** UPDATED: So, I’m about two weeks late posting the winner of this giveaway. Sorry, guys. The winner is commenter #1: Betty!! Congratulations, Betty! Email me at katie@marriageconfessions.com to claim your prize. Thanks for playing everyone!**
I have been meaning to post about these flash cards since Bean got them for Christmas (or maybe his birthday?) last year. Chris’s mom gave them to him. She is always finding the most educational and creative gifts for Bean and Gracie. Jackie gives things that most people don’t find and so her gifts always have something unique and memorable about them. These Eric Carle Animal Flashcards are the perfect example.
First of all, I am a sucker for Eric Carle. I love his art work. I think it is beautiful and whimsical and bright and vibrant, which is everything I think art should be. His baby books are big hits around my house, but these flashcards might be an even bigger hit, actually.
You can’t really tell from these pictures, but they are a nice sized, sturdy flashcard on board-like material in a gift-quality display box. They hold up really well to a toddler’s rowdy learning style, or a baby’s gummy slobbers.
The letters are large, colorful, and easy to read for Bean. And I like that they show the upper and lower case letters for each.
And what would Eric Carle flashcards be without beautiful artwork?
Each card has a vibrant drawing of an animal or sea creature on the back that corresponds with the letter on the front. Unlike other flashcards, these are large pictures since the flashcards themselves are the size of a medium-sized board book. It makes them easy to see and easy for tiny toddler hands to manipulate.
Another thing I really like about these flashcards are that some of the animals and sea creatures are non-traditional. For example, everyone has bunnies on B flashcards, but this set has a buffalo instead. It gives Bean a chance to learn other animals that he might now normally see, such as a yak, a quetzal, or a narwhal.
I really can’t recommend these flashcards enough. They are so nice that they would make a lovely baby shower or first, second, or third birthday gift for a child. I was thinking about giving a set away to you all and was a little worried about how much they were going to cost. I easily thought these were $25 or more, given their high quality, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were only $10 on Amazon! So – I’m giving away TWO sets!
To enter to win, leave a comment below telling me what word you always have trouble pronouncing or spelling. What word would you need a flashcard for??? The giveaway will be open until 8:00pm EST on Friday, 2/3. I’ll announce two winners on Monday.
Good luck!
******
This giveaway is sponsored by Bean. Because he loves these flashcards. And he’s nice.
1) Betty: Well, now I have to add quetzal to my list. I am not going to lie, I've been saying it out loud for awhile now... (02.02.2012 07:58pm)
2) cathy: nelagoney! (02.02.2012 08:01pm)
3) Heather: definitley ;) (02.02.2012 08:05pm)
4) Chelsea: I would LOVE to have these flashcards in a lower elementary classroom or for my literacy lessons! The word that I would have trouble pronouncing is nelagoney, that's a tongue tie. Great giveaway :) (02.02.2012 08:06pm)
5) Dessi: With the birth of our first son just weeks away, I have a whole new vocabulary these days! Two of the things I've been reading and talking about a lot are the perineum and episiotomy. I'm pretty sure I continue to pronounce both wrong! (02.02.2012 08:06pm)
6) Chelsea: Haha opps! I was looking at the post above me while trying to think of my own word and posted what Cathy said. I always have trouble saying "orange juice." I prefer to say Ornjuice :) (02.02.2012 08:07pm)
7) Katy @ MonsterProof: Ironically...I can't say the word "awkward" (02.02.2012 08:08pm)
8) Heather: I still remember teaching my little sister how to spell encyclopedia when we were little so she would be ok in 3rd grade! (02.02.2012 08:09pm)
9) Ashley: Narwhal, never even heard of that animal before (02.02.2012 08:10pm)
10) Katie: Thank god for auto-correct in Microsoft Word because the word accommodate does not like me! haha (02.02.2012 08:13pm)
