Meeples, and Colors and Trivia, Oh my! Wits & Wagers Family Game - A TOS Review

Wits & Wagers – Family Edition

NorthStarGames
www.northstargames.com
Office: 301.493.4331
Fax: 866.433.8069

3 to 10 players -- 8 years and up
20 minutes to play -- Family Trivia game

$19.99 US/$15.23 Canada
Visit NorthStarGames on Facebook or Twitter

Does your family have game nights?  Are you a trivia fan?  If you answered yes to either question you might want to check out this game that I received from NorthStarGames as part of the TOS Review Crew.

Wits and Wagers Family Edition is one of those games that you or your 8 year old can win.  The game is very easy to learn and does not require a lot of skill.  First each person picks what color Meeples they want to be. (colorful little wooden people-shaped pieces)  Next, one person reads a trivia question from the 300 family-oriented questions.  (For example, how many teaspoons are there in a tablespoon?)  Each person then writes what they think the answer should be on their own mini whiteboard with a wipe-off marker.  The answers are then lined up and all players put their Meeples on what they think is the correct answer--whether it is what they wrote or  what someone else guessed.  Finally, when the answer is revealed points are accumulated depending on whether Meeples are on the right answer.  There is also a wipe-off scoreboard to keep track of player results.  That's it!  This game is quite easy, lots of fun, educational, and can be played in about 20 minutes.

The game contains wipe-off markers, mini whiteboards for each player, trivia question cards, Meeples and a scoreboard.

So, what's the verdict on this one?  We really like this game.  Even though it is for ages 8 and up, my 6 year old likes to team up with one of the players.  The kids sure like it when they are right and mom or dad guess wrong.  We all found ourselves learning little tidbits about many things while having fun.  The price is reasonable, the age suggestion seems accurate.  We found that we could even play with 2 people, but I would     suggest at least 3 players.  We have been enjoying this game and will be playing it for some time.

You can purchase at Amazon  or Find a store near you 
Visit the NorthStarGames site to check out the Wits and Wagers and Say Anything games.  

Another great feature --Free Parts Replacement. - If any game parts fail or get lost within the first year of ownership NorthStarGames will deliver an identical or comparable replacement to you free of charge.  All that is required is for you to e-mail a request for the needed part along with your mailing address, and the parts will be sent out within two weeks.

More TOS Crew member thoughts

Disclaimer:  As a member of the TOS Review Crew I received the Wits & Wagers Family Edition game free to play with my family in order to provide this review.  I did not and will not receive further compensation.  All comments and opinions are my own.  I am not obligated to provide a positive review.

Always Icecream - A $coop of Learning - A TOS Review

Always Icecream
http://www.alwaysicecream.com/

Geared to girls ages 7-12
$4.99 per month or $29.99 per year
Life-time membership $99.99

As a member of the TOS Crew, I recently received a free membership to the Always Icecream website to use and review.  This is a play and learn website which covers a variety of topics including: language arts, basic math, advanced math, science, geography, history, music, art, foreign languages, computer skills and, if desired, religious education.  At Always Icecream girls have access to fun drills in core academic subjects within a safe community experience.

This site has cute girly graphics--colorful, modern and fun.  Your daughter can even create her own mini version of herself.  There is a Mini World, a Pet World, a Friends section, a Learn and Play section, Videos and more.


Many Always Icecream members are homeschooled, and many of the ideas for the educational content originate from the experience of the founders as homeschool parents.  However, homeschooling is not a requirement to use Always Icecream.

Here’s a picture for the geography page for learning the United States

Here’s a picture from Learning to Type

A Bit of Information for Parents

Parents receive a complimentary account which lets them decide whether to allow "community features" which allow girls to communicate with other members.  Parents also get to customize the educational content presented to their girls.  Parents can even use this site to reward their girls with the site's in-game currency for accomplishing "real world tasks" like practicing piano, exercising, cleaning, etc.  Parents also receive weekly email reports on the learning progress of their daughters.

Parents, click for overview

Click for a Free Trial

Click to Buy Now

Visit Always Icecream on Facebook

Fun Rewards For Your Girls

Girls can earn rewards such as achievement medals, virtual pets and ice cream $coops (virtual currency) by completing learning materials and videos. These $coops are then used to play games or access other fun content. 

Here’s an example of a pet purchased with $coops at Pet World.  Awww, what a cute seal!  A variety of care items for the pet are also purchased with $coops.

If you decide to enable the “social” features of Always Icecream, girls can participate in fun competitions based on their achievements too! 

Online Safety - Got it Covered!

Always Icecream provides a friendly Learning Community set of social features - if you choose to allow them - which allow your daughter to interact with other members on Always Icecream. With this option, girls play "social" games, such as babysitting each other's pets or buying artwork from other members. The communication is moderated, and strict guidelines are enforced about what communication is permissible on the site.

