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Scruble Cube; Great Gift for Puzzle Lovers

October 12, 2011 in family, family time, TOS Crew Review with 1 Comment

Lately, I have been challenged by lots of game reviews! Honestly, while I think my subconscious ability to strategize is pretty good, in game play…well, I often stink.

I really am not a player. That is why I married my husband (he’s the fun one) and also why I enjoy being with my children, they do help me play. (I would be fine, just poring over historical documents, I do find that fun.)

Anyway, as a “NOT” puzzle lover, I had to make myself check this one out. (I knew some of my kids would like it). I didn’t expect to. What I noticed about this 3D word puzzle mix of rubik’s cube and like, scrabble, is that I love to play it by myself. Just mess around with making a word or two. It is cute.

The kids like it and I haven’t even had our resident puzzler lover –my son who at age three would do puzzles upside down on a glass table, then climb under to see his finished product!--try it as he is out of the country. I think if you know someone who likes puzzles and word games, this is a fantastic little item.

And, if you want to leave it around on the coffee table, etc, people will pick it up and get a bit of logic practice! You can even get sneaky and use it for official learning–they give lesson plans on their website: http://www.scrublecube.com/education.html

Now, you are supposed to play it as a real game and the cube comes with, score sheets, and sand timer, etc. So, once you feel adept, go for earning points with your words and play to win.

Appropriate for about 8+, this retails at $24.95, and you can find it at Barnes & Noble and Toy’s R’Us. Note: I also saw it cheaper a few places online.

Here is Em’s take on it:

They have been all over the news for a holiday gift idea and have won several awards, including:

Go take a look for yourself at: http://www.scrublecube.com/

You can also find them on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SCRUBLECUBE

See what my crewmates have to say about Scruble Cube

I received a Scruble Cube through the TOS Crew for review purposes. I have given my honest opinion.

Aletheia Writing Magazine

September 28, 2011 in Homeschooling, TOS Crew Review with Comments Off

Creativity for Christian Teens

I received a copy of the Aletheia Writing Magazine, a Christian literary and art publication for teens ages 13-19.

If you have read any literary magazines, you probably know that some entries, stories and photographs, poetry…can suit your tastes, or, they do not and just seem kind of existentialist to you. But, either way, the entries tend to be cutting edge and cause you to think about literature, life, photography and the world around us.

In this magazine, the fact that it is a Christian Literary Magazine adds another facet to the writing process for the Teens. From what I gather, each entered work needs to have some sort of Christian emphasis or theme. Some Christian truth. In fact, Aletheia means:

Aletheia (ἀλήθεια) is a Greek word variously translated as “unclosedness”, “unconcealedness”, “disclosure” or “truth”. The literal meaning of the word ἀ–λήθεια is “the state of not being hidden; the state of being evident” and it also implies sincerity, as well as factuality or reality.

Frankly, I know there are many literary magazines for specific niches, and I am glad to see one for this. It is nice to have an outlet for creative and Christian teens.

The Magazine’s motto is “Creativity that’s Conducive to your Faith.”

The magazine itself comes out quarterly and is 40 pages, slick and full-color, well laid out and easy on the eye. A subscription (including shipping) runs $26 annually. There are very few ads, although, I actually hope, for the sake of keeping this going, they do add more. A few more would not be distracting at all.

In the issue I received, they had many pieces of poetry and photography submitted that were very good, especially considering the authors are teens. They also included a few features, such as an interview with a professional artist, a book review and The Akathist of Thanksgiving.

I like it. Very much.

The Magazine’s website is also very clear and full of information for young writers. They do have online editions available and areas where the kids can check out writing tips and read about how to enter their works for publication. There are even links to submit the works online.

While this magazine is not specifically for homeschoolers, but for all teens, this is definitely something you could share with your creative teen and would be especially beneficial for homeschoolers.

Go take a look at http://aletheiawritingmagazine.com/index.html

You can also find them on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aletheia-Writing-Magazine-for-Christian-Youth/121617771236168

See what my crewmates have to say about Aletheia Writing Magazine.

I received an issue of the Aletheia Writing magazine through the TOS Crew for review purposes. I have given my honest opinion.

Tri-Cross Game

September 22, 2011 in TOS Crew Review with Comments Off

Well, this game is making me feel dumb, so I have to admit I do not love it. Yet, it sounds good. I think it’s me.

The game, Tri-Cross, from Games for Competitors, is described as a strategy game, kind of a cross between Chess and Checkers.

We received the board game and an adorable eco-friendly travel set. The eco version is pretty much exactly the same, a bit smaller and comes with an organic cotton drawstring bag. The organic cotton cloth board (printed with non-toxic soy based ink) and game pieces drop right inside for travel or storage.

