Huge List of FREE Educational Resources for Home Schooling

I will update this list as I get more resources.  I am only listing FREE resources at this time.  If you have a resource you would like to see listed, please contact me using the contact form of the right sidebar or email me:  REVIEWZBLOG@GMAIL.COM

1.  HUGE List of free resources: http://www.amazingeducationalresources.com
2. ABC MOUSE is offering free online programs for kids Pre-K-6th grade. No credit card required. Use code SCHOOL7771 abcmouse.com/redeem
3. Scholastic www.schoolastic.com/learnathome 
4. Over 30 Virtual Field Trips with Links-https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTbUBsKt4U5tR-eXC8b2bogrvjrVlEBl8OJIesNPw6b7BRScYRuyXIaSAVIcl_q52BI4SqrK4_HVQCw/pub
5. VR Field Trips- Huge list of virtual field trips
6. 20 Fun and Easy Indoor Activities for Kids
7. CircleTime Fun– learn and bond with your 0-6 year old. Use code homefun1.
8. Sesame Street– this has everything your little one will love. Show clips, puzzles, and games for free.
9. Sight Reading Factory– SightReadingFactory.com makes practicing the important skill of sight reading easy, effective and fun! 
10. Vroom– Free educational tips and science explanation for parents of children 0 to 5 available by app, text, and printables.
11. Starfall– no list of free educational websites would be complete if it didn’t include Starfall. There is a paid version of this website, but so many resources are also available for free, geared for children ages in grades K-3.
12. National Geographic Kids– There are amazing nature and animal videos, as well as games and activities. This one is so much fun, and entirely free!
13. PBS Kids– This was always one of my favorite websites and apps for my little ones. Games, shows, and more all for free.
14. NASA Kids Club– you know how much our family loves all things NASA! This website is perfect for little learners, with access to materials appropriate for teens and young adults. All for free!
15. Scholastic Kids– this website has free books for all ages, as well as other interactive games and activities. Offers unique and rich experiences for kids, all for free.
16. Seussville- All things Dr. Seuss for your younger learners. All for free!
17. Pinna is extending our free trial period and giving families & teachers 2 free months access to Pinna audio. To activate, all they need to do is go to www.pinna.fm and at sign-up use promo code: PINNA4KIDS
    Pinna has a huge collection of children's audiobooks, podcasts and music. Just follow the instructions above!
18. Free Games/Play Activities: Ravensburger

Encouraging families to stay #athomewithravensburger, the company is sharing free tips, materials, and ideas for kids AND parents to help destress, get creative, and feel inspired. Love puzzles? Our multi-player digital puzzle application let’s families puzzle together while respecting social distancing guidelines. Fans of our GraviTrax system will love the new challenges featured in our GraviTrax Academy and includes a printable diploma parents can present to their child once a skill level has been mastered!

STEM Learning:
ThinkFun
ThinkFun’s newest resource page called “For Parents” includes free-downloadable games featuring the company’s online coding game, educational games, and more to help support learning at home and keep families calm, occupied, and engaged.

Add Some Fun To Your Easter Baskets

This year, add some fun to your Easter Baskets.  Sure, candy is great, but it's a good idea to mix some play in with all of that sugar.  This Insect Playset Bundle from Plus Plus is a perfect Basket Stuffer!  The nice folks at Plus Plus were nice enough to give me one of these Bundle Sets to try out for this review.  And my kids and I had a blast playing with it!  The Insect Bundle is priced at $29.99 and consists of 4 tubes of pieces.  Each tube contains the colors needed to build a specific insect.
 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Plus Plus, just take a look at the video above.  It shows you how easy it is to build with these pieces.  As explained on their website:  "Plus Plus is one shape with endless possibility!  Designed and made in Denmark, this deceptively simple shape is the ultimate in open ended play.  Younger kids can build 2-D mosaics and older kids can create 3-D masterpieces.  Anything a child can imagine, she can build."  Kids of all ages enjoy playing with these puzzle shaped building pieces.  However, because the pieces are small, they are not recommended for ages under 5.  

Plus Plus comes in many different colors.  You can buy tubes with specific color groups and you can even create your own mix and choose your own colors.  With this Insect Bundle, you get 4 tubes of pieces and each tube contains the colors that you will need to create a specific insect.  There is a tube for each of the following insects:  BUTTERFLY, LADYBUG, BUMBLE BEE and PRAYING MANTIS.  Of course you are not limited to building only these insects, you are always free to mix and match to build whatever your imagination can dream up. 

The pieces connect easily together in any direction you choose.  You can build colorful flat designs and square box shapes.  You can even angle the pieces in order to build amazing 3-D works of art.  The photo above shows the 4 completed insects that this insect bundle is intended to build.  Note that they are not just the standard boxy shapes that you get with most building blocks. 

So why not order your own Insect Bundle Set (or browse the Plus Plus website and choose some of their other awesome sets) for your kids this Easter?  Your kids will love them, and you'll have just as much fun building things as they do!  Imagine the quality time you could spend together as a family.  Order yours today!