***Content on Always Icecream is subject to moderation, contains no advertising and is blocked to search engines. To assure your child's online privacy the site is certified by Privo.

Great Features + Great Rewards = Happy Girls

• Learning Games and Rewards

• Educational Videos

• Shops and Games to Spend Rewards

• Weekly Progress Report to Parents

• Friends and Profiles

• Comments and Messages

• Entertaining Games and Videos as Rewards

• Social Games like Pet Sitting and Arts Shop

• Moderation prior to being visible to other members

Always Icecream guarantees your satisfaction or you get your money back!!! If you’re not fully satisfied with the service, you just send them an email with a brief description about what you didn’t like about your experience with the site.

So, What Did We Think About Always Icecream?  This has become my daughter's favorite place to go on the internet.  It's a place I'm comfortable letting her visit.  It's safe, fun, and she's learning in the process.  This site gets a thumbs-up from this mom.  This is definitely a tween site, but 14 is not too old for this one. 

The games, the mini-world and the many other features are engaging and fun.  The $coops rewards are fun incentives to keep accomplishing sections in various learning areas.  This one is what it says it is and more.

We haven't really found anything that didn't work for us.  We also haven't found anything objectionable within the site content, and we're pretty conservative most of the time.  We really like Always Icecream.

To see what other TOS Crew members thought click here

Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Product Review Crew I received a free copy of the above-mentioned product to use in order to provide an honest review of the product. I have not and will not receive further compensation for this review. Opinions and comments are my own. I am not obligated to provide a positive review.

Scruble Cube - A TOS Review

Scruble Cube
RSV Productions Inc
10014 N Dale Mabry Hwy
Ste 101
Tampa, FL 33618
Phone: 800-749-8920
Fax: 813-971-1549
$24.95 Scruble Cube    
$4.95 96 Replacement Letter Labels
1-4 players of any age that can spell

As a member of the TOS Review Crew I received an interesting and fun new learning game to use in order to provide this review.  Let me tell you about Scruble Cube.  

This word game/puzzle is designed to engage students in learning while having fun.

Warning:  Using the Scruble Cube may cause your child to improve his spelling, vocabulary and math!

How to describe this game . . . hmmm, how about in the words of the makers,

"So what if you took the known playing patterns of some of the most popular word games and puzzles in history and combine them in a brand new, unique format to create the World's Greatest 3-D Word Game?  Well, you'd have the "SCRUBLE Cube" a patent pending game with over 7,401 septillion possible configurations that anyone who can spell can play.  In SCRUBLE Cube there are 96 individually rotating letter and premium scoring pegs inserted onto a 4x4x4 cube."

If you're thinking of my favorite board game and a colored cube about now you're on the right track.

All of the letters have point values.  At the end of a player's turn the scoring begins.  There are Bonuses for words with a letter on at least three faces of the cube.  Not just a board game, now you're thinking in 3-D--with no funky glasses that are red and blue!

Scruble Cube helps in the development of logical deduction, analytical processing and word development skills.  Letters on the cube are combined in proportion to frequency of occurrence in the English language.

Some of the academic and life skills that can be learned while playing with the Scruble Cube include: mathematics trial and error, spelling, word building, research skills, mechanical skills, vocabulary development, teamwork, problem solving
skills, strategic thinking and more.

Click here to see how to use the Cube while educating your student.

The Scruble Cube website also has a number of free downloads including: Scruble Cube Points, Scruble Cube PDF Worksheets, Scruble Make a Sentence, Scruble Vowel Math, Scruble Word Logic and Periodic Table of Scruble Fun.   Printable instructions and a printable scorepad are also available.

Just like that fun colored cube you used to try to get back to normal, you can also play Scruble Cube as a puzzle where you return the cube to its original configuration which spells "Scruble Cube" in two directions.

For more information about the Scruble Cube as seen in other reviews and on TV click here .

Talk to Scruble users and share your scores and playing ideas on Facebook here .

Buy your Scruble Cube Now here .


Click here you to find out what other Crew members thought of the Scruble Cube.

Thumbs-up points:  We liked the many options of how to use the Cube.  We also liked the possibilities for learning.  The idea is great, and for the amount of time that we've had it, we do like the Cube.  My daughter, not the world's greatest speller, actually even thought the Cube was "kinda fun".  My husband and I both thought this was a product that "could be addicting".  We tried a number of different ways to play the suggested games and found them challenging and fun.

