TOS Crew Review - Ooka Island

Ooka Island Adventure is a 3-D interactive reading program designed for ages 3-7.  Ooka Island is a virtual world in which children participate in different activities designed to teach phonics, word blends, sight words, and early reading.  All of the activities are designed to be fun and engaging, while also educational.  You can read about Ooka Island's philosophy, methods and features here.

The student starts their island adventure by creating an avatar.  This avatar then travels to different areas in the island, completing various tasks and challenges, for which they receive "Ooka Mist" - a currency they are able to spend later on.  Activities include the "Cave of Sounds", in which they have to listen for as well as visually find different phonic sounds, "Alphabet Mountain" in which they climb a mountain by jumping from letter to letter in alphabetical order, and then skateboard back down, also identifying letters, and "Z-Doo", in which the student rides on a watercraft vehicle and has to practice saying various sounds at checkpoints, plus many more! There is also a visit to the "Popcorn Library", where the student hears a book being read to them, and then has to answer some basic questions about the story, as well as learn sentence structure and sight words.  As the student progresses in their lessons, more and more parts of the island become accessible, teaching more and more complex skills, such as phonics blending and sight words. 

After about 20 minutes of lesson time, the student is rewarded with "Free Play" which lasts about 8-10 minutes.  During Free Play, the student can visit "Pencil Playground", where they can play with elves, change their avatar, listen to music, or spend their Ooka Mist on other fun things.  The student can also choose to go play some more of the learning activities during Free Play - which, surprisingly, was a popular choice here!  That goes to show how fun the learning activities are!

Check out videos on The OokaTube to get a more in-depth look at the program!

Nathan (4.5) was my reviewer for Ooka Island, although ALL the boys enjoyed watching Nathan play.  He eagerly asks for his "Ooka Island" time every day (even on the weekends!) and I feel that the program has definitely strengthened his progress in reading.

We did find a few small potential drawbacks that I wanted to address.  First, to access the program, it must be downloaded, and it is a very large file.  It took several tries to get my computer to complete downloading it, and once it finally did, it took over an hour for the entire download.  (Also note, that even though it is a downloaded program, web access is still required to play - not a drawback for me, but just something to keep in mind.)

Second, there area  few games that said a microphone was needed for voice recognition so the student can practice saying the sounds.  The games are actually still fully functional without the microphone, so if the student doesn't have one, that's OK.  However, we noticed that even with the microphone, Nathan could say whatever he wanted into the microphone, and the game still continued as if he were saying the correct thing.  I didn't understand this, but the FAQ's on the Ooka Island website somewhat addresses this (and also leads me to another point):

At Ooka Island our goal is to help all young learners achieve reading success. We wanted to make the game accessible to all children, so the game is playable without a microphone or headset. If a child plays without a microphone, she/he will not miss out on any features or activities on the Island.

Not having a microphone does not change the game play experience but it does change the data that we are able to process during play. Without a microphone we are unable to record and process speech using voice recognition. Without this data we are unable to produce a report in the Ooka Lighthouse that displays progress in the Z-doo (Voice Recognition) activity.

It says that the voice recognition feature is used to produce a report in the Ooka Lighthouse, which is supposed to be the parental control spot, where I would be able to see Nathan's progress.  However, at the time of my writing this review, the Ooka Lighthouse was not yet functioning, so I can't comment on how well it is laid out or how useful it is.  That was a bit disappointing for me, because part of using a computer-based educational program is the ability to track my children's progress, since I am not teaching them directly.  I am looking forward to when I can get a look at it!

My final drawback was that I felt the lessons were a bit too long.  I'm not a fan of my 4 year old sitting in front of the computer for a half an hour at a time.  I know many people don't have a problem with that at all, so its a particular issue I had, and may not be something that concerns others at all!

However, despite these drawbacks, overall I feel that Ooka Island is an early reading program that is effective and engaging, and I would recommend it!  You can actually try it yourself for 14 days free, to see what you think!

Here is the pricing list for Ooka Island:

(Please note that if you are a large homeschooling family with more than 4 children that would be using the program, they recommend buying an annual school license.)

Here's a promo code you can use to save 30% on a monthly subscription!

Check out what other Crew Members thought of Ooka Island by heading over the the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product  specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of  the TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to  this review.

Timberdoodle Review - Purpllinker

It's a bird!  It's a plane!  No, it's a....

Purpllinker!

Purpl... what?!  Purpllinker!  Don't worry, we just affectionately call it the "purple thing".  What is this long, bendy purple thing, you ask?  It's a great manipulative (and toy!) from Timberdoodle (one of the most fun homeschool supply resources around)!

