learning

Maestro Classics: Stories In Music {a review}

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Maestro Classics Review

We love music in our home. We also love classic books on CD or MP3- Maestro Classics has combined the two to bring us their collection of Stories in Music. Maestro offers several titles, but we were able to review Casey At the Bat CD and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel CD. We’re always listening to something, whether we’re sitting outside enjoying the sun or having a dance party in the kitchen. We appreciate the creativity and passion that goes into the music and it would be rude not to enjoy it whenever possible! We’re thinking of investing in a new speaker, something similar to the polk audio t15, so that no matter which room of the house we’re in, we get to listen to our favorite songs.

Maestro Classics has combined wonderful narration with the music of Stephen Simon and the London Philharmonic Orchestra to bring these stories to life. I reviewed the physical CDs, but you can also purchase the MP3s (see links at bottom of post). Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel is recommended for ages 4+, while Casey At The Bat is recommended for all ages; my oldest is 3.5 and loved them. They are definitely appropriate (and fun) for any child that likes to listen to stories and/or music. Both stories in music can be purchased in the MP3 version, for $9.98; the CD version is $16.98.

Quick back story: Each day my children have independent play (IP) in the mornings. We get up, snuggle and have breakfast, play and do learning time, and then at 9am they go to their rooms for IP. While in IP, I always turn on “Jesus songs” for Lexie (children’s hymns). Max doesn’t have a cd player in his room, because soon they will share a room and he will just use hers. (So for now he plays with a key board that has songs on it in his room.)

Casey At the Bat

When we received our books on CD, Lexie immediately wanted to listen to the books in her room during IP. She climbed up in her bed with her “writing book” and pen, and doodled while listening to Casey At The Bat. The first time I joined her so we could listen closely for the different instruments in the music. We pointed out where the songs got LOUD, and where they were quiet. She really enjoyed the book itself, and of course listening to the orchestra. While listening to the story, you feel like you are really at a baseball game- there are cheering crowds, spectators, and the sound of the game itself that all bring the story to life, right in your home. When we listened to it with Max, he really enjoyed the cheering and clapping, and wanted to join in. =)

Casey at the Bat- Maestro Classics

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

In our home, we love Virginia Lee Burton books. I think we have all of them now! Maestro Classics has taken one of her great stories, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and paired it with classical music, including bag pipes (which aren’t as annoying in the story as they may sound). This musical CD won a Parents’ Choice GOLD award and is beautifully done. The story is about friendship and loyalty, which are always valuable life lessons for little ones. All the titles from Maestro looks wonderful! I can’t wait to purchase more of them as gifts.

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

What I Thought

I think it is pretty clear that we are still enjoying both of these stories in music. The sound was clear and the narrator was easy to understand; the music of course was lovely, and the background additions were great at bringing the story to life. I love that they offer the CDs and also MP3 versions.

What I also found very exciting is that Maestro Classics has and entire educational materials page for activities and lessons that you can pair with their books on CD. They have FREE homeschool curriculum guides to go with the audio CDs-these include all areas of study! And, they have teamed up with A Journey Through Learning to bring you lapbooks that go with the CDs! This is awesome, and I think we may do some this summer for fun. Definitely check out the entire Maestro Classics website!

Where to Purchase:

  • Directly through website– there are links for both the MP3 and CD versions

Connect with Maestro Music at:

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Sonlight P4/5: What I think so far

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After I wrote this post , I did a lot of praying, thinking, re-googling and reading, and a lot more praying.

The next morning I woke up, and began purchasing what we need for Sonlight P4/5 for next year.  Between Sonlight, Amazon, and eBay I got everything we need, plus supplemental materials, for less than the package from SL.  This is important to our family; we try to live on a budget and I needed homeschool for this year to fit into that budget.

Sonlight P 4/5 review Part 1

I don’t know if we will go with SL in the future?  I don’t know if it will (mostly) fit what I want for my kids as they get older, but I do know after looking in the instructor’s guide for P4/5, it will fit us perfectly this year!

