How cute!  What age would you recommened allowing your child to play the babytv computer games?  Or perhaps I should ask what age will they have the coordination to use a mouse to play the games?

Does anyone subscribe to the babytv channel?  Educationally is it any good?  Do your kidds enjoy it?  It appears that it's not available in Austalia unfortunately - but if there are any good tv series which there are DVDs - it'll be good to know about them!

Cheers

Hi Hypatia - How is your daughter going in day care?  Is she enjoying playing with the other toddlers?  I hope the transition wasn't too stressful for you or her.

Hi NadiaD - my DD is going to a montessori child care.  She loves it (now nearly 15 months).  She's just moved up to the older part of the nursery and they're getting her to start doing things for herself - eg. clean the scraps off from her plate after lunch.  She also loves playing with the other children.   I hope your DD enjoys her day care experience as much as mine does.

Apparently Alphatykes ( www.alphatykes.com.au ) is looking to open up a centre in Adelaide next year.  It's quite pricey $18 for a half hour tot session 18mo-3years, $35 for 1 hour session 3-12 years.

However - if the program is effective in engaging toddlers / children in language learning because it's fun then perhaps it's worthwhile doing.
It started in Brisbane and has spread through the eastern states.  It's obviously taken off in Bris as there are lessons Mon-Sat in 3 languages in their main centre!!

Does anyone send their children there or know of other people sending their kids there?

If anyone in Adelaide is interested you should register your interest.  The more interested parents there are - the more chance we have of getting a centre here at the start of next year.

Cheers

Great to see so many Aussies in the Forum!!

I don't know of any retailer that sells them.

You could use a USA parcel forwarding service like www.priceusa.com.au or www.lilshoppa.com - but I suspect your P&H will be very expensive due to the weight of the cards.  I have used priceusa before and their service is very good.  There are many good reviews on the whirlpool forum and vogue.com.au forums too.

Good luck

Has anyone heard of symtalk or Q talk?  Any reviews?  It looks like an interesting way of learning a language.

http://www.qtalkpublishing.com/
http://www.symtalk.com/

Language Stars in Chicargo has it as a link and appears to use it in their teaching methods.

The developer of the system also has also published (see amazon.com)  Maurice Hazan has a couple of books Learn to Speak and Read Spanish/French.

Hello - I found an interesting website of a 'fun' immersion program called Language Stars based in Chicargo.  I was wondering if any of the US forum members have sent their children there or know of other people who've sent their kids - and how the program rates?  There's something in Australia called Alphatykes which looks similar.

Thanks

I was under the impression it would be in Traditional characters but obviously didn't keep up with developments.  Can't wait!  Thanks KL and team

That's great news KL.  Can't wait for the release.  How are the Singaporeans going with Traditional Chinese?  Are we able to modify the lessons to insert simplified characters in?

Great site - karma to you !   

I have tried showing my daughter numerous times Tweedlewink and she is completely disinterested in watching it.  Has anyone else had that problem with their kids?  She loves watching Miffy and In the night garden (her grandmother shows them to her).  She doesn't like Tweedlewink, Wink To Learn Chinese, Baby Learns Chinese or YBCR.  She will sit and watch Little Pim for 1-2 minutes.  (she's neary 14 months now).

Any suggestions for what I can do?  She will look at some flashcards every now and then (not consistenly though)

Congratulations on your pregnancies L & J and Stellajo.
One of the symptoms of the first trimester is tiredness.  I'm sure that you are incredibly busy looking after two children who are demanding of your attention.  It's so physical looking after children - picking toddlers up, changing them, getting them in and out of their cots/carseats/prams etc.
My women's health physiotherapist reminded me that in the olden days women lay around doing very little during confinement - where as now we expect we can carry on doing our normal daily activities at 100%.  Take it easy and I'm sure that your energy levels and the nausea will improve during the second trimester.  Take care!

PS Stellajo have you tried ginger supplements or magnetic bracelets for your nausea as natural remedies?  I've heard they work in some people - hopefully it'll help your appetite, and I hope your 2 year old starts sleeping in soon.

You can also add wheat germ, yoghurt plus fruit (eg banana, blueberries, strawberries) to milk to drink as a 'shake' / smoothie if your son won't eat solids for breakfast.  Wheatgerm, like oats, will provide some complex carbs which will take longer to digest and keep energy levels going for longer.  In Australia there is something called "Up and Go" by Sanitarium http://www.sanitarium.com.au/products/breakfast/up-and-go/up-and-go-strawberry which is like a Nestle "Quik" but also has some breakfst cereals blended in.
Good luck!

Getting fine grade sand from the garden centre in a large container - place in clamshell container - voila ... your own sandpit!  Add a few buckets and a spade and your child is on their way to having a great time.

Also if you have a clamshell type container you can fill the lid with water to have a splash in.

My DD was crawling up stairs around 8 months (early crawler and walker) - with me/husband/grandma behind her in case she slipped!

Noisy toys - my daughter loved playing with a screwtop cylidrical container with rice and a used formula milk tin (which had a bit of metal in it and was sealed with tape).  She also loves the Kindermusik egg she was given at birth - egg shaped plastic with some sort of grain in it that makes a noise which fits in her hand nicely.

Board books.

As previously suggested - furniture a 9 month old can cruise along.

We have a Fisher Price equivalent (non-programmable) of the Leap Frog My Pal Violet/Scott (loves the songs etc) http://shop.leapfrog.com/leapfrog/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=lfprod19156