 

I'll be totally honest here - I was given a few choices of items to review, and the Purplinker was not my first choice.  I didn't think it looked very... interesting.  Boy, was I wrong!  From the minute the package was opened, the "purple thing" quickly became the most fought over item in the home  (Well, Michael and I usually share, but the boys have some trouble!).

Intended for ages 3 and up, and included in Timberdoodle's Preschool Curriculum, every single one of my children love to "fidget" with it.  It gets carried in the car, played with during read-alouds, used for quiet time, and occasionally confiscated as it attempts to be used as a sword or other weaponry. (Hey, this is a houseful of boys, what else is to be expected?!)  Thankfully, because of it's rounded edges and lightweight, flexible deisgn, it's never done any damage!

It's actual purpose it to be used as a manipulative to help children with early phonics - making reading "hands-on" through the child shaping the Purpllinker into various letters.  Of course, this can also carry over into math, being used to make numbers or shapes.  It's not always as easy as it looks, however, so it's also a great thinking skills and coordination tool!  The package comes with instructions demonstrating how to make each letter, number, and shape, but I've found it far more interesting to allow my children to try to figure it out themselves!

Here's Nate (4.5 years old), using the Purpllinker to make a "d", which is the letter he's currently learning in Explode the Code book C:

It has 7 "links", so it's long!

Thinking hard!

No, silly!  That's an "L"!

That's close!  Try a little more...

Yes, it is tricky!

Hooray!  We got it!

I was pleasantly surprised at the versatility, usefulness, and FUN!  that the Purpllinker supplies.  I definitely recommend it!  It is very reasonably priced at only $11.25 and can be found at Timberdoodle!

By the way, if you don't already get Timberdoodle's catalog, you're missing out!  I actually hide mine when it comes so I can read it in peace and quiet without lots of little eyes peering eagerly over my shoulder.  It's FULL of unique and interesting homeschool supplies!  Also, be sure to "like" Timberdoodle on Facebook, too!

As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received a free Purpllinker in exchange for a frank and unbiased review.

TOS Crew Review - Before Five in a Row

Five in a Row is a curriculum that is thoroughly literature-based and whose authors have a heart for helping children love books and love learning.

First, a basic explanation of what the "Five in a Row" concept is all about -  good, quality, age-appropriate literature is used as a base for unit studies.  One book is read for five days (hence the "Five in a Row" name!) and used for discussions and teaching about everything from art, to geography, to math, science, social studies, and more! While FIAR's main curriculum is for grade school on up, they also have a curriculum just for preschoolers (ages 2-4), called Before Five-in-a-Row.

The vision statement for Before Five in a Row is this:

"Dedicated to protecting and nurturing the early years of childhood, Before Five in a Row opens up the world of learning through great books and creative play, and builds a solid foundation for more formal education to come."

Before Five in a Row is divided into two parts.  Part One contains 24 "lessons" - each lesson for one story.  Each lesson gives a basic summary of the story, includes Bible verses that can go along with the story, and many different suggestions for light activities or discussion topics for each story.  Part Two is the "Parent's Treasury of Creative Ideas for Learning Readiness" and is a plethora of suggestions and resources for gentle things to enjoy with your child throughout their everyday living.

The activities are very light, easy to do, and natural - occasionally there were suggestions that needed materials to prepare for, but usually the activities had to do with the book itself, or having the child think creatively about the story.

There is a small amount of prep work I felt necessary for each lesson - first and foremost, locating the book!  Many are classic stories that we already had in our personal library (13 to be exact), and most others were found easily at the public library (our library had 7 that I didn't own).  There were a few titles listed (4) that are actually out of print, so I was not able to find them - most were available on amazon, but prices varied.  After gathering the books together, I did a brief run-through of the suggested activities and made note of which ones I wanted to do, and what supplies might be needed.  That took all of 5-10 minutes, so prep time was really very low!

My reviewers for Before Five in a Row were Judah (age 2), Nathan (age 4), and even Joel (age 6).  They all loved Before Five in a Row!  I don't know any child that doesn't want their favorite book read again and again and again, so each day when I pulled out the book of the week, they were very happy!  (Admittedly, Joel, being the "big kid", tended to object on the second day, but by the third or fourth day, he would ask for the book, too!)

I'll go ahead and be very blunt about my impression of Before Five in a Row (and if you've read my blog very long, this won't surprise you!) - I LOVE it.  Love, love, love it.  From their philosophy of childhood learning, to the beautiful books they've chosen, to the gentle, age-appropriate lessons they've pieced together, I feel that Before Five in a Row is a wonderful way to introduce a young child to the love of literature!  As well as a beautiful way to make memories together - snuggling up, reading stories and having delightful conversation.