11) Amanda: I always type "hte" instead of "the" while typing on my phone ! (02.02.2012 08:14pm)
12) Jordan: I, too, cannot ever spell definitely correct on the first try. And spell check never gives much help; definitively, defiantly? (02.02.2012 08:15pm)
13) Krista: I don't think a flash card would help me with this, but I seriously cannot say the word "rural." (02.02.2012 08:17pm)
14) Erin: I have trouble with receive. I have to think about that ei (or is it ie??) every time! :) (02.02.2012 08:19pm)
15) Kaitlyn Strat: Pinterest! A flashcard for the hubby when he asks what I'm doing while putting my feet up!!! (02.02.2012 08:23pm)
16) Cathy C.: Once, in an elementary school spelling bee, I misspelled chocolate. (02.02.2012 08:24pm)
17) Laura: I mispronounce words all the time and couldn't tell you any particular one. But a lot of my fellow nurses at work say exasperation instead of exacerbation and it irritates me. I will give them a flashcard!! :) (02.02.2012 08:33pm)
18) Amy VH: I have a little boy who is almost three who would love these colorful flash cards. Thanks Katie (and Bean). (02.02.2012 08:34pm)
19) Sarah: I m told that I mispronounce penguin, though I think I say it just fine! (02.02.2012 08:35pm)
20) Jen @ Caved In: Colander. I always put the emphasis on the wrong syllable. Highly entertaining to my husband. (02.02.2012 08:43pm)
21) Emily: Entrepreneur. I can't say it or spell it...thank goodness for autocorrect! Also, if you ever get a chance, there is an AWESOME Eric Carle museum in Massachusetts. It's so much fun, for kids and parents alike. (02.02.2012 08:52pm)
22) Melanie Mott: I can never spell definetly right. Thank goodness for autocorrect ! (02.02.2012 08:54pm)
23) Rachel S: Might just be me, but I can't say "skunk" perhaps it's the unk - a nasal thing maybe? But it goes along with trunk, monk etc. easy to spell - hard to say. (02.02.2012 08:54pm)
24) Leigh: I can never remember how to spell "truly". Is it "truely"? Why no "e"?! (02.02.2012 08:55pm)
25) Catherine M.: I have a hard time saying "teetotaler." I always emphasize the wrong syllable and frankly even now I'm not sure if it's tee-total-er, or teeto-taler. Funny word to pick, I know. :) (02.02.2012 08:56pm)
26) Laurie: I have a terrible time saying Worstershire. Ugh I bet I didn't even spell it right! (02.02.2012 08:56pm)
27) Paige: I have trouble with anesthetist since the homecoming ceremony in high school in which I had to pronounce in front of the entire assembly. After 10 years, I almost have it nailed but a flash card would be helpful (and just in time for my 10 year HS reunion this summer). (02.02.2012 08:58pm)
28) Alyssa: I have to buy these! My son's room is done in Eric Carle stuff. Buy the way Khols has his books for $5 again! Don't laugh but every single time I write friends I chant it like my 3rd grade teacher. I can't spell it without chanting it just like her. I also have to say Tom-or-row to spell tomorrow. I don't know what my hang up with these easy words is. (02.02.2012 08:58pm)
29) Jen: This is what comes to my mind when I think about pronunciation: I find it to be awkward when you are talking with somebody and you say caramel one way and they say it another...same thing with aunt. What do you do?? Do you convert to their way just for the conversation or do you stick to your own way?? (02.02.2012 08:58pm)
30) Katrina: I didn't even know that these flashcards existed...awesome! I have trouble with the word 'table'. It NEVER looks right & if I say it more than a couple of times it sounds made up. (02.02.2012 08:59pm)
31) Summer: I have always had trouble with the 'i' before 'e' words :) these flash cards look great! (02.02.2012 09:08pm)
32) Marina H: I constantly pronounce 'picture' as 'pitcher'. When I process it in my brain I know that the 'c' is important, but somewhere along the path towards me saying it I come out sounding like an eight year old! (02.02.2012 09:09pm)
33) Coleen: I always have trouble with Separately and with Surprise. Also, misled- i always want to say it like "missled." (02.02.2012 09:09pm)
34) Christina @ Marriage from Scratch: I'd need it for the word definitely ;) I have so much trouble with it! And the girls I nanny for would LOVE these cards :) (02.02.2012 09:10pm)
