Last week I attended the Mattel Toy Preview at the NY Toy Fair. I was thrilled to learn all about Primeros Pasos/First Steps, Shakira’s bilingual toy line. I have always loved Shakira, not only for her songs (I’ve been a fan of hers when she released Pies Descalzos— before she crossed over and sang in English) but also because she is a great advocate for education, particularly early childhood education for disadvantaged children.
I love this line for a few reasons.
First of all, BILINGUAL toys , YES please! We definitely need more of those!
Second, Shakira partnered with Fisher-Price… and let’s be honest, Fisher-Price knows toys!
“Working through my foundation, I saw how toys could help babies — including my own son — reach important developmental milestones. I wanted to design a line of toys that stimulates development, and I felt a strong connection with Fisher‑Price. After learning about how incredibly focused they are on helping children build skills they need for school and for life, I realized they were the perfect partner.” – Shakira
Third, Shakira’s compensation for this partnership will benefit her foundation, the Pies Descalzos/Barefoot Foundation which provides educational enrichment opportunies for underprivileged children. The Pies Descalzos Foundation’s mission is to provide quality education for every child. It has built schools in Colombia and works to provide opportunities for enrichment for children that are affected by poverty and displacement.
As a mom, I know the importance of stimulating babies. I’m really excited about this collection of carefully crafted toys that have been designed to spark our babies’ curiosity and help them reach their developmental milestones.
Talking to Our Babies
I really love what Shakira has to say about the importance of talking to our babies. It’s so true! Babies are little sponges and they absorb everything! Just because they don’t speak when they are little, it doesn’t mean that their little brains are not processing everything they see and hear. I’ve always spoken to my son and explained things to him in grown up words. My mother made fun of me because, yo le explicaba todito — I explain everything! (I actually still do!) Talking to baby is very important!
The only thing I’m sad about? That these line didn’t exist when my son was a baby! If you’re shopping for your own baby or making your wishlist, make sure to add these toys to your registry! The Primeros Pasos/First Steps collection is only available on Amazon.
All the toys are awesome, here are some of my favorites:
Fisher-Price Shakira First Steps Collection Kick & Play Piano Gym
Fisher-Price Shakira First Steps Collection Stack’n Learn Alphabet Blocks
Fisher-Price Shakira First Steps Collection Musical Friends Bouncer
Note: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