Here's a quote from the introduction of the Before Five in a Row guide (which sums up my opinion of early childhood learning to a "T"!):

"Above all, the time between ages two and four should be a time of sharing, hugging, reading, singing, dancing, puzzles, blocks, outdoor excursions, swinging high, playing in the sand box and enjoying fascinating introductions to the wonderful world of life.

The ideas presented in Before Five in a Row are not meant to teach in depth, but only to enhance your child's awareness of the world around him and create memorable times of interaction between you. ..."

There are, however, two things I wish were a little bit different - one, I wish the parent's guide was spiral bound - I tend to feel that most teacher's guides are easier to handle when spiral-bound and this one is no different.  Second, I wish that the book guide and activities were updated so that the books that are out of print were replaced with easier to find books.  Both of these "complaints" are very small in my mind and would not deter me from using Before Five in a Row!

Also, I wanted to add - the book is very age-appropriate for the recommended 2-4 year old range.  I consider that a good thing, but could present a difficulty in trying to combine an older student K or 1st grade child (such as my Joel, for example).  Thankfully, it is very easy to find additional resources around the web designed to use with Before Five in a Row to help it cover an even broader age-range.  The stories themselves are timeless so that any age can enjoy them - so, with the help of a few supplemental activities, Before Five in a Row can easily be used for early elementary years, as well.

The parent's guide is priced at $35, and the books are sold separately or available at your local library.  Many you probably own already! 

As you can see, I would recommend Before Five in a Row in a heartbeat to anyone looking for a nice, gentle way to spend some structured "learning" time with their preschooler.

See what other TOS Crew members thought of Before Five in a Row at the TOS Homeschool Crew blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the  purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool  Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

Encouragement for the Mom of Littles

In our house, among the children, we have "bigs" and we have "littles".  Our "bigs" are the 8 and over set (currently only two fit into that category, Isaac, who is 10.5, and Ezra, who is 9) and the "littles" are, well, everyone else (that would be Joel (6.5), Nathan (4.5), Judah (2), and Rachel (6 months).  While my big kids are actually still on the younger side (no drivers yet!), I have come to notice there is a definite difference in my life from when I had ALL littles to now having some big ones.

The "all littles" years are hard.  Plain and simple!  I remember being the only source of entertainment, the only one who could buckle carseats, hold hands in the parking lot (difficult when you've got more littles than hands!), push a grocery cart, make breakfast for lots of hungry mouths, change diapers, and so on.  I remember trying to nurse a baby to sleep while keeping a toddler occupied, quiet and safe.  I remember wondering how to get all the groceries into the house by myself with a baby that needs to nurse and a toddler that needs to go potty.  It can be, and often is, exhausting.

The being said, I wanted to encourage any moms who are in the middle of the "all littles" phase - it gets easier!  I promise!

The littles grow, and with good training and discipline, they become helpers!  My oldest two can make snacks and meals, entertain the littles while I'm nursing the baby, hold the baby while I help another in the potty, load up the car and buckle car seats, unload groceries and put them away, and so on.  I was recently left alone with just my four little guys for a few days, and, boy! did it bring back memories - and a greater appreciation for my big guys.

However, the are some words of caution I want to toss out, too.  These are very important!

First, keep in mind that while you have just littles, you will need to be looking toward the future by teaching your littles to obey and to be helpers.  They won't just magically become that way at the drop of a hat.  Let the little ones come alongside you in everything you do.  Yes, that will mean more work in the beginning.  But the harvest will be worth it!  Love them, encourage them, and train them to obey!  They will be eager to start taking on more and more "big" responsibilities.

Second, don't keep your focus so much on the future that you sacrifice the now.

It can get easy to start dreaming of an "easier" time (I say easier in quotes because ALL phases of parenting has their challenges - they're just different challenges!).  Planning and preparing for the future is one thing, but constantly putting your mind on "when they're ____, I'll be free!" will only breed discontent.  Mamas, you will miss so, so much if this is your mindset!

Littles are only little for such a very short time.  It might seem like eternity right now, but, really, the time flies.  Enjoy your littles!  Play with them, read with them, laugh with them. Pour the love of Jesus into them!  Yes, they are hard work.  But while the days can seem long, the years will fly by.  The little years are such wonderful years of wonder and learning, and a prime time to be able to really pour your love into them, forging bonds that will help relationships to stay strong as they get older.  That foundation of relationship is essential!

Cherish your children, mamas, at every age.  They are precious gifts from the Lord!