35) Cindy: I have trouble saying a lot of words but the one recently was edename. (02.02.2012 09:11pm)
36) Lindsay (Young Married Mom): Maintenance. Oh! I just did it right the first time I typed it here! That never happens! (02.02.2012 09:12pm)
37) Katrina: I am racking my brain trying to think of something.... I am usually really good at pronunciation. =) Now remembering anything these days is my challenge.... =) (02.02.2012 09:13pm)
38) LLarson: judgment and prejudice are always the hardest to spell (and I am a law student so I spell them a lot!) (02.02.2012 09:14pm)
39) jend: I LOVE these!! Super cute and thanks for the give a way KB!!:) I can't spell defanitley (aka: definitely) but thank God for my autocorrecting Mac. I really don't ever realize how bad my spelling is until I use a PC and it doesn't auto correct me. Its bad. My kids have no hope. (02.02.2012 09:15pm)
40) katies: I have the hardest time with "February"(not sure why?) And " definitely". My nephews and niece would love these!!!! (02.02.2012 09:16pm)
41) Kelly H.: Occasion and Occasionally...I always type them with 2 s's. Thank goodness for the red spell check line!!!! :-) Whatever did we do before spell check...oh, right, dictionary! (02.02.2012 09:16pm)
42) Gab: Quinoa... I keep seeing recipes for it. I feel like I always say it wrong. Oh well, I hear it's tasty :-) (02.02.2012 09:18pm)
43) Jenn L.: Cool-Whip :) I say it different every time! (02.02.2012 09:19pm)
44) Kirsten: I almost always misspell piano ... i always type/write it paino ... i don't know why. always drove my dad crazy ... especially since I took piano lessons for years and years. (02.02.2012 09:19pm)
45) Liz McCracken: Vacuum. Or is it vaccum? I hope I win. Those cards would be awesome for my 2 year old. (02.02.2012 09:19pm)
46) Kristi: receive (I always have to say the "i before e except after c" rhyme) (02.02.2012 09:20pm)
47) Karli: Another vote for definitely. I have to say it out loud every time I write it. Love these flashcards! (02.02.2012 09:22pm)
48) Diane: I would have to say "suppose" I always was to put two s's instead of 1. My daughter would love these! She loves letters and looks for the ones she knows everywhere. :) (02.02.2012 09:30pm)
49) Christina: I cannot for the life of me pronounce "ambulance". It's so stupid but I can't ever say it right unless I say it really slow! (02.02.2012 09:37pm)
50) Emily R.: I would use them to help win the title of most creative and education gift giver for my niece. (02.02.2012 09:50pm)
51) Larissa C: I have a hard time spelling convenience (that is spelled incorrectly, i'm sure)! (02.02.2012 09:51pm)
52) Deana rooms: If I start reading too quickly, I will mess up quite and quiet. Weird but true! (02.02.2012 09:55pm)
53) Maryellen: I can't spell the word awkward/aqward/ackward....I mean, as I type this, obviously the spell check shows me how to correctly spell that word....but it is a tough one! (02.02.2012 10:04pm)
54) Abby @ I Used To Have A Brain: When I'm typing I all too often spell "laundry" like "laundrey" . weird? (02.02.2012 10:06pm)
55) Amy: Another vote for definitely!! My 18 month-old would love these! (02.02.2012 10:07pm)
56) Sara: I never could spell the word miniature - I even spelled it wrong at a spelling bee in 5th grade! My little boy (due in June) would love these (eventually) :) (02.02.2012 10:08pm)
57) Christy: I have a lot of trouble with sail, if I don't watch myself I pronounce it like sale. (02.02.2012 10:12pm)
58) Jayme: I use to have the hardest time saying Oxygen! And still to this day, Rory is a hard one to say correctly. And ... i just love thos flashcards! My son would love them too :) (02.02.2012 10:14pm)
59) Lisa: Falafel. A 6th grader correctly me in class today. She watches the Food Network. (02.02.2012 10:14pm)
60) Kelly: Growing up I couldn't say "drawer" or "rural". Also "specific" - that one still gives me some trouble :) (02.02.2012 10:18pm)
61) Alli: License. It took me the longest time to consistently spell that word right! (02.02.2012 10:20pm)
62) Johanna @ These Prices: These are beautiful! I can never remember how to spell receipts. Or publicly. It seems like it should be publically! (02.02.2012 10:23pm)
