LinguPingu English Spanish / Espanol Ingles, children learn languages Review

LinguPingu English Spanish is a universal app that is a delightful and educational app which teaches common words to children in both English as well as in Spanish, with lovely artwork and engaging interactions.

When I first looked at this app and saw that it involved Spanish language education, my gut reaction was to recuse myself from reviewing it because I am not a foreign language person at all. Spanish was my worst subject all throughout school and I have a lot of baggage about it still. However, in fairness to the review process, I gave this app a second look and I am really glad I did! It is exceptionally cute in every way and a great way for the youngest players - toddlers and preschoolers - to learn simple English or Spanish words.

This app contains nine different landscapes to play in such as foods, vehicles, or parts of the body. On the top of the screen, look for an “English” or “Spanish” button to tap, thus changing the language to said choice. Then have fun exploring all the animals and objects on the page, listening to them being narrated in the chosen language. I appreciate how easy it is to switch between each language as one can compare the names of an object back and forth, really learning the names in each language. The interface in general is extremely easy to maneuver, and I enjoy how much there is to explore here. Each scene has a variation of this app's theme song, which is very nicely done, relaxing and enjoyable to listen to.

I just love the look of this app. The stylized illustrations have a fun chunky look to them, with bright and bold colors and an interesting wood grain used throughout, creating nuances of classic wood toys as well. What has really drawn me into this app are the interactions that one is rewarded with from tapping a chosen object. Sounds are incorporated into very creative and well-chosen interactions that engaged me as an adult. In the nature scene, flowers bloom open, and trees drop apples from their branches. A nice variety of vehicles moves across the page and there are some fun electronic gadgets to tap on inside the home as well. I really have fun with the parts of the body scene, as they are introduced with the help of two very cute kids who show off their pudgy belly, gooey nose, or a butt that, yes ... farts - much to my delight. My favorite interaction of all may be the cow that makes faces as he does his business, in very vivid detail. The humor of the cow or the boy with the butt may not be the taste of some parents uncomfortable with potty humor, but I found them to be full of whimsy and not at all offensive.

The spoken words sound very clear in English; the Spanish words, spoken here by someone who I believe is a native speaker are sometimes hard for me to understand, but get clearer to me as I tap to listen multiple times. I believe this is due to my poor ear for foreign languages rather than a flaw in this app. It is quite possible that if I had been exposed to other languages when I was young through an app such as this, my ear and ability to understand other foreign tongues would have been much better, so I am happy to encourage the use of this app by my son, who will delight in all that there is to tap. I value that this app is not specifically geared to American children new to Spanish words, but would make an equally excellent app for Spanish-speaking children to learn English objects as well. If interested, please look at the other titles these developers have created for other languages. I am sure they are equally as well done as this one.