My bigs when they were little!

TOS Crew Review - BrillKids Aesop's Fables Volume 1

BrillKids is not a new company to my blog - in fact, I reviewed their Little Readers program a few month ago. This review is for their Little Reader Storybook Series, Aesop's Fables, Volume 1. These books are simplified and illustrated versions of the traditional Aesop's Fables, and the book formats are "specially designed to give your child all the fun of storybook time, while also teaching your child to read".

Currently sale priced at $37.50 (reduced from $50!), the series comes with 5 familiar titles, including:

• The Boy Who Cried Wolf
• The Turtle and the Rabbit
• The Fox and the Grapes
• The Lion and the Mouse
• The Fox and the Crow

The layout of the books, as I mentioned above, is quite unique. Instead of combining text and illustrations, the text (which is large and well spaced to help little eyes see each word more clearly) is on one side of the page, while the illustration is on the other. The book includes a flap, which is designed to cover the illustration while the text is being read. After the text is read, the flap is lifted to reveal the illustration.

The concept behind this design is to draw a child's attention to the written text instead of allowing them to be distracted by the illustration. The theory is that the child will better be able to begin understanding the mechanics of reading, as well as recognizing words, because they won't be looking at the illustrations for clues.

I found the concept behind this method intriguing. The children enjoyed using the flap - to them, it was just like a simplified "lift the flap" book, and they enjoyed being the one to be able to reveal the picture when it was their turn (yes, we had to take turns!).

However, from my personal experience, both with the product and as a mom who has taught 3 children to read so far (not that I am expert by any means, I'm just speaking, as I said, from my personal experience), I didn't see that this creative layout would enhance reading instruction. Many of the words in the stories were big words - not even common "sight" words, but words like "probably", "frustrated", "confident", "laughing", and so on - so for beginner readers, the sheer size of the words could be intimidating, and for non-readers, there is no simple way for them to learn HOW to actually read - only try to remember the words by sight alone. Which works wonderfully for that specific word, but not for the entire reading process in general. I prefer a more methodical approach that teaches the mechanics of how to decipher words rather than just route memorization of random words. Route memorization, in the long run, does not work and leaves the reading process incomplete.

I also happen to be of the belief that illustrations help make a story come alive to a child and are important, if not essential, in a storybook. I feel that being able to look at the illustrations while a story is being read actually enhances the learning to read process, rather than hindering it by causing distractions. Studying the pictures, talking about the story in relation to the pictures, and even having a child remember the words to the story because the pictures trigger the memory of what was read, are all a huge part of reading to toddlers and preschoolers, and really help a LOVE for reading develop - and once that love is there, the desire to learn how to read naturally follows. Limiting the viewing of pictures, I think, does more to diminish the love and desire than to help it. Again, I am not a reading expert - I am just stating what I believe from my own experiences.

Also, while this is more of a personal critique of the books, there were some small things that, well, for lack of a better word... bothered me. For example, in the book "The Fox and the Grapes", the fox sees the grapes and thinks to himself "They'll make lovely wine, I'll have them for lunch!" While we are not strict abstainers from alcohol in our house, consumption of it is rare and far between, and I certainly don't want a preschooler's book suggesting that making wine to consume at lunch time is a fine and good thing!

Another issue I had with that story in particular is that the moral was never mentioned. The fox goes away from the grapes with a bad attitude, and there is no moral explaining why that attitude is wrong... which could be taken by a child to believe that a "sour grapes" attitude is perfectly fine, since the story ended that way. Yes, these examples give us opportunities to discuss the issues more in-depth, but for something that's supposed to just be a simple, fun "learn-to-read" story for young children, to me, it overstepped it's bounds a little.

Overall, here's my thoughts. Are they cute storybooks? Yes. Does the flap make reading more interesting? For a while - as I mentioned, my children liked trying to guess what might be underneath, but that got a little old to them after a few read-throughs. Will they teach your child to read? Perhaps, but I have my doubts. We only had the product for a few weeks before writing this review, so maybe over a longer period of time, I would have noticed a change in reading skills in my beginning and pre-readers.

I hate to write a negative review without reminding readers that what didn't work in my homeschooling might actually work wonders in yours! So please do not take my review and write off BrillKid's Aesop's Fables Volume 1 Series completely. Be sure to check out other reviews by going to the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog - I'm sure you'll come across a variety of opinions!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

TOS Crew Review - Reading Kingdom

Reading Kingdom is an online program designed to help children ages 4-10 learn to read and write. Based on the idea that teaching phonics alone won't equip a child with what they need to learn how to read, the Reading Kingdom teaches 6 basic skills, which, when used together, give a child the confidence and skills they need to become proficient readers! The program customizes itself to each individual user, so that each child gets personalized reading instruction based on what they need.