Thumbs-down points:  Using the Cube is more complicated than we expected.  This comment is not a problem, but I couldn't help wondering if a cube with less individual cubes would be more workable for younger ages.  In addition, while preparing this review, the Cube rolled off the bed onto the floor and broke into many little pieces--literally individual cubes.  Thankfully we had a chance to spend time with the product before the "explosion".  While I do understand that the company has excellent customer service, I don't think we'll probably seek out a new cube.  We try to get durable, hard-to-kill games for our family.  Between constant use and an overly exuberant 6 year old boy, we have better luck with metal, wood, and very strong plastic at our house.  One of the first things my little guy wanted to do was pull off the letter stickers.  Although the stickers are replaceable, we felt that we had to limit his use of the cube.  My daughter also felt like the twisting the cube to adjust letters to make a word was not very smooth.

Overall:  We liked the concept and ideas for use of the Scruble Cube.  We love games here, especially word games and math games.  We play our games a lot, and we can be hard on our games and even wear them out.  Just because we're not sure this is a good fit for our family, is not a reason to discourage readers from trying the Scruble Cube.   

Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Product Review Crew I received the above-mentioned product free to use in order to provide an honest review of the product. I have not and will not receive further compensation for this review. Opinions and comments are my own. I am not obligated to provide a positive review.

Theo Presents - Check Out This New Animated Series to Teach Kids Theology - DVD Review & Giveaway

Theo Presents
www.theopresents.com

2011 Whitestone Media of Burbank, CA


I recently received a free copy of the the new Theo Presents DVD to watch with my family in the hope that I would provide a review on this blog.  This DVD is great!  Let me share a bit about it with you.

This is a fun animated series centered around the adventures and teachings of the main character, Theo (animated theologian), a student of Godʼs Word. Theo lives in an English village, in the heart of the Cotswolds, and entertains many guests, including two mice, Belfry and Luther -- one on the larger side and one skinnier.

The series guides children and adults through a systematic study of theology.  Sin, God's character, the Bible, salvation and godly living are some of the doctrines presented with easy-to-understand illustrations. These stories are cute, funny and wonderfully animated. Belfry and Luther help viewers learn about the Gospel of the Christian faith. This multi-media resource includes a DVD series, curriculum, books and iPhone/iPad app. This DVD is great for kids of all ages and can be used for Sunday school lessons, Christian school curriculum, missions, evangelism and homeschooling.

This great educational series was created by Michael Joens, a producer and director of animated commercials and producer/director of McGee & Me and Adventures In Odyssey for Focus on the Family. Mr. Joens' hope is that God uses Theo to present the Gospel message all over the world.

I received a copy of this DVD to watch with my family to provide an honest review. I have to say that the DVD was short, but filled with excellent information. My 6 year old loved it! As soon as it was done he asked if he could watch more. When he was told that it was done he asked if we could start it again. He watched it 4 times in 2 days--each time soaking in the Gospel message. He still keeps asking for it!  The whole family really likes this DVD!  We loved the mice characters. I really liked the animation in the DVD--fun but not overly silly.

Here's a short note about the episodes (as shown at www.theopresents.com):

Episode One: Saving Faith
9 minutes

Meet Theo, a kind English gentleman who knows a lot about the truths of God's word. Theo is a theologian, and in this episode he teaches us what it means to have faith. There are many things people can believe in, but not all things are faith-worthy. To illustrate a life dedicated to believing in the right thing, Theo shares the example of Abraham. The Lord had favor with Abraham, and because of his faith he was greatly blessed.

Bonus Episode: Good News - Free
5 minutes
In this bonus episode, Theo shares the good news – the gospel. He explains that we all fall short because of a problem called sin. All human beings have sinned and are in desperate need of a Savior. Jesus Christ is the Savior that came to redeem mankind from our sin which separates us from God. We must accept this free gift of salvation in order to have eternal life.
Episode Two: Loving Obedience
9 minutes

Luther and Belfry are two field mice that have befriended Theo, and really want to please him. They usually get mixed up in all sorts of mischief where ever they go. In this episode, Theo tries to instruct the young lads in obedience, and uses the story of Jonah to illustrate the consequences of disobedience, but also to show the many blessings that come when we obey.
Episode Three: Forgiveness
10 minutes
Forgiveness is not an easy thing to do, especially for Luther and Belfry. Theo tries to help his little furry friends understand what it means to forgive and why it’s so important. Theo shares the parable of the “Unforgiving Servant”, and how that story is such a great example of why forgiveness is a special act of love that Christians should show one another,

God's Love contains the first three Theo episodes in a single volume. Episode 1: Saving Faith. Episode 2: Loving Obedience. Episode 3: Forgiveness.

Total Running Time:  28 minutes
Episode Four: Armor of God - Coming Soon
10 minutes

Can you name all the pieces of the armor of God? In this episode, Theo gives us a lesson in what each of the pieces represents as well as how we can use them in our Christian life to fight against the enemy of our souls. In addition, we see that Luther and Belfry find themselves faced with a different kind of enemy, a sly and devious cat named Scratch.