In the Instructor’s Guide, I am excited to see (and wasn’t expecting):

  • extra activities, cognitive and hands on, that we can add into our lessons and Max can be included
  • room to write in other activities- like our extra memory work, math lessons, etc
  • character traits to focus on that go with the week’s memory verse (LOVE character lessons in this house)

I went back and ordered the binder and tabs.  The tabs (which are weekly) can’t be found elsewhere up to week 36, and the binders have their own reputation for holding up well.  I also bought extra color-coding stickers for our book spines, because I plan to add more books into our reading.  (I may get their P3/4 sticker labels for our BFIAR books, so I can organize them as well for Max later.)  We read a lot.  But what I like about adding in our own selections is that we can read them as quickly or as slowly as we want, and it just adds more great literature.

There are a few titles that I am super excited about; the The Berenstain Bears’ Big Book of Science and Nature is one of them!  I think that will fit nicely with our Big Book of Play and Find Out Science Projects we will add in on our own, and nature studies.

Another title I think will be fun is the audio CD of American Tall Tales.  We love books on CD, and this looks like a great one.  We have the stories that go along with these in our book of Children’s fairytales and fables, A Treasury of Children’s Literature, though Sonlight doesn’t actually call for the physical books for them.

Now, I just have to structure out our extra memory work (poems), All About Reading, and Saxon math lessons into our schedule, and we will be ready to go!  Well, I also have to decide when we will begin, because with baby #3 coming in September, we will need to start early (probably August); but I also like the idea of just taking the month before baby to do nothing but spend time with the kids outside and hold the structure off until after baby comes.  Who know what we will do!  =)

Have you used Sonlight P4/5 in your homeschool?  Are you using something else?  Please share in the comments!

 

Preparing for Next Year’s Homeschool: PreK 4/5 Curriculum Choices {2014/2015}

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curriculum choice 2014/2015 Sonlight

Well, for years months and months I have gone back and forth over what we will use for our curriculum next fall.  What curriculum, what style suites us best, what will keep Lexie’s fire going, her passion for learning; what will also work for Max so we can reuse some materials, etc.

I have also had to consider what will be easiest to fit into our life, with baby #3 due in September of this year.  =)

As you know I have mostly decided on a classical/Charlotte Mason education style for our family because it just fits us (and our love of the outdoors, learning, and books); but I have also been contemplating joining Classical Conversations.  There is a community not too far from us that a dear friend is also a part of.  I really enjoyed the open house I attended and Lexie did AMAZING sitting in the room with me for the 2 hours we were there.  However, I just don’t know if we are ready for it yet.

I love the Charlotte Mason approach to learning.  It encompasses everything I believe about education and family uniting.  It is Biblically based, and literature rich (so is classical education).  It is truly where my passion for learning and educating my children comes full circle.

Charlotte Mason is also what I see in my children.  I see Lexie loving books- asking questions about everything we read; wanting to know more and making connections from her books to her world.  Max is beginning the same process- he didn’t love reading books at first, but at about 13 months old, he became obsessed with them, just like big sister.  When I sit on the floor, he will bring me a book and say, “boo-k,” turn around and plop into my lap.  He then proceeds to open the book and I will read.  He really likes for me to take his finger and point to everything in the picture and say its name.  He loves reading.  And that tells me he will also love learning.

I want to keep their fires burning, but I need to do that in a way that will fit our young family’s lifestyle.  As a busy mom of soon-to-be 3, there won’t be much time for the intense planning that a combined classical/Charlotte Mason style education can require.  So in the fall, (well, really in January probably) I think we will begin with Sonlight’s P4/5 curriculum.

Sonlight P 4/5 includes: read alouds and language arts, science, Bible, rediness skills, beautiful art books and studies, and introduces world cultures.  One thing I love about classical education is it begins history at the beginning.  So children not only learn there is much, much more to their world than just their immediate surroundings, but they also learn where it all began.  Sonlight does an amazing job of choosing wonderful children’s literature and living books to teach every subject, which is where the Charlotte Mason style comes in.  Another point I love is that Sonlight is fairly adaptable.  You can supplement with as many books as you’d like, whatever math you prefer (although they sell a few great curricula), and you can make it work with just about any style of education, if you really want to.  Their book list is what has driven their popularity for years, but as more and more families have used it, the more it has become known for being a wonderful core curriculum.  (no, this is not a review and I am not being paid to say any of this!).

