FAQ – Birdsong Toys

Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing a bilingual toy

Look for a toy that gets you talking, not one that talks for you. Babies learn language best through live, back-and-forth interaction with a caregiver (Kuhl, Tsao & Liu, 2003). The best bilingual toys give you words, songs and prompts in both languages, and invite repetition. Birdsong's musical plush toys are screen-free and battery-free, and each one comes with Spanish lullaby lyrics and bilingual labels to guide you.

Yes, especially for babies and toddlers. In a landmark study, 9-month-olds learned the sounds of a new language (Mandarin) from a live speaker but not from the same speaker on video or audio (Kuhl, Tsao & Liu, 2003). Babies learn language through back-and-forth interaction, and a toy that talks on its own takes your place in that conversation. Birdsong toys use a pull-string music box and printed prompts so the language comes from you.

The Bilingual Play Bundle pairs both award-winning Birdsong plush toys: Cuéntale al Sol (counting 1–10) and El Elefante Quiere (five everyday verbs). Both won 2026 NAPPA Awards for Best for Learning and arrive in gift-ready boxes. For a gift that covers mealtime too, the Bilingual Playtime to Plate Kit adds two silicone bibs and a first-foods placemat. Both work from birth to 3 years.

6 months: Cuéntale al Sol or El Elefante Quiere. Crinkly flaps, textures and a pull-string lullaby suit babies who are grabbing, mouthing and tracking sound.
1 year: The Bilingual Playtime to Plate Kit. First words often come from daily routines, and the bibs and placemat label mealtime words in both languages.
2 years: The Bilingual Play Bundle. Toddlers can count the sun's 10 flaps with you and act out the elephant's verbs: jugar, comer, dormir, hablar, leer.

Raising a bilingual child

No. Bilingual babies tell their two languages apart from birth (Byers-Heinlein, Burns & Werker, 2010) and keep them separate as they grow (Genesee, Nicoladis & Paradis, 1995). They say their first words around 12 months, on the same schedule as monolingual babies (Pearson, Fernández & Oller, 1993). Count words in both languages together: agua and water are two words your child knows.

Yes. What matters most is consistent, warm interaction, and how much a child hears each language shapes their vocabulary in it (Pearson et al., 1997). Every Birdsong toy prints the Spanish lyrics and labels for you, so you can sing and name things with confidence. Short daily moments add up, and you'll build your own Spanish along the way.

As early as you like. From birth is ideal. Babies are tuned to the sounds of every language at first, and this sensitivity narrows over the first year (Werker & Tees, 1984; Kuhl et al., 1992). But it's never too late: children keep building vocabulary, grammar and cultural identity in two languages well into their school years. Birdsong toys are made for ages 0M–3Y.

Latin American Spanish, using common words understood across the Spanish-speaking world, often called neutral Spanish. That way the songs and words work for families from Mexico to Colombia to the Caribbean. If your family says something differently at home, use your words. Your family's Spanish is the Spanish your child should hear.

About Birdsong

Our toys are made for babies and toddlers 0M - 3Y to support that “magic window” for language learning but they’re designed to grow with your child, from early sensory play to storytelling, imaginative play, and even early reading and writing.

Birdsong toys support bilingual learning in English and Spanish and are designed to meet parents across a wide range of fluency levels. You don’t need to be perfect or fully fluent, consistency and connection matter most.

Yes. Every Birdsong product is independently tested to ASTM F963 (the U.S. toy safety standard) and CPSIA, and is covered by a Children's Product Certificate. Our plush toys are made from non-toxic, baby-safe materials: sherpa, cotton, linen and polyester filling. Our bibs and placemat are food-grade, BPA-free silicone.

Babies learn language best through live, responsive interaction. Birdsong toys are designed to guide parents in using their own voice through play, songs, and everyday routines — not screens or buttons.

Birdsong was founded by Ashley Rivera, a Colombian-American mom in New York City. She wanted her daughter to grow up bilingual and connected to her Colombian family, and couldn't find toys that put the parent's voice at the center. Every Birdsong product is grounded in language development research and made with love.

Both Birdsong plush toys won 2026 NAPPA Awards in the Best for Learning (Educational Tools) category: Cuéntale al Sol and El Elefante Quiere. Both also won Mom's Choice Awards Gold, and Cuéntale al Sol was a Toy Insider summer gift pick while El Elefante Quiere was a Toy Insider Holiday gift pick.

Orders ship within about 2 business days, and most U.S. orders arrive within 5–7 business days after that. U.S. standard shipping is free on orders of $90 or more. We also ship to select countries, including Canada; rates and available countries appear at checkout, and duties are the recipient's responsibility.

We don't offer gift wrap, but every Birdsong plush toy arrives in a gift-ready box, so it's ready to give straight out of the shipping carton. Our mealtime products (bibs and placemat) ship in standard packaging.

Yes! If you’re interested in becoming a retail or wholesale partner, please reach out to partners@birdsongtoys.com with a brief introduction to your store or organization.