Each Episode costs $4.99.  The Bonus Episode is FREE.

**Notice that the first 3 are also available together on one DVD.

You can find coloring pages from Theo at the Kids Corner here
You can visit the Theo Presents Blog here

Lifeway Christian resources has also created curriculum to use with the Theo series. The curriculum is designed for small groups and appropriate for elementary age children.


Each volume contains a DVD with 4 Theo episodes, 4 printable teaching plans, worksheets, and parent pages. Each volume also includes the bonus “Good News” episode and teaching plan on the gospel.


Volume 1 – Theo: Foundations of Faith – $39.99
Volume 2 – Theo: Foundations of Salvation – $39.99
Volume 3 – Theo: Foundations of the Christian Life – $39.99
Go here to go to Lifeway to order curriculum.

To check out this series on Facebook click here
To get more information and purchase Theo Presents from Amazon click here
Click  here to go to the Theo Presents website
To find more multimedia resources from the Theo Presents series check here

This DVD is now available having been released yesterday, September 13th.  You should really go get your copies now.  Maybe one for you and one for a friend?

Would you like to get a free copy of Theo Presents?  Read on to find out how to have a chance to win the DVD.


Here's the great part about reviewing Theo Presents --  Instead of giving away 1, I get to giveaway 2 copies!!  Two lucky winners will receive a DVD with Episode 1 - Saving Faith and the Bonus Episode - Good News.

To Enter the Giveaway

1.  Leave a comment on this blog telling me your favorite Christian series for kids.
2.  For a second entry visit Theo Presents on FaceBook and leave a comment on this blog.  Click on "Like" too if you like what you see.
3.  For another entry follow me on Google Friend Connect and leave a comment letting me know or tell me you already follow.
4.  For another entry find Pondering on the Prairie on FaceBook and tell me how many people "Like" it.

Two winners will be randomly drawn at noon on Sunday, September 18th.  Winners will be announced here and also contacted individually to confirm a mailing address.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Opinions and comments are my own.  I will not receive further compensation for this review.

Nature Nuts - Griddly Games - A TOS Review

Griddly Games, Inc.

Head Office
633 - 5960 No. 6 Rd
Richmond, BC
CANADA V6V 1Z1Phone
1 (604) 249 5020

www.griddlygames.com

Recommended Ages: 8+

$14.99

As a member of the TOS Product Review Crew I recently received a fun trivia game to check out.  This one is fun and educational at the same time and is even compact enough to play while you travel.  Let me tell you a bit about it.

Nature Nuts Travel Game/ Expansion Set is for ages 8 years and older and is designed to be played by 2 or more players.  This is an educational, multi-generational, travel game and expansion set for the Wise Alec educational trivia board game.

There are 4 sets of cards and a die included.  On each turn players roll the multicolored die and pick a card which matches the color rolled.  Players then read and answer questions about elementary school topics including animals, plants, and the Earth.  The fun part comes when purple (my favorite color by the way) is rolled.  The extra purple cards, also known as the Wise Alec cards, are really a surprise and might include croaking like a frog, doing a yoga pose or many of a variety of other nutty things.  Play for points or play for fun.  Either way both children and adults will learn a thing or two--plus math if you have them keep score.  Yes, that means there were a few this mom missed too.   

The game comes in a very compact box with a magnetic closure.Yeah, no lost pieces!

Unlike the Wise Alec board game, no table is needed since there is no board, just the cards.  Great for a take-along on a trip or sleepover.  The trivia questions included in the game are educational, challenging and fun.

This one gets a "thumbs up" at our house.  My 14 year old enjoyed the game a lot.  She especially enjoyed that some of the tougher questions mom couldn't answer.  We had fun, learned a lot and played a number of times the first couple of days we had the game.  The age range seems about right, and the price is reasonable.  We liked that we could throw it in a bag and take it along to grandma's house.  The game seems to be durable and is colorful.  The questions vary in difficulty allowing different skill levels to play without frustration.  The only downside we found to the game was that we played so much that we started to remember the questions and answers on the cards.  (The okay part about this is that it means my daughter was learning and memorizing the facts.)  Personally I think this would be fun for ages 8-11 ideally--younger than 8 might have a tough time with the questions.  I'm thinking it would be fun to get the Wise Alec game and use this as an add-on expansion too.  If your kids are into learning games, this is a good option.

To visit Griddly Games to find out about Wise Alec, Nature Nuts and 2 other travel game expansion sets click here

To find a local retailer who carries this Griddly game click here

To see other reviews by the TOS Crew about this game click here



Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew I recently received a free Nature Nuts add-on game for the Griddly Wise Alec game in order to present an honest review on my blog. I am not obliged to present a positive review. All comments and opinions regarding the product are my own. I have not and will not receive further compensation for this review.



Laugh Out Loud - A Giveaway - Let's Try This Again!