We already have a phonics/reading program we will use, which we haven’t started yet.  I chose All About Reading because it is so child friendly and hands on, which I think will be fine for Lexie (as I am mostly sure she has a photographic memory) but I know will be great for Mister, because he is my 100% tactile learner.  We will use this with our Sonlight, along with Saxon or Horizon’s math, and a few supplemental activities in science.

I have many friends ask me about two things :1) homeschool curricula and options and 2) converting to a healthier, real food lifestyle.  #1 is mostly why I am writing this post.

I tell you, I cannot wait to get started next year.  We might begin in August, to get a head start, then take off in September-Christmas with the baby coming, holidays, etc., then start back in January.  Or we may just begin in january and go through part of the summer…  I know me, and I know Lexie, and chances are we will not want to take that much time off.  We both crave structure and our learning time together, so I imagine we will get back to it pretty quickly.

One thing I am really looking forward to is not having to plan and print every thing we do in this season of life.  Right now, I am using a printable curriculum (that we both love) and we are doing Five in A Row which is Charlotte Mason style, but requires all the planning be done by the parent. So it requires a lot of time on my part.  Sonlight has done most of the work for me, meaning I can enjoy my time teaching, learning, and snuggling, all three of my babies this fall.

So, I have to get busy filling orders in my etsy shop, since that is how I plan to pay for this curriculum!  haha  If you haven’t noticed I haven’t been writing much lately.  There is a two fold reason for this. 1) The first trimester of this pregnancy has kicked my butt!  Between the extreme nausea and exhaustion, I am just now catching up on household duties! and 2) I have been very busy making baby blankets in my etsy shop.  I keep saying I am going to slow down, finish my drapes for the kitchen, and make a few dresses for Lexie, but so far that hasn’t happened.  Hopefully soon!

KinderBach: Online Piano Lessons for Children {a review}

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Kinderbach Review
In recent weeks we have been so blessed to have had the opportunity to try and use a beginner piano program for our three year old daughter. The KinderBach Online Piano Lesson Membership with Teacher Corner, is a wonderful program for young children to learn the basics of playing piano (whether they’re learning on the Amidio piano VST or an organ). Each lesson is set up to be only a few minutes (perfect for young children). Lexie loved it so much, we couldn’t only do one lesson. We did several lessons at a time.

Now, I actually have something to compare this with as well, as we recently enrolled Billy through private piano lessons san francisco. I’m interested to see what he preferred the best.

Kinderbach Review

All About KinderBach Membership with Teacher Corner:

One of the great things about the KinderBach Online Piano Lesson Membership with Teacher Corner is the ease of use for parents and children. It is ideal for ages 3-7, but I can see using this with older children as well, because you can skip some of the lessons, and go at your own pace! You will receive:

  • Access to all web lessons (over 240 sessions) by computer, iPad, Android Tablet, Kindle Fire, or Nook.
  • Accompanying downloaded PDF activity pages- these are great!
  • Access to all Teacher Corner materials for Levels 1 to 6 PDFs and Audio MP3s
  • Download all story books, coloring pages and song books

So, what is the Teacher Corner? The Teacher Corner membership gives you everything needed to teach group music lessons and more in convenient digital downloads. You can have your books right now (and they’re included in the price!). Choose from over $400 worth of books in the Teacher’s Corner and more will be added soon. You never have to pay more for a new edition. Membership gives you the opportunity to download all updates.

You will get all of that for $95.88/year which is $7.99 a month. There is no way you can find a piano teacher for $7.99 a month, plus purchase any necessary books and music. All of that will be included in your membership!

Online piano/keyboard lessons: KInderBach

What You Need

There are a few things you will need for KinderBach online piano lessons:

  • A piano or keyboard- yes, you can use a regular ole keyboard! If you need help finding a good one to use then check out this yamaha p115 review
  • A few things from around the house- wooden spoons, empty cartons, plastic lids- anything really. No need to get fancy!
  • A printer is helpful- with a printer, you can print your digital books and activity sheets.

