review → Royal Baloo

How to Make a Home Writing Center for Kids

ByErin June 28, 2023January 31, 2024

In today’s fast-paced digital world, fostering a love for writing in children has become more important than ever. A home writing center can provide a comfortable and inspiring space where children can explore their creativity, improve their language skills, and develop a lifelong love for writing. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the…

Review

5 Reasons You Should Outsource Math with CTCMath

ByErin August 11, 2018January 2, 2020

Last year we had trouble hitting our homeschool stride – finding that rhythm that gave our days consistency and ease. It was weird for us to be struggling day after day just to complete some of our basic subjects, let alone have time for the fun stuff. I knew we needed change. It was a…

Baloo | Review | Royal | Science | Second and Third Grade

BitsBox Learning to Code for Kids

ByErin March 5, 2017January 4, 2020

Royal (7), ever the middle child, wants to try everything. He wants to play violin, drums, piano, ukulele, guitar, and probably every other instrument in existence. He wants to take karate, gymnastics, dance, art classes, cooking classes, etc. And he really wants to steal Baloo’s BitsBox and learn to code himself. I have two theories…

Multiplication Game of Strategy and Fun: HoliMaths

ByErin September 13, 2016January 5, 2020

Multiplication is one of those topics that we come back to again and again. For some reason, memorizing his times tables is the bane of Baloo’s existence. We don’t necessarily push it too hard, but I do think it is important. Having your multiplication tables memorized makes higher math so so so much easier. I…

Baloo | First Grade | Logi-Bear | Review | Royal

Interactive Books for Homeschooling – Scanorama

ByErin September 12, 2016January 5, 2020

I am a bibliophile to the core (that’s ‘book lover’ for those of us who like to appear fancy) and always expected that my kids would automatically be book lovers, too. I thought that would just be genetic. And while my kids do love books, it took time and effort to get us to that…

Math | Review

When Math is Easy and Inexpensive – Math Mammoth

ByErin September 7, 2016January 5, 2020

Math is one of the most important topics we will cover in homeschool. I firmly believe that. When my kids talk about what professions interest them, engineering almost always comes into play. But math is used in most professional areas these days. The problem with math is that it has to be learned from the…

Review

Relief for Fidgety Kids – Bouncy Bands Review

ByErin September 2, 2016January 5, 2020

Some kids act like sitting still is pure torture. Take Baloo (10) for instance. He isn’t a sitter. It is always a challenge to get him to sit, even for activities he loves. He just needs motion. I’m sure this contributes to the issues he has with writing, which I’ve talked about quite a lot….

Art | Review

STEAM Activity with 3D Pens for Kids

ByErin September 1, 2016January 5, 2020

Kids learn best when they are interested in something, and my kids are no exception to this rule. In fact, I think we spend more time exploring random topics that seem to evolve throughout the day than we spend on all other subjects combined. I kind of love that though. The information they learn when…

Review

Engaging Problem-Solving Gifted Science Curricula – William and Mary

ByErin August 22, 2016January 5, 2020

One reason we wanted to homeschool the boys was to encourage them to think, not just recite. Sometimes reciting is appropriate, but the ability to think through a problem or issue is a talent that is learned. And it’s not learned quickly but through practice. So many books, TV shows, and people just want to…

Engaging Game for Beginning Readers: BOB Books Happy Hats

ByErin August 10, 2016January 5, 2020

I am a big fan of anything that makes learning to read a bit more fun and engaging. Reading is so challenging but so totally worth that, and many kids can see that from the beginning. Logi-Bear wants to read so so badly and he tries so so hard, but I still want him to…

Fourth and Fifth Grade | Multiplication | Review | Second and Third Grade | Uncategorized

Times Tales Review

ByErin November 10, 2015January 5, 2020

I am over the moon excited to share this product with you today. If you have kids that are struggling with math facts, you NEED Times Tales. Baloo is 9 and understands multiplication perfectly fine, but he’s not quick with his facts. When it gets up to 6 times 8 I start to lose him. …

Uncategorized

Spirituality for Kids – Review

ByErin October 29, 2013October 29, 2013

I was first interested in this program because I mistook spirituality for religious. Don’t be fooled – this program is not overtly religious! It is based on the principles of Kabbalah but I think you’ll find that they are very applicable to everyone. I’m very glad that I was interested in it, because it’s pretty…