It's Another Book Giveaway!!


OK, so I've been under the radar for a couple of weeks while we've been vacationing.  Got a good sunburn that contributed to a nice dark tan, mowed, and mowed, and mowed, fished and swam and just plain relaxed.  Looking forward to getting back into the blogging mode.  About those daily posts I was going to do - uh yeah, bad plan right before vacation.  I'll be trying to get my act together and get these going this week.  In the meantime . . .

It's a Giveaway!  How often do you see LOL when you're on the computer?  Well, this Laugh Out Loud is a little different.  Laugh Out Loud is a  221 page book from Women of Faith.  These stories have been shared to "touch your heart and tickle your funny bone" by authors including:

• Martha Bolton
• Luci Swindoll
• Sheila Walsh
• Patsy Clairmont
• Karen Scalf Linamen
• Mark Lowrey
• and several others.

Take a look at what you'll find:

• Part 1 - I've Never Seen Those Kids Before In My Life!  Laughing Out Loud At Our Children
• Part 2 - Say Goodnight Gracie!  Laughing Out Loud At Our Spouses
• Part 3 - Dogs, Cats, and Caribou!  Laughing Out Loud At Our Animal Friends
• Part 4 - Giggling In The Pews - Laughing  Out Loud In Our Churches
• Part 5 - On The Road And In The Air - Laughing Out Loud At Our Traveling Adventures
• Part 6 - A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste!  Laughing Out Loud At Ourselves 

Whether you're a Women of Faith fan or just looking for a pick-me-up and a good laugh you'll enjoy this fun and entertaining book.

Random drawing will be at Friday, July 15th at 8 a.m.  Winner will be posted here and notified to verify mailing address.

*To enter this drawing all you need to do is a leave a comment indicating your interest and telling me who is your favorite comedian or inspirational speaker.

*For another entry visit me on Facebook - and friend me and/or follow me if you like - then leave a separate comment here.

*For an additional entry share this post and leave a separate comment here how/where you shared.

*Finally, for an additional 5 entries, blog about this post and let me know with a separate comment here.

Blessings to all who enter!

Fun Giveaway for Moms - Humor for a Mom's Heart book

Humor For a Mom's Heart
Compiled by Shari McDonald
Howard Publishing Co, Inc.
2002
ISBN 1-58229-266-3

Stories, Quips and Quotes to Lift the Heart  from Patsy Clairmont, Martha Bolton, Dave Meurer, Nancy Kennedy, Angela Elwell Hunt, Charlene Ann Baumbich, and many more

This is a good one !!!

This giveaway is for all you moms out there that need encouragement and a good laugh.


(Here's what it looks like on Amazon)

Some great thoughts from some very popular and funny people --  just a few you'll find in this 245 pages of fun:

• I Am Mommy, Hear Me Roar  - Nancy Kennedy
• The Husband's Progress - Chris Fabry
• If Mr. Clean Calls, Tell Him I'm Not In! - Martha Bolton
• Our Father Who Art in Heaven--Hurried Is My Name - Nancy Chapman Monroe
• Summer Commandments - Joey Earl Horstman
• Top 5 Ways to Spot a Mother on a Date - Becky Freeman
• You Rile the Kids Up, You Put 'Em to Bed! - Joey O'Connor
• A Smashing Success in the Kitchen - Karen Scalf Linamen
• The Roosters in Our Family Tree - Gracie Malone
• A Mother's Guide to Cool - Kathy Peel
• Laugh and Lollygag - Lindsey O'Connor
• Invisible Friends - Denise Roy
• Mrs. Perfection Meets Ms. Im--: The Proverbs 31 Woman - Patsy Clairmont

             How to Enter

1. Tell me in a comment your favorite funny and/or encouraging author or speaker
2. For another entry leave a comment about something you've seen on my blog
3. For 3 entries post about this giveaway on Facebook and comment              
4. For 5 entries mention this on your own blog and leave me a comment/link

Drawing will be Friday, May 13th - Good Luck!!

Congratulations! You are a Winner!

Congratulations to April, the winner of the Homeschooling Cartoons book by Todd Wilson.  Thanks to all who entered and blessings to all.

Giveaway !!! The Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons - Volume 2

The Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons - Volume 2   It's a Giveaway!!

The Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons - Volume 2
ISBN - 13: 978-1-933858-16-6
ISBN - 10: 1-933858-16-8

Todd Wilson 
FM Publishing
611 S. Main St.
Milford, IN 46542
574-658-3247

Familyman Ministries
www.familymanweb.com

Todd Wilson is a writer, speaker, former pastor and dad.  He has a passion to change the world one dad at a time.  Father of 6, Todd sends out weekly e-letters to dads from his site.  Calling all dads--if you don't already get this weekly encouragement please check out Todd's site.  And you mom's, why not suggest it to that precious hubby of yours.  My husband loves Todd's site and finds it incredibly encouraging and helpful.

