Baby's First Steps in French: Newborn to 2 Years/Book & CD [With 73 Pg Book]

by Erika Levy

This headstart programme gives infants an introduction to a foreign language through lullabies, songs and rhymes. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0609607413
• ISBN13: 9780609607411
• Release Date: August 2001
• Publisher: Living Language
• Length: 64 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.7" x 5.1"
• Age Range: 2 to 5 years

Customer Reviews

Excellent quality and best value

I have used a few French learning CDs for my 3-year-old daughter, including this one and the Beth Manner CDs. My girl likes them all but I find this one the best in terms of quality of recording, clarity of speech, authenticity in accent, and being entertaining even for adults. I agree with the other reviewer that the thick booklet about learning theories is less useful (because I don't need to be convinced about the benefits of starting a foreign language early). The CD and the script book are wonderful tools for learning French while also being entertaining. This is the only CD among many I've used that I truly enjoy listening to repeatedly (even though I already speak quite fluently and am just using it for my girl). The songs are outstanding--the music and singing are of professional quality and I'm amazed this whole set (including 2 booklets and a CD only cost about $10). The French poems, songs, rhymes, etc. are all very authentic and beautifully recorded by native speakers who did such a fine job in making everything fun and exciting to listen to. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves the French language.

Great CD! Highly recommend

My daughter is starting to struggle with three languages (French from me and Japanese with her mother, living in English-speaking New York City). And so when it comes to getting help, this CD was one of the best. She was fascinated with a few songs (notably Sur le Pont d'Avignon), but mostly (and this is one of the goals of the CD) she was exposed to a variety of French sounds, esp. the rolling R, which she does beautifully now. Given that I'm the only French speaker around her, and her grandparents visit only so often (at most twice a year for a few weeks), this CD was invaluable. I couldn't care too much with the booklet that came with it, but I read it and it wasn't uninteresting, only I was familiar with the theories explained. But it serves as a nice reminder of how to best expose your child to sounds from another language, and should help English-speaking folks who want to use it for their children. The songs include various classics (Frere Jacques, Pont d'Avignon, Savez vous Planter les Choux, A la Claire Fontaine, and also spoken rhymes and more creative ones) in beautiful tones (nice electronic instrument, appropriate for children, and yet with a rich harmony). This is a CD that I also enjoy listening to, and also to remind myself of the lyrics---I'm afraid I'll have to learn them all over again. And I surprised myself humming them many times on the way to the playground. Now we're going to start playing it again for her little brother.

Best Program We've Found

We have a huge collection of French materials for small children, and this is by far the best. The music is good, the singers/speakers are natives, and the whole presentation is lively and fun. Our 18-month-old has been listening to this for a year and loves it. (Yes, she's actually learned some French words!)

Outstanding collection

This is a fabulous collection of rhymes and songs that are pleasant for both kids and adults to learn. My daughter is 2 and takes French at a language school. The teacher was very pleased to have this available as there is so little available for toddlers learning a foreign language

GREAT fun

Unlike many language lullaby/rhyme/story tapes/CDs, this one is recorded by people who speak French as their FIRST language. It's a great combination of fun rhymes, traditional FRENCH songs (not English songs translated into French) and sound "drills." Even I'm starting to pick up these hard-to-learn-for-old-folks French sounds! :)