What I Love About It

First and foremost, my favorite part of KinderBach is that is truly is child friendly! My 3.5 year old did great doing these lessons on her own. She was even able to tell her violin teacher a thing or two about the piano! She especially enjoyed the rhythmic exercises, and so did her 18 month old brother. It was something they were able to enjoy doing together, and learn at the same time. Obviously the tot didn’t get as much from it, but hey- he can now hit sticks together in rhythm! =)

Online piano lessons ages 3-7 KinderBach

We used the website on our iPad, which made it very easy to set up right in front of our keyboard (after doing some research and using sites like https://www.revitalizingdowntowns.net/, we did settle on getting a keyboard rather than a piano, it’s absolutely the best fit for us). Because KinderBach accommodates all formats, chances are you own a device it is compatible with. The lessons include songs and music your family is probably familiar with, which help teach parts of music such as: different kinds of notes, different keys on the keyboard, and how to keep rhythm. It is very developmentally appropriate for children, as it allows them to move about and does not require they sit at a piano the entire time (or at all, really).

For me the parent, I can pick and choose what books we use, how fast we go, and how often we do it. This was something we used about 3 times a week, and often did 2-3 lessons at a time, because Lexie enjoyed it so much. We will continue using it in this way. Just before we began these lessons, my husband mentioned putting her in piano lessons, along with the violin lessons she already loves. Lexie loves music, and loves instruments. KinderBach has turned out to be the perfect combination of fun, easy (for the teacher), and developmentally appropriate, for our family!

piano lessons ages 3-7 KinderBach with Teachers Corner

Connect with KinderBach:

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Common Core Broken Down {the truth about common core}

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As a parent, and adult with an education degree, Common Core absolutely fascinates me.

And not in a good way.

the truth about common core

There is so much information surrounding common core, it can become overwhelming and difficult to weed through fact and fiction.

I ask you to watch this video.  It is slow, calm, broken down, and VERY informative.  Pay close attention to a few things:

  1. The CC set up isn’t exactly legal
  2. The information the federal government is collecting on teachers, parents, and students
  3. It is unaccountable to voters, and yet we are paying for it
  4. Standards are copyrighted, and therefore can not be edited by schools, school boards, or PTAs
  5. It developmentally INappropriate for children

It doesn’t matter if you are a public school parent, private school parent, homeschooling parent, a parent with preschool aged children, or not even a parent yet.  If you are a parent or if there is a chance you may become a parent, you should be informed FULLY on Common Core, so you can make you OWN informed decision, and then use that information to protect education- your child’s education.

You may become informed and LOVE CC, and that is fine.  But you may also become informed and realize just what it is that is happening in education and that you need to get busy writing someone at your board and state levels.

 

This is also a great video about Common Core from a college professor-wonderfully said!

 

Okay, here is one more that puts CC into perspective from a high school student’s learning experience:

Reading Eggs: Learn to Read {A Review}

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Reading Eggs is a fun, online reading program.  My daughter is three (and a quarter); she reads sight words and phonetically.  Reading Eggs has been a great addition to our homeschool days.  Lexie has really enjoyed moving from one activity to the next.

Reading Eggs is leveled, and makes it easy for you to decide where to start your child.  Lexie started with the first steps.  This helped her to practice her phonics skills and letter recognition.

learn to read homeschool Reading Eggs

Why Try Reading Eggs?

  • 91% of parents have noticed an improvement in their child’s reading ability since using Reading Eggs
  • Includes over 1500 ebooks
  • Compatible on PC, Mac, iPad and Android
  • Money-back guaranteed

Why Reading Eggs works

  • Developed by expert educators with 20+ years’ experience
  • Based on solid scientific research
  • The program makes learning phonics and basic reading skills fun for 3–13 year olds
  • Your child can progress through the one-on-one lessons at their own pace
  • Regular progress reports and assessments track your child’s learning

What I love about Reading Eggs

  • They have an iPad compatible app, since Lexie isn’t using a computer yet, this works for us.
  • It reinforces the lessons through repetition, but keeps it fun by offering multiple activities.
  • There is an entire “Playhouse” area, where your child can just play and learn.  No worrying about matching answers and getting sounds correct.  It is just for fun, and there is lots to explore.
  • Reading Eggs has great customer service- I emailed about changing the accent in the app, and they got right back with me.