The website has an incredible amount of information about how children learn to read, how Reading Kingdom is different from other reading programs, how to use the program, general FAQ's about the program, and many other tutorials about reading and the Reading Kingdom program, so I won't try to restate it all here! But I will share my thoughts, of course, since that is the whole purpose of a review!

My two middle boys, Joel (age 6) and Nathan (age 4) are using the program. Joel is already reading on a beginning level, while Nathan is still learning the names and sounds of the letters in the alphabet. To start the program, each child is given an assessment to see what they already know. Both boys started off in the pre-reading section, which helps a child learn to use the mouse, find letters on the keyboard, and also practice sequencing (helping to teach a child that words are to be read from left to right). Joel moved through this level rather quickly, as expected, while it took Nathan several weeks to make his way through it. I loved what it taught Nathan! He had never used a mouse or a keyboard before, and after he completed this level, he can now use a mouse proficiently and find many letters (hunt-and-peck style) on the keyboard.

I want to interject here for a second and mention that in the beginning, especially during the pre-reading level, parental supervision is needed. While the program strongly discourages parental assistance, the program is not entirely intuitive, either. In the pre-reading level, the activities alternate between clicking letters on a keyboard on the screen, and typing letters on the actual keyboard. However, the instructions for when to do which were not entirely clear (even for me!) and so for the first few lessons I had to stand nearby and remind them "listen carefully to the instructions" or give hints, like "when the keyboard is on the screen, you click it, but when there's no keyboard, you type". So, while I was very careful not to give "clues" or answers to what they were trying to do, they did need some help understanding the instructions.

As I mentioned, Joel quickly advanced into Level 1 of the reading instruction, and he is still there at the time of my writing this review. In Level 1, each lesson starts with a word being said and the child being asked if they can type it. If the child can type it, another word is introduced. When the program introduces a word the child cannot type, the lesson then centers on that word. For example, one of Joel's first words was "girl". Since he could not type "girl", the next 10 minutes (or so) were spent on various activities involving the word "girl". Some of the activities just had him clicking on a picture of a girl. Others had him filling in blanks to complete the word (such as "g_rl), or locating which combination of letters would complete the word. Others had him typing out the word completely. Here are some examples (using other words):

By the end of the lesson, he definitely knew how to spell and read "girl"! As he progresses through the lessons, there are stories that are presented, in which he has to fill in the blanks or type certain words, and the stories include many words from previous lessons, as a review system.

Joel is really enjoying the program and I can see that it is helping him with sight words and other words that are hard to sound out phonetically.

Nathan, on the other hand, is having a little bit more of a struggle. He was moved into Level 1 last week, and since he has had no background in reading whatsoever (other than my reading aloud to him daily), he just isn't catching on to it. The program gives progress reports after each lesson, using icons to demonstrate how well the child performs:

and in Nathan's case, in the Sequencing aspect of the pre-reading level, he consistently got "Performance suggests reader may need more guidance". Despite this, however, he was still moved forward into Level 1, and I cannot move him back into the pre-reading level, which is frustrating for me. I can contact the company and they would delete his progress and allow him to start over again, but I would prefer to be able to do that myself at my discretion. Now, Nathan isn't frustrated by Level 1, because he thinks any time he gets to spend "playing" at the computer is fun! But I can tell by watching him that he really is not picking up on reading through this method.

Comparing the two different experiences my children have had, I would say that I think Reading Kingdom is a good supplement to help a beginning reader start moving on to bigger, non-phonetic words and sight words. I am not so sure, however, how well it would actually teach a complete non-reader to read. The company has very generously allowed TOS Crew reviewers an entire year's subscription, and I plan to continue using it with both boys, so perhaps over time, my uncertainty about Nathan's progress will be proven incorrect! I don't have any doubts, however, that the Reading Kingdom will be a good asset in Joel's reading skills, and may be just what he needs to move from being a "beginning reader" to a full-fledged "reader"!

Both children enjoy the program very much, and ask to do it every day, sometimes several times a day!

Pricing for the Reading Kingdom is $19.99 a month, or $199.99 for a year. They also offer a scholarship program for families in need! A great way to see if the Reading Kingdom would be the right fit for your child is to sign up for their FREE 30-day trial!