63) Elizabeth S.: Apparently I cannot pronounce the word crayon correctly. My husband tells me I say "cran" instead of cray-on :) (02.02.2012 10:23pm)
64) Courtney: I would say "Tchoupitoulas" but 1. I'm not sure proper names are allowed and 2. I actually do know how to spell AND pronounce that! But I do remember that when I was growing up I was convinced that "algae" was pronounced "allergy." (02.02.2012 10:44pm)
65) chera: I have adored these cards for many months and just know that my 1 year old son would love them. I have struggled with spelling... pronouncing...and saying many words so it is tough to list just one. (02.02.2012 11:03pm)
66) Kimberly: I always want to spell compared "compaired"! (02.02.2012 11:08pm)
67) Sandy: definitely sure looks like a hard word for a lot of us to spell...and thank the good Lord for dictionary.com and their audible (had to spell check that one too) pronunciations (spell check is smokin' on this comment =o) (02.02.2012 11:43pm)
68) Amber: I can't pronounce statistics, trips my tongue up. My 3 year old would love these cards! (02.03.2012 12:07am)
69) Heidi: I always get confused with cancelled/canceled. One L or two. My phone just autocorreted to two L's, they way that seems correct to me. Drives me bonkers when I see it on the news or in the paper with one L. Am I wrong or is everyone else.... (02.03.2012 12:20am)
70) Sarah: Grievance -- I think it took me years as an adult to finally be able to spell that correctly on a consistent basis. (02.03.2012 12:57am)
71) Sarah@Crazy Love Gamble-Style: "Definitely" glad I'm not the only one that really struggles with this word!! : ) (02.03.2012 04:06am)
72) Erin: definitely, disappointed, affect vs. effect, the list goes on and on! (02.03.2012 04:58am)
73) Julie: Yogurt. Too bad the shopping list on my fridge doesn't have spell check. My husband always makes fun of me for my bad spelling shopping lists. (02.03.2012 07:55am)
74) Erin R.: I've always had trouble spelling nauseous and conscious. (02.03.2012 08:14am)
75) kelly h: Definitely really trips me up!! These are amazing, thanks for the giveway :) (02.03.2012 08:20am)
76) naomi: I have NEVER wanted to win a contest more! I am throwing my son a "Very Hungry Caterpiller" birthday for his First Birthday Party. We read that story ever night!! The word I have the most trouble with (still) is "APPRECIATE" (02.03.2012 08:46am)
77) Jaime Z.: Those are adorable!! I had to teach myself how to spell the word definitely. I actually sat down and typed it over and over again until I had it right. I'd like to say this was when I was a young kid...but it was in college...when I was an English major. :) (02.03.2012 08:46am)
78) Elise: For the life of me, I cannot pronounce "bureau" (02.03.2012 09:06am)
79) Jessica: Ambulance! The l is always out of order... (02.03.2012 09:13am)
80) Leslie: I have to stop and slow down every time I say cross country or it comes out all mashed up (02.03.2012 09:20am)
81) Julie B: I can't think of anything relevant for me at this moment...but my almost 3 year old boy says 'kerr-shomal' instead commercial. Cracks us up every time!!! (02.03.2012 09:27am)
82) Ellen S: I always have to sound out Wednesday Wed-nes-day when writing. Every. single. time. (02.03.2012 09:29am)
83) Gina: I have always loved the word ennui, as written. It's so fun to read. And I have always, internally, mispronounced it. Apparently, it's ahn-wee. Not en-ew-ee. Which is how I have always said it in my head. Also, I need these cards so much. They are awesome. (02.03.2012 09:36am)
84) Marissa: I am the WORST at pronouncing words! (and spelling) I can never ever say drawer. (02.03.2012 09:42am)
85) Christine: I do not annunciate the "t" in words like mountain. (02.03.2012 09:46am)
86) Angie: Sydney - it's the name I may want to name my daughter, but when I'm talking fast I say cindy instead! :) (02.03.2012 10:02am)
87) Adrienne: When typing, i always spell availability incorrectly. Not sure if it's my spelling or my fingers that sabotage me. (And yes, I wrote this in Word so that I could spell it correctly) (02.03.2012 10:15am)
88) Leslie Ruth: I always, ALWAYS have to think about how to spell separate and recommend. You can't see it, but just now when typing them I had to go back and try them different ways :) (02.03.2012 10:17am)