Todd also writes homeschooling family cartoons, thus the book up for giveaway.  These cartoons are soooo true to life.  Having read a number of Todd's writings let me just say "You Need To Enter This One!"  "Do It Now!" 

I have a copy of Todd's book to give away.   Come on, who doesn't need a little encouragement to realize we're not out there doing things alone?

To have a chance to win this book all you have to do is:

1. Leave me a comment that you're interested in the book.

2. For another entry, visit Familyman Ministries at http://www.familymanweb.com/ and tell me another one of Todd's products you'd like to check out.

3.  For another entry, visit Todd's Facebook page and "like" it, then let me know in a comment.

4. For another entry, click to follow me on Google Connect or tell me that you already follow.

5. For an additional entry, click to follow me on Facebook Networked Blogs.

The lucky winner will be picked randomly from all entries and posted on Friday, May 6, 2011.

Good luck!



And The Winner Is . . .

The winner of the Rebecca St. James CD is Heidi.
Watch for an e-mail to verify your address.  Thanks to all who entered.

Chugga, Chugga, Chugga, Chugga - Chuggington Chuggers To The Rescue DVD Giveaway

Chuggington Chuggers To The Rescue DVD
Released 4/5/2011

Okay, this giveaway is  not my own but definitely worth checking out if you have any train fans.

This is the second Chuggington DVD.  Chuggington is an international TV series about Chuggington Train and his friends that airs on Playhouse Disney.  If you have a preschooler that is a Thomas the Train fan you should check out this giveaway on Thrifty Jinxy's blog.  The DVD contains 6 episodes your kids will enjoy.  Besides, we all need a new song in our head, right?  Chugga, Chugga, Chugga, Chugga Chuggington!

To find out more about the DVD and enter the giveaway go to www.thriftyjinxy.com .  All entries must be received by 11:59 PM CST 4/27/11.   While you're checking out the giveaway post spend some time checking out Jinxy's site too.  Lots of good stuff there!!

Rebecca St. James CD Giveaway

Rebecca St. James - "I Will Praise You"


Released 4/5/2011

Produced by Mark A. Miller
2011 Provident Label Group LLC, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Distributed in the USA by
ProvidentIntegrity Distribution, 741 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin, TN 37067


This CD is Rebecca's first studio project since 2005. It was definitely worth the wait.   Only 2 more days until there's a lucky winner of this giveaway!!! 

I get to give a copy of the CD to some lucky winner. All that is required to enter my giveaway is one thing - leave a comment telling me your favorite Rebecca St. James song. If you don't have one yet I suspect you will after listening to this CD. (insert big grin here) Random drawing will be held at noon on April 8th.



But wait, I'm not the only one with a giveaway of this CD!  Here are several more blogs to check out along with their drawing dates.  Stop by and visit each one to raise your chances of winning.  Blessings to all.

4/8
 http://myhomeschoolgarden.com/2011/04/04/rebecca-st-james-review-giveaway/

 http://homeschoolblogger.com/alifebetterthanidese/784674/
 http://sistertipster.blogspot.com/2011/04/welcome-to-partysistert-is-partying.html
 http://homeschoolblogger.com/elcloud/785173/

4/9
 http://debrakb.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-and-giveaway-rebecca-st-james.html
 http://www.accidentallyhomeschooling.com/2011/04/giveaway-rebecca-st-james-i-will-praise.html

4/10
 http://thecowqueen.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-will-praise-you-cd-review-giveaway.html

4/11
 http://ahouseupontherock.com/review/rebecca-st-james-review-giveaway/
 http://walkinghomesk.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-will-praise-you-and-giveaway.html

4/12
 http://glimpseofourlife.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-and-giveaway-rebecca-st-james-cd.html
 http://acornsnuggetsofgold.blogspot.com/2011/04/released-today-rebecca-st-james-cd-i.html
 http://aliveinspirit.com/wordpress/2011/04/04/rebecca-st-james-i-will-praise-you-cd-giveaway-thru-41011/
 http://www.joyinourjourney.com/1/post/2011/04/rebecca-st-james-i-will-praise-you-cd-and-giveaway.html
 http://mcclanahan7.blogspot.com/2011/04/rebecca-st-james-i-will-praise-you.html


4/13
 http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/rebecca-st-james-cd-giveaway.html

4/14
 http://thelegacyofhome.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-will-praise-you-cd-giveaway.html

4/15
 http://marinecorpsnomads.com/2011/04/rebecca-st-james-i-will-praise-you.html
 http://reedpartyof6.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-will-praise-you-by-rebecca-st-james.html


4/18
 http://homeschoolblogger.com/guidinglight/786373/
 http://homeschoolblogger.com/brindamorr/?p=1870

Rebecca says the collection is "her most personal recording to date."  This is some seriously great worship music. With songs such as I Will Praise You, You Never Let Go, Shine Your Glory Down, and You Still Amaze Me one can't help but praise and worship God--and thank him for the wonderful voice and heart of Rebecca St. James. The CD contains 10 songs which fill this listener with a true sense of the gentleness and power of the one true God that Rebecca sings about. This CD is such a blessing!


