La Fiesta! is a bilingual educational DVD aimed at teaching Spanish to preschool children. It is intended for ages 3 and up. The DVD features Ms. Blanca Castro, a native Spanish speaker born in Monterrey, Mexico.

The DVD opens with a puppet scene in which two puppets are discussing an upcoming party. One puppet lets the other know that the only way to go to the party is to learn some new Spanish words. The DVD then moves into a musical preschool class setting with teacher Ms. Blanca. Here we learn the numbers 1-10, party words (cake, clown, present, and more), colors, and greetings. There is also a segment that teaches about Mexican culture. At the end of the movie, there is a party with piñatas. An additional bonus feature teaches the numbers 1-20.

La Fiesta! makes use of music and repetition to teach Spanish words. I was impressed with the amount of Spanish that is packed into the 30-minute running time. My children learned many new words, which I have observed them using since they saw the DVD for the first time. The use of puppets, preschool children, and catchy music all worked together to capture the attention of my children. My 4-year-old and 7-year-old daughters both enjoyed this DVD. My baby was also drawn to the music.

The teaching is clear and easy to follow with one exception. There is a Spanish phrase in the number song that I had to listen to more than once before I understood what Ms. Blanca was saying.

This DVD is both educational and entertaining. It is a lovely introduction to Spanish for the preschool crowd. Early elementary aged children will enjoy and benefit from La Fiesta!

Product review by Whitney Dunahee, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, January 2010