Playful Trolls Introduce Children to Spanish and English in New Educational Computer Adventure

Valley Stream, NY (PRWEB) November 11, 2009

Young language learners now can enjoy an educational adventure called “¿Dónde Están Los Pollitos? / Where Are The Chicks?" that takes them through an interactive learning mission with fun lessons in counting, shapes and letters recognition and other developmental skills.

The newly released adventure, created by Palabra Media of Valley Stream, NY, starts with one simple download and follows two adorable, little trolls named Pancho and Pita who love reading, playing, and exploring the world with their bilingual pet, Flan. Children are part of the action by helping the characters through the animated storybook journey.

The illustrated story, created for all children ages 2 and above, can be played in English or Spanish, but it has a distinct Hispanic flavor. The theme of the story is based on a traditional Latin folk song "Los Pollitos Dicen" (The Baby Chicks Say) and the delightful Pancho and Pita are accompanied by the characters Flan, who is named after the traditional Hispanic dessert, and Cucuy, a funny version of the well-known Latino boogey man.

The adventure can be purchased and downloaded directly from the company website (http://www.panchoandpita.com) for $9.95 and is Windows compatible. The website also has free games and activities for children, plus supporting materials for parents and educators.

Pancho and Pita are the creation of Stefanie and Raul Fernandez. When their son, Daniel, was born, the entrepreneurial couple wanted to make sure that he would also learn Spanish, Raul’s native language. After they researched bookstores, toy stores and libraries, the couple found a good number of Spanish books, CDs and DVDs on the market, but saw the need for something improved:

“We envisioned an innovative approach that would combine the best features from the existing products: the emotional and educational power of books, the fun of cartoons, and the interactivity of computer games,” Raul Fernandez said.

The Fernandez’s, a computer programmer and a social worker, worked with language professionals, animators, voice actors and a music composer to create Pancho and Pita's adventure and make Palabra Media a reality that meets the demands of a changing national demographic and interests.

With more than 51 million Latinos living in the United States, the number of bilingual families is rapidly increasing. As a result, the market for Spanish language products is booming. Many Hispanics want to maintain ties to their culture and pass their language to their children. At the same time, many English-speaking families want to expose their children to foreign languages, particularly Spanish.
Pancho and Pita's adventure also can meet the growing need for language learning tools in classrooms and library programs.

"The aventuras in the Pancho and Pita software use flashy and colorful animation, native speakers, and high interest storylines to captivate young learners. Its interactive nature keeps students engaged and motivated," said Nathan Lutz, a Spanish teacher and Networking Coordinator of the National Network for Early Language Learning.

About Palabra Media:
Palabra Media (http://www.palabramedia.com), founded in 2004, is a family company dedicated to the creation of innovative bilingual children's software. The products are designed to encourage language learning through active play and family participation. The company is currently working on new Pancho and Pita products.

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