The game is fascinating. Games for Competitors is a family owned business, and tri-Cross was developed for his children, with his wife, a teacher. After releasing an updated version in 2007, they won the 2008 Creative Toy Awards game of the Year. The game is educational, as you need to practice skills such as:

Logical Thinking
Cause and Effect
Predicting
Interpreting Outcomes
Abstract Thinking
Memory (In Variations of Play)
Visualization

I think this game would be fun with middle schoolers and older children. It was hard to play with Em, as she just keeps making up her own rules, lately. I found it difficult, although my husband and son enjoyed it. Let me know if you are a strategist, you’ll probably love it!

Curious? Here is a video showing how the game is played.

Read more about this game and purchase Tri-Cross on their website: GamesforCompetitors.com. There are three versions of the game, standard, eco and a wood edition. Prices begin at $19.95.

See what my crewmates have to say about Tri-Cross

I received the game Tri-Cross through the TOS Crew for review purposes. I have given my honest opinion.

Preschoolers Learn Through Play and Relationship with Before Five in a Row

September 19, 2011 in Homeschooling, TOS Crew Review with 5 Comments

Is this learning? Reading with Aunt Cait? Yes!

I first heard of Before Five in a Row (BFIAR) on a wonderful homeschooling site, Delightful Learning. Just by association, I trusted that this must be a thoughtful, engaging way to teach little ones. At the time, though, my youngest was a little older, and I had moved towards using a few classical curricula, and I never fully explored Before Five in a Row.

But, loved the idea of BFIAR, so I logged it in mentally and planned to share about it with my family and friends with little ones! Later, I realized that the original Five In A Row (FIAR), is beloved by homeschoolers. With the FIAR approach, students and teachers read a particular book aloud for five days in a row and complete specific activities together after each reading.

To some extent, BFAIR is what –in my estimation—the perfect mommy does as she takes time to explore with her little one, and teach in bits and pieces, through repetition and snuggly experiences!

Because we all know that learning through play and Mama’s attention are the building blocks of oh so much more.

When I heard that the TOS Crew might get a chance to review BFIAR, I asked for this one because I was excited to send it to my Mom and sister. My younger sister has a preschooler, a very busy preschooler, in fact, and while they do not homeschool, I know they spend lots of time reading to him and teaching him, and I thought it would be fun for them to have a guide of sorts to give them additional ideas for this busy little one. Frankly, my Mom thinks along similar lines as Jane Claire Lambert, the author of BFIAR.

How so? Well, my Mom was a teacher and worked with theme units way before those were popular. I remember when she worked on a unit for Antarctica and the kids made a cake of Antarctica and got to do an online exploration. Nowadays, that may be a bit more common, but boy were the kids happy back then! The kids worked hard, because the lessons were enjoyable and they really liked the teacher and wanted her to be proud of them. Without even realizing it, the kids were learning so much.

I enjoyed reading that Lambert also came from a family of teachers, and her daughter has followed in her footsteps. I would have guessed, they have the gift of inspiring students.

Reading The Little Engine that Could and taking a train ride with Nan!

BFIAR is geared towards preschoolers, ages two to four, so the activities are designed to work well with little ones, while developing tons of pre-learning skills.

The first section of the book has the recommended book readings, each with suggestions for ways to explore the book for the five days. You will find all sorts of ideas and it is easy to choose a few and really finish something, together, with your preschooler!

Lambert includes ideas for everything from Bible to Science to outdoor escapades and in 6 pages or so for each suggested picture book. She does this for 24 titles in BFIAR. This is so wonderful, especially for those who question their own creativity! (Yes, I mean me) I also like that you can choose from many ideas—BUT you still have a solid kind of unit lesson plan to go by. I like that, so I feel like I really finished something.

After these titles, Lambert adds a section on “Parents Treasury of Creative Ideas for Learning Readiness.” In this portion of the book, you’ll find activities and ideas to encourage reading readiness, large and small motor skills, activities for the kitchen and bathtime.

I really, really recommend getting this book if you have a preschooler, or even spend any time with a preschooler. You certainly do not need to be a homeschooler to enjoy using this book, although using this book might just turn you into a homeschooler! Just fantastic.

Read all about BFIAR on the BFIAR website. Go ahead and purchase the book at $35, through Rainbow Resource.

Visit Homeschool Creations for some extra fun ideas, printables, and even a link up for bloggers using BFIAR with their children!

See what my crewmates have to say about Before Five In A Row.

I received the Before Five in a Row book through the TOS Crew for review purposes. I have given my honest opinion.