If you'd like to share in the preview of the CD stop by and join Rebecca's LISTENING PARTY at http:/rsjames.com/listeningparty


Or you can visit Rebecca's website at http://www.rsjames.com

Or her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/rsjames

Or hear Rebecca explain her song Shine Your Glory Down at http://rsjames.com/updates/2011/3/22/video-rebecca-explains-her-song-shine-your-glory-down.html

To purchase the CD visit Amazon at http:///amzn.to/ggOroA

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Rebecca St. James - New CD - I Will Praise You - and one to share

Rebecca St. James - "I Will Praise You" 

Releases 4/5/2011

Produced by Mark A. Miller
2011 Provident Label Group LLC, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Distributed in the USA by
ProvidentIntegrity Distribution, 741 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin, TN 37067


We've been fans of Rebecca's music since we first heard her, and when I was asked if I would listen to this new worship CD and write a review to share my thoughts of course I was excited.  This CD is Rebecca's first studio project since 2005.  It was definitely worth the wait. 

Rebecca says the collection is "her most personal recording to date."  I'd have to say this was quite evident in her song choices.  This is some seriously great worship music.  With songs such as I Will Praise You, You Never Let Go, Shine Your Glory Down, and You Still Amaze Me one can't help but praise and worship God--and thank him for the wonderful voice and heart of Rebecca St. James.  The CD contains 10 songs which  fill this listener with a true sense of the gentleness and power of the one true God that Rebecca sings about.  This CD is such a blessing!

If you'd like to share in the preview of the CD stop by and join Rebecca's LISTENING PARTY at http:/rsjames.com/listeningparty 

Or you can visit Rebecca's website at http://www.rsjames.com

Or her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/rsjames

Or hear Rebecca explain her song Shine Your Glory Down at http://rsjames.com/updates/2011/3/22/video-rebecca-explains-her-song-shine-your-glory-down.html

To purchase the CD visit Amazon at http:///amzn.to/ggOroA


Now the fun part...

I get to give a copy of the CD to some lucky winner.  All that is required to enter the giveaway drawing is one thing - leave a comment telling me your favorite Rebecca St. James song.  If you don't have one yet I suspect you will after listening to this CD. (insert big grin here)   Random drawing will be held at noon on April 8th.

Blessings to you all!

"Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."



MathRider - A TOS Product Review

MathRider
Sharper Edge Pty Ltd
31 Hannah Street
Beecroft NSW 2119
Australia
Phone: +61 2 9980 2437
Office hours: 9am to 5pm (East Australian Time – GMT+10), Mon-Fri
Compatible with Windows, Mac OSX and Linux
Current sale price - US $37.

Instant download access

Age range 6-10 years old

"30 Day Risk-Free Guarantee"  (If for ANY reason you or your child are dissatisfied with MathRider, to get a 100% refund just contact the company within 30 days after purchasing.


Caution:  You are now entering the Mathlands . . .

We recently have been using a downloadable math game from Australia.  Let me tell you about this fun supplemental way to learn basic math.  MathRider is a new math game for kids to practice the number facts of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division from 1 to 12.

The download and registration of this game is pretty easy, although you may have to download Adobe AIR if you don't have it.  After downloading, your "rider" is easily added on the Rider Menu.



In the game the player rides on different quests and learns each of the 4 math operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and  division).  While the game is played the computer stores and analyzes what the rider knows and what they still need to practice.  The cool thing about this is that the players get to actually practice what they don't know instead of doing random problems.  There's even an overview map for each number table to see which facts are mastered (answered correctly with consistent speed).

Screenshot from Addition Quest

Each of the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) has four quests, which are the same, but the rewards are different in each quest.  The riders enter answers as they move along the quest.  They pass through the Mathlands, a richly illustrated background.  At the end of the quest the rider gets to see their reward on the main screen of the game.

Quest Progress Map



Along the way your child rides their own horse and takes off on fun adventures, some of which include finding magical flowers, returning gems to elves and rescuing a princess. All your child needs to do is type in the answer to the problem presented and press ‘Enter’.

Below is a picture of one of these overview maps of mastery.  In this subtraction statistics example most areas are green (mastered), but a few orange and red areas (problem areas), need more practice. Grey areas show the problems that have not been played yet.  This kind of feedback allows parents to figure out where their children still need practice.