There are also reward incentives; students earn golden eggs as they complete lessons and can use these eggs to buy clothes for the avatars, etc.  This is probably enticing to older children, Lexie doesn’t really care either way.  She just likes to learn, and do the lessons.  But I can see how that would be enticing for older kids.

What Could Be Better

Lexie had a complaint about one of the activities-the student has to match a word from the bottom of the page to one of 6 pictures at the top.  This is doable, but then they mix up the pictures and ask you to do it again… this to her is frustrating.  If she already did it once, and did it correctly, why is she having to do it again instead of moving on to the next activity?  I understand why they do it, I also understand why it frustrates her.  =)

The program asks you to click on the letter sound in words- basically the child is identifying the letter.  Which is great.  But in some words, the letter doesn’t make the same sound the narrator is making for the letter- for instance he says, “click on the /g/ in these words” but the word is giraffe, and in that word G makes the /j/ sound … so that can be confusing because he doesn’t say “click on the G in this word” so the child will naturally look for the letter J because at this stage in reading, they only know the /g/ sound that G makes …

They also asked “which picture starts with the /m/ sound.  The picture is of moss on a rock, but naturally Lexie thought it was rock not moss the picture was representing. However, the students can click (or tap) on a speaker that read the picture to them-which would clarify the rock/moss confusion.  But your child needs to know to press the speaker to be sure they understand what the picture is representing.  This is not a huge deal, and would not keep me from subscribing to the program.  It is just something to be noted.

Free Trial

Reading Eggs is offering you a 5 week free trial!  That is long enough to try the program with your children and see results for yourself.  For every new free trial sign up Reading Eggs will donate $1 to The National Children’s Cancer Society up to a total of $25,000!

free trial reading eggs

Connect with Reading Eggs:

**Read to Cure**

From February 3 to March 7 your child can join children across the US taking part in the Reading Eggs Read-To-Cure Challenge – a nationwide effort to inspire children to read while raising funds for The National Children’s Cancer Society.  

Read To Cure

*NCCS will earn a minimum of $25,000 from Reading Eggs plus 100% of the donations collected by RTCC participants.

I review for Mosaics frane

 

 Quiet In The Chaos Disclosure

Top Homeschool Supplies {day 3}

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There are a few things we have in our home, that I can’t imagine homeschooling without.

The first one, is our Family Bible.

The first thing my daughter usually asks for when we start our day, is to read from our Family Bible. During her free time, she likes to get the Bible and delicately turn through the pages of the book. She rereads what we have read, and asks about the paintings.

I love that her education is rooted in the Bible, and that she enjoys learning about it.

The second homeschool supply I couldn’t live without is my Scotch Laminator.

This has been the best investment for our family homeschool. It was one of the very first things that my husband suggested I get, and I have used it a ton!

It is great for saving student projects, and it is also a valuable tool for creating reusable printables. When utilizing online resources, you can use a laminator to make anything you print reusable. From handwriting sheets to math practice, everything can become reusable. Simply file away for future students.

I also use our laminator for making our printable books, flash cards, and games more durable.

The third top supply on my list is a printer.

Good printers are expensive. They consume ink, and require paper which means they always cost money. But they save so much money. They literally turn your computer, tablet, or phone into your curriculum. This is why I recommend that you check out this guide on the Top 10 Best Printers For Home Office – Reviews (Ink Efficient). Before jumping into a printer purchase, it is important to consider your needs as you may need a more high end one if you are printing a lot of high-quality pictures for example. For the top things to check when investing in a new printer, click here.

The brand Brother looked like the best one on the market at the time. From providing home printers to brothers thermal printer for commercial companies, they have so much to offer. We bought a Brother MFCJ825-DW. I did so much research before I purchased this printer. What I found is that the MFCJ825 does the most work (print, scan, copy, and fax if you need that..), with the most options (like wireless connection) and takes a very reasonably priced generic brand, compatible ink.

Right now, Amazon doesn’t have this printer at the price I paid with free shipping. But I am sure you can find it somewhere else. The ink is compatible, works fine, and gives great results.