Of course, be sure to find out what other reviewers thought of the Reading Kingdom program by checking out the TOS Homeschool Crew blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

TOS Crew Review - Good Morning, God

We had the privilege of reviewing an endearing book from Apologia Press, called Good Morning, God. This book was written for the preschool/early elementary age and not only offers a sweet story that is beautifully illustrated, but also a beginning taste of understanding and digger deeper into the Christian faith.
The book is based on Deuteronomy 6:6-7: "These commandments that I give you are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up".
The main character of the story is a 4 year old boy (to whom Nathan (3.5) and Joel (5.5) could very easily relate to!) and the story is a glimpse into his typical week, day by day. It has a gentle repetition, with each day starting out "Good Morning, God! Today is...." and the next few pages talk about ways the boy's parents teach him, and the little things he does during his day. The next day starts the same way. Anyone who has read books to younger children know they *love* patterns like these, and the ability to "predict" what each page will say, so it is perfectly suited for their attention spans.

At the end of the book are some pages with Questions and Activities for each day. The book can be read all in one sitting, or can be done more devotional-style, reading one day each day of the week and following up with the corresponding questions. The questions encourage deeper thinking in a young child, such as "What are some ways that Jesus loves you?", "What is sin? Have you ever sinned?", and "What does it mean to love God with all your strength?", as well as some lighter ones, such as "Name some animals God created that can jump."

We thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story was so easy for my boys to relate to (especially the antics that the little boy got himself into each day!) and helped them see how God is with us throughout our entire day, and that being surrounded by loving parents and family is a blessing from God. The illustrations are beautiful and realistic, and the questions inspired some good thinking. All in all, this is a wonderfully sweet story, perfect for bedtime snuggling, or gentle devotionals for younger children!

Apologia also offers a Coloring Book that includes some of the illustrations from the book for your child to color - perfect for those little ones whose hands need to be busy to really listen well! At just $14 for the book and $4 for the coloring book, both would make a great gift or addition to the family library.

Here are some Sample Pages that you can preview to give you a good idea of the flow of the book for yourself. Also, be sure to check out what other Crew Members thought of "Good Morning, God" by heading over to the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

TOS Crew Review - Time4Learning

Time4Learning is an online educational website that offers games and educational programs for math and language arts for grades Pre-K through 8th.

Joel (5.5, learning how to read) was my tester for the Lower Level of Time4Learning. After registering, there was a simple questionnaire regarding the child's skills to determine what level program would suit them best. Joel was placed in the Pre-K 1 and 2 level. Pre-K Level 1 was very easy. I felt it was the perfect level for Nathan, my 3.5 year old - it covered topics such as animals, colors, letter and number recognition, etc. Joel still enjoyed it, but it was definitely more "fluff" than learning for him.

Pre-K Level 2 was a bit more challenging, covering some of the same topics, but more in-depth, as well as going into concepts such as syllables, rhyming, color mixing, and so on. Joel enjoyed it and learned new things at this level.

After registering and logging in, there are tips on how to schedule out a lesson plan using Time4Learning's lessons. I didn't do this, I just allowed Joel about 20-30 minutes each day to choose what topics he wanted to cover. Often I sat with him to just see the program in action, but when he was on his own, I was still able to come back and check his progress through the "Reports" option. I don't know how it looks at the older levels, but at the younger level, so it didn't go into much detail - it told me which activities he had completed and on what date.

After a few lessons are completed, there is also a "playground" section which has more traditional games as well as links to other game/educational websites. There are parental controls for the playground, which allows the parent to set up a time requirement of lessons before the playground can be accessed, and then a time limit of how much time can be spent on the playground. I think this is a great feature! Although, we did discover that it is possible for the child to wind up on other sites that are not necessarily relevant - at one point Joel opened up a Priceline page! Thankfully, Priceline has nothing offensive on it, but I do recommend parental oversight when the child is using the Playground.

Can I just state the obvious? A fun and educational computer game?! Time4Learning was a HUGE hit at our house! Even my older children were clamoring to try different activities and watch Joel as he went through his lessons. The activities were varied, fun, and engaging for Joel, and (the most important part) - he actually learned from them. Topics ranged from numbers and letters, colors and shapes, to seasons, insects, animals, and even personal hygiene and manners!

As a side note, to help you understand our computer use philosophy, I thought I'd describe how we use online learning in our home: usually as a time-filler or supplement, not as a full curriculum. I don't believe young children need or are benefited by a ton of "screen time". However, I will allow the children to spend 20-30 minutes once or twice a week doing educational stuff online, through trusted sites and strict monitoring. (For the purpose of this review, obviously, the time was bumped up to 20-30 minutes daily, rather than just a few times a week) This is helpful when I'm needing a nap, just some downtime, or something for littles to do while I'm working one-on-one with an older, or vice versa. I felt Time4Learning fit this purpose wonderfully! Joel was always excited for his time to "play" and I was confident that the site was safe as well as contributing toward his learning.