This game also allows multiple children to play (up to 10 on a single license), and the game tracks each child separately. (They just log in to their own game.)  This feature is great if you have kids at varying skill levels, because the game becomes "their own" based on how well they answer questions on their personal quest.  (For example, you can have a younger child working on addition and subtraction while an older child works on multiplication and division.)  This feature is also great because you pay once rather than per child.

My daughter, a horse lover, thought this game was a fun way to practice her math and gain a bit of speed in solving basic problems. Yes, she asked to do math on her own time - hurray.


This one gets a thumbs up for helping learn basic facts. We weren't that excited about the graphics, but there is good variety for the quests. There are wizards, elves and other fantasy items we don't really care for, but this is worth considering for the inspiration to quickly learn math facts. I'd be interested in seeing this game with different types of quests rather than the fantasy theme.

To see what other TOS Crew members had to say about the game click here

I received a free trial download of this game to use for the purpose of providing an honest review.  Opinions and observations shared are my own.  I am not obligated to provide a positive review.  No further compensation was provided.

Can You DigIt? Roman Town - A TOS Product Review

Dig-It! Games - Roman Town
info@dig-itgames.com, or 1-877-21DIGIT (1-877-213-4448)

For 5th to 8th graders, kids from 8 to 88

ROMAN TOWN: THE PREMIERE ARCHAEOLOGY INTERACTIVE COMPUTER GAME FOR KIDS (CD) Price $39.95


ROMAN TOWN TEACHERS EDITION (CD)
A multiple-use version of Roman Town for the classroom setting. Pricing is on a per-license basis.
Price $299


ROMAN TOWN EDUCATOR'S MANUAL (Download)
Price $19.95

The Educator's Manual is available for download, and the game is on CD.

                                                      ***For a Limited Time Only***
****Until February 21, 2011, TOS Crew Readers can get 20% off the 2010 price of $24.95.  If you use the coupon code TOS2011 you get $15 off the 2011 price PLUS an additional 20%...so price is $19.96!

This winner of the National Parenting Center’s 2010 Seal of Approval and Dr. Toy’s Best Vacation Products Award was created by an archaeologist and former middle school educator.  Her blog is linked to the game website for further information.

Have you ever thought about sending your kids looking for buried treasure?  Have you ever wished your kids could play in dirt without getting dirty?  If you answered yes to either of these questions you should check out this fun game we've been playing.

Roman Town is a historically accurate archaeological simulation game which allows kids to learn about Fossura, a Roman town destroyed in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted. In this interactive game players excavate buildings, find ancient artifacts, and dig up treasures. Roman culture, society, and history become real to your kids during “hands-on” discovery, analysis, and problem solving.

At this authentic dig site players send out their team and participate in a complete excavation. Players get to dig, analyze, sort and reconstruct the site while learning about Roman art, architecture, language and artifacts.

There are six levels to the complete excavation, but they may be played at different times and can be saved for later. In addition, players find something different every time they play. The game contains realistic 3D graphics of artifacts.

 Kids actually get to remove dirt layer by layer, and reconstruct rare artifacts piece by piece.

Roman Town is fun for any age, with no violence or inappropriate material. You can’t play the game without learning something. Kids learn new vocabulary, think through puzzles and get a taste of what archaeology is really about.  My 5 year old loved "digging" with the computer mouse to find the artifacts/treasures .  He was getting up in the morning saying he wanted to "dig".  He was going to bed saying he wanted to "dig".  This boy is really "digging" this game.  My 13 year old liked the game, but she figured out I was getting her to learn something too so had to act like she was really "helping" her brother.

Roman Town is currently only available in a Windows version. The MAC version of Roman Town is coming soon according to the website.

The game has a really interesting feature.  The L.E.A.R.N., Locate Engrossing And Remarkable Knowledge, interactive, in-game encyclopedia, lets kids learn at their own pace. Kids can choose to LEARN more from related articles in the encyclopedia. Throughout the game are quizzes on LEARN to test players’ knowledge. 

We really like this game.  We found out you really do find something different each time too!  It was fun to find out more about archaeology and a real ancient Roman town.  This game is definitely a fun way to learn some ancient history.  For my little pirate lover the "digging for treasure" concept was wonderful.  Now, if I could use something like this for all those other topics ... hmmm.  This game got "thumbs up" all the way around at our house.  Definitely worth the price for fun learning.  If you're even slightly interested, you really should get this game - especially now while it's so cheap with the TOS coupon code!
 

The website also contains links to archaeological resource sites for further information and articles.  We'll be checking those out as we continue to play the game.  To see more information click here

To see what other TOS Crew reviewers thought of Roman Town click here

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received a free download of Roman Town to try in return for a fair and honest review.  The observations and opinions stated here are my own.  I received no further compensation.