I am not sure what we would do without our printer- I print so much of our activities and work off the internet for free. It is a lot of money to invest in a printer, but it also is a great printer, with good reviews, that isn’t just a throw away a year later. I’ve got so many printed documents, my house is always full of piles of paper. I’m actually considering getting some document management software from http://www.filecenterdms.com so that I can properly organize all my documents online. My friend works in an office and she uses document management software too. She says it’s made her life much easier and it’s even increased her productivity!

These are the 3 things that our homeschool could not function without. They are absolutely essentials for us.

What are your homeschool essentials?

Don’t forget about the iPad mini giveaway, enter here:

iPad Mini Giveaway: 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials

5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials

Read about other homeschooling essentials at any of these blogs:

Mary @ Winecup Christian Homeschool
Jenni @ Conversaving
Meghan @ Quiet in the Chaos
Karen @ Tots and Me
Beth @ Weavings
Tawnee @ Adventures in Homeschooling
Karen @ My Harbor Lights
Amy @ Wildflower Ramblings
Kristi @ The Potter’s Hand Academy
Tara @ This Sweet Life

The Ultimate Homeschool Planner {Day 2}

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Welcome to TOS’s 5 days of homeschooling essentials, day two.

My #2 for of homeschool essentials is a planner. For me, it is the Ultimate Homeschool planner by Debra Bell.

This planner is a life saver when it comes to homeschooling. It allows you to plan for up to 6 students. Everything is blank so you can fill it in as you wish-dates, grids, names. At first, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about that. But after using it for a few weeks, I was in love! Many children initially think that being homeschooled is a bad option, especially when one of the things they look forward to about going to school is being with their friends. But as they soon understand, doing this is for their own benefit. Your tutor may not have all the resources that your school can provide, but through the use of the internet, everything is within your reach. Deadlines are also set to make it feel like a schooling environment. “I’d rather be playing with my friends than doing my homework“, is the type of mentality that will leave any student behind on their work. But there are online solutions to help, which means you will be on your way to getting a good grade.

As well as online services, there are many ways that you can be productive while being home schooled. Through traditional methods like using a planner, you can write days of the week, student names, or subject titles in any of the weekly grids. Then, there are monthly pages; each month gets a two page layout. These are also blank, so you can begin, end, and skip any months you’d like. For instance, we didn’t really do much in December, so I didn’t fill in the month of December. What I also like about the monthly layouts, is there are enough daily squares for those really weird months where the days fall in such a way you need a fifth row on the calendar.

There is a lot of space for notes, and each week begins with a page for a scripture focus, and goals. There is also allotted pages for each week’s “memorable moments” which I use as a journal for the kids. Even though we don’t need so much planning power just for preschool, this is a wonderful, thorough, Christian based resource.

Everything I journal and prayerfully plan for children’s educations is neatly organized in one place; that, I love.

There are some complaints about having to write in all the blank dates, etc because the moms didn’t like their handwriting…

I agree. I don’t like my sloppy handwriting. But, I also think it is a great piece of memorabilia for my children one day. I cherish the journal I have of my mom’s when she was pregnant with me, and the handwritten envelopes from my grandmothers. Along with being an amazing planner, this can be a piece like that my children can look back on one day.

The Ultimate Homeschool Planner is my second homeschool essential! Check it out on Amazon for an inside look and to read reviews.

Don’t forget about the iPad mini giveaway! Enter here:

iPad Mini Giveaway: 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials

 

5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials
Want to read about other blogger’s homeschool essentials? click on a link below:

Mary @ Winecup Christian Homeschool

Jenni @ Conversaving

Meghan @ Quiet in the Chaos

Karen @ Tots and Me

Beth @ Weavings

Tawnee @ Adventures in Homeschooling

Karen @ My Harbor Lights

Amy @ Wildflower Ramblings

Kristi @ The Potter’s Hand Academy

Tara @ This Sweet Life

5 Days of Homeschool Essentials {day 1}: Planning

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Join me in the next five days for a great series from The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew.

I am going to begin my series of posts with my #1 homeschooling essential:

planning time.

clock

I know, it seems obvious.  But honestly it can be hard to find time to plan school when you are submerged in laundry, dishes, diapers, and dinners all day long.  There is very little flying by the seat of your pants when homeschooling.  Because I have my oldest and then a 16 month old toddler running around, I need things to be orderly and put together before we begin each day.  It allows us to have the most fun and optimize our time as a family.

