Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

We received five Name Bookmarks from CrossTimber, as well as their AmazingName Print Activity Sheets, and rather than have six older kids fight over five bookmarks, I figured the 3-year-old who is always complaining that she never gets any mail would be absolutely tickled by getting her own personalized bookmarks!

Homeschool Code Academy Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

It's official, I suppose... I have a coding fiend on my hands. I suppose I should have expected this, given the amount of time he spends trying to program his calculator, but I didn't really anticipate what came next, once we actually let him take formal coding classes. Letting him try out Python for Beginners: Learn Coding at Home from Homeschool Code Academy was definitely a good way to channel the coding interest! 

 But then I started finding him sneaking over to his coding tab on the computer when he should have been doing his math or grammar (is there some way to set up a student account on the computer so that they can only have access to one site at a time? I can't figure out how I would manage that...). So really, it's been something he enjoys immensely, but also something he enjoys so much that he can't be trusted to do his normal work! I think that online courses are something we need to use very, very sparingly at this point, but one the days that all the regular school work and chores get done and behavior has been good? This is a great reward!

 

Drive Thru History® Adventures Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

We've been reading a lot about early Church history, as well as the history of the Roman Empire, but we haven't learned much about the archaeological discoveries that have shaped historians' views of how people lived in these times. Learning about history through archaeology, particularly how that pertains to Bible history, was an exciting prospect! Drive Thru History® Adventures gave us access to their new Bible Unearthed course, and it was engaging and fun for all the kids, ages 5-11.

Math and Algebra Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

MathandAlgebra.com is an online learning website intended to provide a comprehensive math education for four levels, Elementary, Intermediate, Pre-Algebra, and Algebra. Our oldest child is currently working beyond the scope of these courses, so we tried using the program with our next-oldest child.

Smart Kidz Radio Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

We love listening to a wide range of music, but I don't always do a good job making it happen... When it comes down to it, I'd generally prefer silence versus the cacophony of seven children's voices layered on top of whatever music I'm trying to get them to listen to! But I thought it would be worth a try to check out Smart Kidz Radio: Member's On-Demand Radio Program Library and see what they had to offer.

Byron's Games Review: Math Sprint - The Mental Math Game

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

 

We've been slacking on our mental math, and it shows. The number of times every day I have to remind certain children of how to do their times tables is not insignificant. But I didn't have it in me to drill them until they had the facts down pat! Enter Math Sprint - the Mental Math Game from Byron's Games. Created for kids, by a kid, this kept the children from age five through eleven engaged in our family, and I'm definitely looked forward to playing it more as the weather turns colder and we spend more time indoors.

Musik at Home Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

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We've been trying out a new-to-us music program, Musik at Home, which is exactly the early childhood music program I wish I could provide for my children on my own! A Musik at Home Membership provides you with access to tons of videos and activities!

Years ago, back when we only had one child, my husband and I signed up for a "baby music" class at a local church. We had both majored in music, and we wanted to give our baby an amazing start! Yes, we were those adorably enthusiastic first-time parents who were taking our 3-month-old to a music class, but... He loved it. I promise, he really did! He was a pretty fussy baby, and those little songs and rhymes and bouncing finger plays we learned were often the only thing that calmed him when he was having a rough time.

I had a chance to observe a few music classes from the same program (Musikgarten) when I was getting my undergraduate degree in Music Education, and I really loved what I saw back then. As our family grew and we moved, it was harder and harder to find a good music class that was worth driving too, and once we had twins? Game over. There was no way I could bring four kids under the age of four to a music class by myself while my husband was working! I wish Musik at Home had existed back then!!

NatureGlo's eScience Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

If it were up to my oldest child, school would consist of nothing but math, science, and technology. We have formal curricula for all these areas, but honestly?  He would very happily and successfully unschool these subjects if I let him! So when we were given access to NatureGlo's eScience MathArt & Science course bundle, I knew he would keep busy, for sure.

Simply Coding Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I have an insatiable lover of technology in my house... But he's only eleven years old. He's been begging for coding resources, and has checked out library books on coding as much as possible. But without any real structure or instruction, he's been limited to fiddling with his calculator and trying to figure stuff out on his own. Thankfully we were given a membership to Simply Coding, and while the technology desire hasn't been satiated, it finally seems to be finding real direction thanks to our Coding for Kids Annual Membership.

My Teaching Library: Worksheets and Coloring Pages and Activities Galore!

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

We are officially done with our first month of school! Well, we had a week-long vacation in there, but... I just checked and we are officially done with four weeks of school! Not too shabby! One thing I've learned so far this school year is... My kids really love coloring pages and worksheets? Well, some of them, at least. It's funny, after having an eldest child who actively avoids anything involving art or coloring, I assumed all my kids were hard-wired to dislike coloring. But no, they ask for it and beg for more! Enter My Teaching Library with their Download Club, which offers unlimited downloads and resources for all subjects, grades preK-12. 