89) Kim: I have a really hard time pronouncing "mercury" lately, which I never had a problem pronouncing when I was younger. So strange! These flash cards look awesome! Thanks, Bean! :) (02.03.2012 10:21am)
90) Deanna: Spaghetti. Yes I realize I am apparently 5, but I can never spell or say it properly at the age of 31. Thank goodness for spell check even in your comments area... (02.03.2012 10:30am)
91) Christen: I always have to pause when writing/typing "received." My one month old has an Eric Carle nursery, so these would be perfect! (02.03.2012 10:52am)
92) Rebecca: Definitely narwhal which I'm still not convinced is a real thing :) (02.03.2012 11:04am)
93) Peggy A: I have never heard of a quetzal or a narwhal ( I had to scroll up 3 times to make sure I spelled them correctly) so I guess they would be my words. Love this giveaway! (02.03.2012 11:16am)
94) JenniferLO: I can't believe I'm going to say this, but every time I spell the word "beautiful," I sound it out just like I was taught in grade school. And I type/write it very slowly to make sure I never miss a letter. Also--love me some Eric Carle. Also a narwhal is a real animal. It's no joke! And he's part of my favorite line from "Elf." "Hope you find your dad, Buddy." "Thanks, Mr. Narwhal." (02.03.2012 11:31am)
95) Erin M: I know it's silly, but I have issues with 'marriage' and 'village'. Their endings sound the same, but one has an 'i' and one doesn't. Gets me every time! (02.03.2012 12:17pm)
96) Jenny: My mom in law always refers to a web 'sight ' instead of 'site'. It's hilarious, but annoying too. I'd love to make her a flashcard for this. (02.03.2012 12:37pm)
97) jenny: Kindergarten or kindergarden....i just don't know... (02.03.2012 12:45pm)
98) Jennifer: I can never spell restaurant right...see taht I just used a new Word document to have spell check correct my misspelled word so I could then COPY and PASTE it into the comment...now tahts lazy! (02.03.2012 12:56pm)
99) lewaletzko: Love love them...and the very hungry caterpillar! I'd either pass them along to my nephew or use them for art in my apartment. (Of course my nephew would get to play with them when he visited!) (02.03.2012 01:25pm)
100) Lauren S: Not so much when I say it but when ever I'm writing or typing wednesday I say it in my head like Wed-NES-day so I spell it right. (02.03.2012 01:25pm)
101) Jessica Astarita: Bag...being from WI it is pronounced BAAAAG (Long A). But my husband always laughs at me and try to get me to say it the southern way and I just can't do it. :-) (02.03.2012 01:33pm)
102) Kelly P: Hmmm.... I can't think of a work I always mispronounce off the top of my head, but my husband is british and he pronounces all sorts of things differently (errr, wrong!) so we're constantly. He also spells tons of words differently. Things like color (colour) and organize (organise). I need British to American flash cards!! (02.03.2012 01:39pm)
103) Melissa Morris: Empathically.. gets me every time. (02.03.2012 02:04pm)
104) Ashley C: Entrepreneurial is hard to pronounce and to spell! demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com (02.03.2012 02:09pm)
105) Diurla: Sucessful? Successfull? Succesful? Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! (02.03.2012 02:11pm)
106) Margie: My husband says I pronounce milk wrong sometimes, something about not doing the 'i' (eh) sound right. :) (02.03.2012 02:56pm)
107) Casey @ The Baker Bee: Apparently. I want to spell it apparantly every. single. time. I also have a really hard time pronouncing brewery... it usually comes out brewy. Not the same. (02.03.2012 02:57pm)
108) BeccaK: Do I really have to admit this? I always try to mis-spell judgment. In my head, there really ought to be another "e" in there somewhere. (02.03.2012 03:11pm)
109) Mariya: Wreath? Wrath? I don't know why I have trouble with that one. (02.03.2012 03:24pm)
110) Farrah: Mine is definitely Worcestershire (like the sauce).....I always butcher the pronunciation but not the spelling, oddly enough! I also tend to screw up the spelling of "accommodate"...always forget that second "m"! (02.03.2012 03:25pm)
111) Leah: What beautiful cards! I have a hard time pronounding Ten and Tin. Don't they sound the same? Apparantly not according to my friends. They laugh when I order Tin Roof ice cream! (02.03.2012 03:48pm)
