm CST. Good luck!

PS -- Are you also participating in the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival? Please, sign Mr. Linky at this post so that I can be sure to visit your site too!!