To successfully homeschool, manage a home, and include very important quality time with your spouse, planning ahead is essential.

Some homeschooling mamas {and papas} schedule a once or twice a year retreat.  They go for a weekend and do all their planning, find curricula, and decide on goals for their children’s school year.  That is probably a very practical idea, especially if your have older children to homeschool.

For me, it means tentatively writing out goals for the year, then planning for the month, and each week (Sunday nights) printing off and writing out all our activities.   My oldest is in preschool, but doing some kindergarten work.  How you plan for your homeschool may look completely different than how other plan.

How do you plan your family’s homeschool?  What is your #1 tip for planning your year?

Don’t forget about the iPad mini giveaway sponsored by some of the TOS Review Crew!  Enter here:

iPad Mini Giveaway: 5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials

Please check out some fellow Review Crew member’s “5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials”:

Mary @ Winecup Christian Homeschool

Jenni @ Conversaving

Meghan @ Quiet in the Chaos

Karen @ Tots and Me

Beth @ Weavings

Tawnee @ Adventures in Homeschooling

Karen @ My Harbor Lights

Amy @ Wildflower Ramblings

Kristi @ The Potter’s Hand Academy

Tara @ This Sweet Life

5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials

National Geographic Children’s Books {Giveaway}

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You probably know how much we love books in this house!  Lexie walks around with her nose in a book at all times (and she’s only 3); I have to take them from her at meal times so she will actually eat.
And the winner is ….. @kirbyhoberg

Kirby, I have sent you an email, please respond within 24 hours!  Thanks!

So, needless to say, I was very excited when we got the chance to review a set of books from National Geographic.
 
The official un-boxing

National Geographic has a wonderful reputation for beautiful real-world photographs, and great content. Their unsurpassed reputation extends to their children’s books as well.

Why National Geographic?
For more than 125 years, the National Geographic team has been dedicated to exploring and documenting the world.  Backed by the global resources and expertise of the National Geographic Society, National Geographic Kids Books are packed with kid-friendly features, photos, facts, and fun inspired by their award-winning National Geographic Kids magazine.

Lexie actually receives the kids’ magazine subscription; my mom got it for her and she really enjoys it!

What I love about It
I am most excited about the Almanac 2014 title and the First Big Book of Why!  

The world’s best-selling Almanac for kids is packed with amazing animals, cool inventions, dinosaurs, robots, maps, games, activities, and more–all in one “fun-tastic” volume.  In true National Geographic style, this book excites young people about their world and everything in it, so it’s no surprise that it’s the only kids’ almanac with mobile media features that allow kids to download National Geographic videos, photo galleries, and games. ( When I save up my money for a new computer, we are going to start introducing her to working on the computer via games so this will be perfect!)

Lexie is deep in the “why” and “why not” phase.  This book is going to be a great Christmas gift for her!  

 
 
 
These books are all beautiful, and I highly recommend them for gifts, or use at home and in the classroom.  You will enjoy reading the National Geographic kid’s books with your children and grandchildren.
 
From the book, “Mother’s Love”
Where to buy {and a Discount!}
National Geographic Books are available wherever books are sold, including national book chains, online retailers, independent bookstores, discount wholesale clubs, toy stores, specialty retailers, and more.  Order by December 6, 2013 to receive your order by Christmas.
For a limited time only, get special discounts at ngbooks.org/momsmeet
 
Connect with National Geographic
 
Giveaway {Please read carefully and completely}
Now for the Giveaway!  I want to share from my selection of books.  
  • As a winner you will receive Devoted: 38 Extraordinary Tales of Love, Loyalty, and Life With Dogs.  
  • The Giveaway begins November 21, 2013 and ends December 8, 2013.  I will E-mail the TWO winners within 24 hours of it ending.
  • You {the winner} have 24 hours to respond before I need to draw another name.
  • Open to US residents in upper 48 states
  • Must be 18 or older to enter
 
Thanks, Y’all!
 
 
I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meets program, May Media Group LLC, who
received it directly from the manufacturer.  I agreed to review this product, giving my honest opinion.  My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC. or the manufacturer of the product.
 
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