112) Jill W: In early elementary school, I misspelled tulip. Bless my heart. (02.03.2012 04:09pm)
113) Nicole: Nauseous, I always want to spell it nauseaus. Also, I'm not entirely sure I'm pronouncing it correctly. It wasn't really a problem until I had kids! (02.03.2012 04:09pm)
114) Anna in Ohio: I have such a hard time pronouncing "lk" words, like "bulky"! My kiddo would LOVE the flash cards, though! (02.03.2012 04:31pm)
115) Arielle: I'm from the South Side of Chicago with a heavy south side accent which means I cannot pronounce any word that has a th in it. I pronounce th like d! (02.03.2012 05:17pm)
116) Stephanie: Zuchinni! I'm not even sure if I spelled it right then, but I refuse to google it especially since this comment is about speeling words incorrectly! :) I always either spell it as above, Zuchinni or Zucchini...it just happens to be one of Tucker's favorites so I am always writing this for daycare labels. Which way is right? haha! Guess I need to learn how to spell it correctly and actually remember it! :) (02.03.2012 05:36pm)
117) DM: Definitely! I always spelled it right until recently, someone pointed out that a lot of people misspell it and now I can't ever get it right! (02.03.2012 05:46pm)
118) Amanda: I always have to think before I spell ridiculous - it feels like it should have an "e" in there! (02.03.2012 05:50pm)
119) SharonFaye: Worcestershire Sauce... I just call it Whiskey Sauce. (02.03.2012 09:00pm)
120) laurenbtrain: i cant ever spell defintally ...and I am not spell checking here so I know thats wrong :) (02.03.2012 09:09pm)
121) SharonFaye: what is nelagoney? I looked it up on dictionary.com and it doesn't even show up. (02.03.2012 09:13pm)
122) K: I have to say what my husband has a hard time saying--he says "wooter" for water and "dunkey" for donkey! (02.04.2012 12:01am)
123) Cindy: I have a lisp so anything with with multiple "s" is difficult. Like the state of MA! (02.05.2012 02:55am)
124) Tan: lisence and decision - words where c and s can be confused... (02.06.2012 12:20am)
125) Rachel: Necklace, strangely enough - its a throwback from childhood, have to really concentrate hard not to pronounce it 'neckerlace'! (02.06.2012 03:05am)
126) Jenn: I always have trouble with "hearth." Being from Florida and now living in New England, it's not one of the words that was in my vocab as a kid! (02.06.2012 10:37am)
127) Gwynne: I have trouble with hyena. The first time I say it, I always say "Hen-ya" because "Hi-EEE-na" just doesn't sound right to me. Then I see people's weird looks and correct myself. (02.06.2012 03:02pm)
128) Kate: I'm another one who has trouble with the 'i before e except after c' words...believe, retrieve. Just when you've got it nearly figured out, a wEIrd one comes along! I'd love these cards for my 13 month old daughter :) (02.06.2012 04:11pm)
129) Shannon: Orange... no matter how many times i spell it.. it never looks right to me :) (02.06.2012 04:29pm)
130) Heidi m: Onamatopeia-I love this word but can't spell it. (02.06.2012 10:55pm)
131) Tiffany: I had a hard time saying opthamologist...i just can't say it. I love these flashcards and i think Katie would too. Thanks Bean. (02.07.2012 02:51pm)
132) Aoiffe: Hi! I never know how to pronounce "pediatrist" is it peedeeahtrist or pedIastrist? Help! Love the flashcards, they would be an awesome win. Thank you!!! (02.09.2012 07:42pm)
133) aash: embarassed embarrassed ??? always confused about the right spelling until spell check tells me (02.10.2012 01:10am)
134) Makenna Bishop: These flash cards are great! As a kindergarten teacher, I know my 29 kiddos would love to get their little hands on these babies! ;) While we spend most of our time writing in "kid writing" (developmental spelling) --"Restaurant" gets me every time. no idea why.. (02.16.2012 12:49am)
135) GIVEAWAY: Eric Carle Lacing Cards | Marriage Confessions GIVEAWAY: Eric Carle Lacing Cards | Laugh. Fight. Stay Married.: [...] debated whether to review this product because I’ve already reviewed an Eric Carle product recently, but it’s too darn good not to share. For Gracie’s birthday, my mother-in-law, [...] (04.16.2012 08:53pm)