Unfortunately, the one drawback for us is the price of the program. Currently priced at $19.95 a month, plus $14.95 per additional student, it is just out of our budget for online learning. However, in other families, it might be considered a good value, as every family's situation is different! I am, however, keeping it in mind if we decide to take a summer break from formal schooling or perhaps for a month after the baby is born - I think Time4Learning would be very useful to supplement with, especially to keep those essential skills such as math and language arts fresh, without being a strain on me!

I recommend checking out their site, trying their Lesson Demos, and seeing what you think!

Be sure to check out what others thought by stopping by the TOS Homeschool Crew blog!

Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.

Homeschooling Preschoolers

In today's world of "Head Start" programs, "Kindermusic" classes, and "Teach You Baby to Read" programs, there is alot of pressure on parents to start "teaching" our children as much as possible as soon as possible. Surely this is required for ultimate success, right? And its important not to waste those "formative" years! I think the pressure can be even more for homeschooling parents, where the there's a subliminal challenge to "prove your child is smarter than the average population" or "prove that homeschooling is actually beneficial".

On that note, I thought I'd share what we did with Isaac and Ezra to ensure that they'd have that desired academic edge and preparedness:

nothing.

Well, ok, not really nothing. I'll try to elaborate a little more:

We taught them to read, and we read them good books.

That was it. Isaac did not start any "formal" type schooling until he was 6.5. No flash cards, no workbooks, no counting drills, no extracurricular preschool classes.

Surely, we did more than that, you're thinking? Well, ok, here's more of what we did:

He was with me, all the time. We talked about life's day to day happenings. We talked about how to pick out good apples and peaches at the grocery store. We talked to the elderly man next door about his garden. He sat on the counter next to me as I did dishes. We sang songs. We read, alot. We didn't watch TV, or play computer games. We played on the playground, and he played with his brothers. We went to church, and spoke about God in everything. He was surrounded by those who love him best, secure in his world of family.

We did what babies and children are wired to do naturally - we interacted. We explored. We imagined.

And when it came time to start a more formal education, it happened without struggle. His mind was ready, primed from the years of being allowed to grow at its own pace, rather than already exhausted from force-feeding it facts and figures before it was ready.

Now, I know that I've mentioned that I am doing "preschool" with Nathan (age 3) and Joel (age 5.5). Has my philosophy changed? Have I suddenly seen the light and regretted that I wasted all of those opportune years with my olders, so I am making sure to do it differently this time? Nope, not one bit.

You see, things are a bit different with older children in the house. The littles want to "do school" like the older brothers they look up to. They also want and need some of that one-on-one mama attention that the olders got so much of at their age, but that isn't as readily available as it once was. So, to make that happen, I carve out "preschool" time into our schedule.

However, our choice of curriculum for these preschool years aligns exactly with our main goals for this age of discovery:

Teach them to read, and read them good books.

Sonlight's preschool curriculum is not one of worksheets, flash cards, drills, or forced lessons. It is simply a compilation of good books. The new Instructor's Guide for P 4/5 includes light, basic activities which are easy (and help me to remember to do the little fun things I used to love to do with the children but now sometimes forget as my littles get bigger and my time is spread more thinly). The rest of the day, they listen in on some of the discussions we have with the olders, but mainly their job is to just "be" - exploring, playing, imagining, working and loving.

And they learn so much. They really do.

So, mamas of littles, if you are feeling the pressure of getting a good "head start" on your preschoolers' learning, or feeling discouraged or overwhelmed thinking that perhaps you're not doing enough - let it go. Your child learns so much, every day, just by living and interacting with you. Take time to be with them. Read good books, play fun games. Your home, and the real world with you by their side, is the best schoolhouse there is.

Teaching Littles to Read

Literacy is extremely important. I believe knowing how to read opens the way for so much learning - self guided, exciting, exploratory learning. Once one can read, the world is virtually endless for what can be learned. I've always been a bookworm myself, devouring books faster than chocolate (yes, it is possible!).

That being said, I am amazed at the number of extensive curricula available for teaching a child to read. Obviously, this is a challenge that most parents take seriously, especially homeschooling parents (many non-homeschoolers depend on the public school to do this task, but hopefully encourage at home as well). The thing that really shocks me, though, is the price of so many of these curricula! I've seen kits that are over a hundred dollars, sometimes several hundred dollars! That can be very overwhelming to a new homeschooler (or any new parent wanting to take on teaching their child to read) - and each one seems so promising - your child will surely fail at reading forever if you don't use theirs!