Wisdom Wonder Review: A Gentle Kindergarten Program for Every Child

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I haven't done much of anything formal for my kindergartners over the years, but it was pretty clear from the first week of school this year that Peter (6 in November) needed something separate from the work I'm doing with the older children. He's not quite ready for their level of reading, and he's such a hands-on kid, always eager to listen to stories, that when I saw the Wisdom Wonder Project and their Little Wonders (Preschool-Kindergarten) collection, I knew it would be the perfect fun, gentle, wholesome approach for him. Wisdom Wonder Project has multiple levels within their Little Wonders collection, so I could have chosen anything from Preschool, Junior K, or Kindergarten, all of which are slightly different and are really tailored to that developmental level. I decided to focus on Kindergarten and let my preschooler come along for the ride, and she really enjoyed what we worked on, as well! As you can see below, the older kids couldn't help but join in for some activities... It really became a family-focused experience!

Reading Eggs: Our New Favorite Online Reading Program!

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I've heard great things about Reading Eggs for years, but never took the plunge since we had such early readers. But with Peter still not reading fluently, despite the multiple other reading programs we had tried out, I figured maybe this would be the key to reading success? We got a free one-year trial of Reading Eggs from Blake eLearning Inc, and WOW, it is packed with amazing resources!!

No-Fuss Math for Young Learners: ThemeVille Math Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I have a new kindergartner, and he's the sweetest, most eager child... And I still spent much of the summer hoping he'd be willing to just do his own thing so that I didn't really have to "do" kindergarten with him? Of course, this is the child who has spent the past two years insisting he DOES do school, and that he's in PRESCHOOL!!! All while trying to sit in my lap while I do lessons with all the older children. I've thrown workbook after workbook at him, and he really has loved them all. But it was time for something a little more structured, and ThemeVille Math has the structure he needs without being overly loud or introducing concepts that are unfamiliar to me.

Encouraging Reluctant Writers: An IEW® Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

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I have... well, a whole host of reluctant writers in our house. Why is it that it's so difficult for them to put a pen to paper? Some of them sit around drawing all day long, but ask them to write a single sentence and it's mutiny!! I had heard nothing but wonderful things about the Institute for Excellence in Writing®, so I was pleased to have the opportunity to try out their course, Structure and Style® Year 1 Level A for Students. With a 3rd grader and a 5th grader (as of the end of this past school year), I knew that Year 1 Level A would be best for us (though there are two higher levels for older students as well), and it definitely worked for both my experienced writer and my (much, much) more reluctant writer.

Super Teacher Worksheets Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Well, we made it 5 years as homeschoolers without getting a printer, but suddenly I had several reviews to do that required a lot of printing, so I figured maybe it was time to bite the bullet and order one at long last. And honestly, I love it and it's very convenient, but now the kids want me to print things for them all the time. Luckily we were given a subscription to Super Teacher Worksheets, so I've been able to fulfill their worksheet desires without spending forever searching the internet and hoping for a decent-quality word search, color-by-number, crossword puzzle, or whatever else they're interested in at the moment.

Home School in the Woods: Family Learning & Projects

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

We're at it again with Home School in the Woods! If you're a new homeschooler this year, you must check out their offerings - so far we've tried two of their products that have aligned with our history studies, and both were so incredibly thorough they could stand on their own as a complete history curriculum! We prefer these as a supplement, since we already have all our books picked out for the year. This time we tried one in their Time Travelers U.S. History Studies series, and we chose Time Travelers: Colonial Life. They also have studies available from New World Explorers through World War II, so there's sure to be something for everyone.

Pitsco Education Elementary STEM Explorer Pack Review and Giveaway!

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I have one very STEM-oriented child, but I've never though of any of the others as particularly interested in STEM activities. When we were given the opportunity to try out the Pitsco Education Elementary STEM Explorer Pack, I could tell right away that this would be a blast for all our children, from K-5th grade!

MaxScholar Review: An Orton-Gillingham Program

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

With our 5-year-old, Peter, still not reading fluently (normal! I know! But out of the ordinary for our kids so far.), I was interested in trying out MaxScholar, for their MaxScholar Orton-Gillingham Software.

While we had a lot of technical difficulties at first, once the updates to the program went through, Peter and I both had a much easier time making this work. Here's what we liked, and what didn't work for us.

The Mayflower at Cape Cod Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

We just finished studying British history and are getting ready to move back to American history when we start up the school year again in August. It's always interesting learning from different sources about the first settlers of our country, so even though Rebecca Locklear's eBook,
The Mayflower at Cape Cod - Stories, activities, and research that connect 1620 with life today is intended for a slightly older age range (6th-12th graders) than most of my children, I thought it would be worth a read!

Mastering Logic & Math Problem Solving: A Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

We received a copy of Mastering Logic & Math Problem Solving from The Critical Thinking Co.™, and it came just at the right time! Attention was waning on our regular math curriculum, and I wanted a way to get my oldest son off screens anyway, so having a hard copy workbook was exactly what we needed. The workbooks are available in digital format (easily reproduced if you'll be using them with multiple students) or hard copy, and shortly after it arrived, my 10-year-old had several books he wanted me to add to his wish list from the company!