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Review: Spencer Learning Ultimate Phonics
Teaching our kids to read is one of those mountains that each of us homeschool moms must scale. It’s often the most intimidating mountain, and one that both challenges our confidence and tempts us to throw in the towel, even as we are just beginning to climb. To help us conquer this first mountain peak, Spencer Learning created their Ultimate Phonics Reading Program and offered the Homeschool Review Crew the opportunity to review it. The Ultimate Phonics Reading Program is a downloadable product that will run on a Mac or a PC. You do not need to have an active Internet connection to run this program. Yay! This comes in SO…
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Review: KidsEmail
Kids naturally love to imitate what they see their parents doing! We love to watch our little ones mimic Mom and Dad, whether it’s something like mowing the yard, putting on jewelry, or clomping around the house in oversized shoes. Our kids are tech savvy earlier and earlier, and so naturally they want to copy us in that area too! The Internet can be a scary, scary place though and it’s easy for our kids to unwittingly stumble into trouble. KidsEmail.org is working to change that, and we at the Homeschool Review Crew had the opportunity to review their Annual Subscription. We’ve all had inboxes full of…
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Review: Christian Homeschool Hub Download Club
As homeschoolers, access to printable worksheets on a wide variety of topics can be VERY helpful. I used to spend 10-15 minutes searching the web for a particular worksheet that I would like to use. Then, when I finally found one that I thought would work, it remained to be seen if it was in a form that I could actually download and use!! We were happy to give CHSH-Teach.com a try, as members of the CHSH Download Club. We were given a year’s access to over 50,000 full color downloadable pages, and they add more all the time! The Christian Homeschool Hub (fun name!) has literally thousands of choices,…
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Review: Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy
We LOVE Apologia Educational Ministries at this house, so I was so thrilled to have the opportunity to review their Exploring Creation with Astronomy course. We have reviewed both their Field Trip Journal and their Writers in Residence program before and have really liked them, so we had high expectations for this product too. Apologia did not disappoint! Apologia sent us materials for their Exploring Creation with Astronomy, 2nd Edition, which included the following materials: * Student Text * Notebooking Journal * Jr. Notebooking Journal * Audio CD The student text is a very nice, full color, hardcover book. It reminds me of a textbook, but it’s very…
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Review: Spiritual Circle Journal (Quiet Time Aids for Kids!)
I love exploring tools to help my kids learn how to spend time with God. Now that my oldest can read, there are more and more possibilities open to him! I was excited when Spiritual Circle Journal asked us to review their new Spiritual Circle Journal for Kids & Teens. This journal is a nice size, 8.5 x 11″ landscape. It has a clear plastic cover, with a card stock inside cover. I love the thoughtfulness of the Spiritual Circle Journal team; they also included a blank cover so that kids can personalize their own. The journal includes 3 pages of a Parent/Teacher/Leader Guide to help parents and ministry…
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Review: FlipStir Puzzles
Enlivenze LLC sent us a fun puzzle to try over summer break! We took it with us on a road trip, to ensure that the kids had time to sit still and really play with it. We reviewed their FlipStir puzzle called Solar System. FlipStir Puzzles have won numerous awards from organizations like Dr. Toys, The National Parenting Center, Creative Child Awards, Brain Child, and lots more. The puzzle is self-contained and includes the solution image both on the box and on the bottom of the puzzle. My kids wanted it to come open so they could move the pieces with their fingers, or add a drink! I appreciate…
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Review: Spanish by Foreign Languages for Kids by Kids
I really want my kids to be able to speak Spanish competently, since a lot of doors have opened for me, both in business and ministry, because I can speak and translate a basic level of Spanish. Because of this priority, I tend to jump at opportunities to review foreign language programs. Foreign Languages for Kids by Kids kindly sent us their complete Spanish Starter Set 1, and it’s a robust kit! Our box included: DVD with videos for Levels 1-3 Three Parent-Teacher Guides which sets out a detailed lesson plan, with a suggested viewing schedule and a variety of fun, supplemental and hands on activities to choose…
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Back to School Survival Guide!
Back to School has arrived! Check out this slideshow to make your Back to School days easier!!
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Review: Orphs of the Woodlands Interactive Book App
Star Toaster, a popular company, has released their latest interactive chapter book app called Orphs of the Woodlands at Tangletree. My kids love to play on the iPad, and I welcomed the opportunity for them to have a new educational app to try. This app works on iPhones and iPads, using iOS 8.0 or later and is designed for kids ages 7+. The premise of this story is a sweet one. A flying squirrel cares for 6 orphaned animals (orphs) in his tree house. He soon learns that kids are a lot of work! Who can relate? 🙂 🙂 He has a lot of jobs…
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Review: Great Online Art Program for Kids!
I am not an artsy kind of gal – I took art classes in elementary school but never felt like I had any particular skill at it, and didn’t keep at it long enough to develop any skill! I therefore never felt qualified to teach my kids art – thumbprint art or VERY impressionistic is my bent lol, and I’ve been looking around for an art program for them to try. When ArtAchieve offered us the opportunity to review their Entire Level 1 program, I said yes! And I’m so glad I did!! I wanted a program that didn’t require a lot of supplies. Pen, paper, pencils,…