But I wanted to offer reassurance. It IS possible to teach your child to read and love reading, with very little (if any) cost. What's the first step? Read to them! Daily, if not several times a day! From the time they are tiny, cuddle them in your lap and explore the beauty of books. Let them turn pages, even if you're not done reading one yet. Let them ask questions, talk about the pictures. Make reading time a special, wonder-filled time! Read them their favorite, over and over and over again.

By the time Isaac was 9 months old, he would army crawl over to the small bookshelf in his room, and pull out "Goodnight Moon" from among the other books on his shelf. We read that book everytime we sat down to read - I still know it by heart! My parents purposely bought me the book "The Baby Beebee Bird" when I began having children, as revenge for the sheer of times I requested they read it to me when I was young (if you've ever read it, you'll understand why it was a form of revenge!).

Second, one small purchase I made to use with the boys is a book called "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons". It cost me $29 and is reusable, so by the time Judah learns to read, it will have cost me only $6 per child for their reading curriculum.

This book is amazing! First, let me say it does NOT have bright colors, silly games, fun music, and interesting illustrations - everything that something to teach younger children with is supposedly "supposed" to have. It is a very dry book in that way. But it disproves the theory that kids need entertainment to learn! It is incredibly effective, and each time I go through it, I think "Wow! What a great method!"

Each lesson takes about 15-25 minutes, depending on if you do the handwriting section, too. The books quickly teaches the child to read c-v-c words, which excites them and motivates them to continue on to learn more. Its a small time investment with a big payoff. By the end of the book, they are reading full stories and ready for short books! And there's no rush - you can do one lesson a day, three lessons a day, or one or two lessons a week. Its very easy to take at your child's pace without causing frustration or discouragement.

Also, keep in mind that every child really is different when it comes to the pace at which they learn to read. Just with my first two experiences, I discovered that doing something at the child's pace is much more effective than trying to force them too soon or too fast. Reading is something that "clicks" at the right time - for some children that time is early - age 3 or 4! For others, its later - not until 7 or 8, or even later. One of the wonderful blessings of homeschooling is to be able to go at that individual pace, instead of them being forced into a "mold" in which labels such as "geek" or "learning disabled" can quickly be placed upon anyone who doesn't fit the mold imposed by public school standards.

I wanted to encourage any parents who are about to be (or are in the middle of) teaching your little ones to read - you don't need some huge, fancy, expensive curriculum! And don't be discouraged if your child is not moving along as fast as you might think they need to - with patient, gentle teaching, and exposure to lots of wonderful books and time spent sharing them with you - it will happen! And then watch out - a whole new wonderful world awaits!!

Joel's Alphabet

Slowly but surely, Joel is mastering his alphabet. He can spell and write his own name, as well as pick out the majority of letters from his alphabet puzzle and tell me what they are. Today, Joel was going down a line of letters and said "This is "A", that is "S", this one is "L" and that one there is "snuh""

Snuh? I guess we have a bit more work to do...

I love 3 year olds!

The "Littles"

In so many homeschooling forums and support groups, the question always arises - "What to do with my Preschooler while schooling the older children?" (I like to call the preschoolers and toddlers, "the littles".) When I was looking at curriculums, a friend sent me a CD of a speaker, entitled "Occupying Toddlers/Preschoolers While Homeschooling Others", by David Hazell. It was a great talk, and he was very encouraging of two things - give the littles a bit of "mommy time" all to themselves, just for 15-20 minutes every morning, and then include the littles in everything that's possible to include them in. Ironically, two months later, I ended up picking My Father's World curriculum, which is written by the Hazells... I didn't even put the connection together for a while!

We have been having a great time in My Father's World Kindergarten. We've done seven lessons so far, with each week having a different theme. Joel is involved with every part of it. He has his own notebook, and does whatever projects the bigger kids do. He sits in on all the stories we read, and makes his own badge with each week's "words to remember" - Biblical truths and character building phrases to memorize each week.

Lesson 6, last week, our words to remember were "I don't quit - I persevere!" and we read several stories about perseverance. "The Little Engine that Could" was a favorite, as well as "Oops-a-Daisy", about a little bunny trying to learn new things.

This afternoon, while sitting at the park watching the olders play tennis, Joel's sandal came undone. He was struggling to refasten it, and I heard him say "I can do it, I can do it!" Sure enough, he was able to do it, and he came to me with a big smile and said "Mama, I persevered! Just like the little bunny!"

So, my answer to the question - what to do with the preschoolers? Include them, include them, include them!! They might be little, but they have big ears and growing hearts!