PLAYMOBIL Scooby Doo

Thanks to PLAYMOBIL for this cool new toy.  These are exclusively sold at Walmart and are for ages 5 and up.  If you are a Scooby fan, then this is a must have set for hours of fun imaginative play.  I love that no devices are involved and we can get some play time in our day.  Let your kids' imaginations flow as they have fun with Scooby Doo and the gang.

Time to solve some mysteries with the members of Mystery, Inc. in the SCOOBY-DOO! Mystery Machine™! This psychedelic vehicle always has everything you need for your ghost-hunting adventures.  Open the van’s rear doors to reveal an illuminated monitor, where you can insert your ghost cards to learn more about the mystery.  Discover more ghost cards in each of the SCOOBY-DOO! Mystery Figures.  You also have your spyglass, a secret map that reveals the exact place you need to go, and Scooby Snacks™ – all essential for cracking the case. For even more fun, combine this set with the rest of the PLAYMOBIL SCOOBY-DOO!

Zoinks! Looks like Scooby-Doo™ & Shaggy™ have wandered off from their friends and found a ghost!  But wait, do they smell food? Looks like Scooby-Doo and Shaggy actually need to eat a snack before they solve this mystery. For even more fun, combine this set with the rest of the PLAYMOBIL SCOOBY-DOO! theme! Set includes Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, ghost, Scooby Snacks™, hamburger, and other accessories.

SCOOBY-DOO! Mystery Figures (Series 1) contains twelve collectible SCOOBY-DOO! ghosts that can be assembled and collected. Each ghost comes unassembled in its mystery pack, so children can put it together to reveal a collectible SCOOBY-DOO! character! Each bag also includes a collectible sticker and a ghost card, compatible with the ghost card reader in the SCOOBY-DOO! Mystery Machine™ .

Tastefully Simple

Have you tried Tastefully Simple yet? They make simple, delicious spices, dressings, baking kits, and more. They're probably most famous for their delicious Bountiful Beer Bread! One of the cool kits they sell on their website is the Get Together Kit. It helps you to create 6 amazing recipes that are perfect for guests. Janessa at Thrifty Nifty Mommy is sharing about the kit on her blog today. She's also got a great recipe for no-bake, kid-friendly Dirt Pudding dessert.  We've partnered with Thrifty Nifty Mommy for a great giveaway today! One person will win a Tastefully Simple Get Together Kit, ARV $70 '

 If you'd like to win this fun prize package, just enter using the Giveaway Tools entry form below. The giveaway ends on Friday, March 20th, 2020 at 11:59pm EST. Good luck!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. Prize fulfillment is the responsibility of Tastefully Simple and not the bloggers promoting it. This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18 years of age or older. Void where prohibited. If you have any questions about this giveaway, you can contact Janessa from Thrifty Nifty Mommy.

Add these puzzles and riddle books to your kids' Easter Baskets this year!

Soon, the Easter Bunny will be making his rounds filling children's Easter Baskets with tasty treats.  In addition to candy, consider giving your kids some puzzles and games as well.  I recently received the following products from Banana Panda to try out in exchange for an honest review.  You can visit the Store Locator on the Banana Panda website to find a store that carries these products near you.  They can also be purchased on Amazon.  

First, we have the Suuuper Size Puzzle Alphabet Train.  Recommended for children ages 3+ (it contains small parts so it isn't suitable for children under 3), this puzzle makes learning the alphabet fun for your little ones.  This is 52 piece extra long puzzle (it's 137.5" long when put together) is great for introducing kids to the wonderful world of letters.  Jump on board one of the longest puzzle trains!  The conductor is an astronaut and each of the 25 train cars carries amazing passengers and incredible cargo.  The detailed, funny illustrations will encourage your kids to learn the alphabet and discover new words.  Each train car contains at least one animal or object whose name starts with the letter that is specified on that car.  As kids arrange and assemble the large puzzle pieces, they will learn perception and concentration.  It also promotes hand-eye coordination.  The jumbo puzzle pieces measure roughly 6"x2.5" and are made of high quality, thick cardboard.  They're perfect for little hands to pick up and maneuver.  It comes in a keepsake box that has a handle, making it a great gift.  Choo!  Choo!  All aboard! 

    
Next up is the Looong Puzzle Safari.  This puzzle is recommended for ages 3+ (it contains small parts so it isn't suitable for children under 3) and will introduce your kids to the savanna and its inhabitants.  Your children can explore the wide open spaces of the savanna with the meerkat, zebra and a little monkey.  As they put this long puzzle together (it's 38.5" long when completed), they will see a baby elephant, hippo and crocodile trying to stay cool under the warm summer sun.  This jigsaw puzzle has 40 colorful pieces that are made of thick, sturdy cardboard.  Each puzzle piece measures roughly 4"x3", which makes them the perfect size for little hands.  As they complete the extra long, panoramic puzzle, the vibrant, detailed artwork will be revealed.  There are plenty of exotic animals for your kids to find.  Assembling this puzzle will help develop your childrens' perception, concentration, hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity.  It comes in a handy keepsake box with a sturdy handle, making it a great gift!

          
Next is the Figure It Out Puzzles Vehicles in Action.  Recommended for ages 3+ (it contains small parts, so it isn't suitable for children under 3), this is four puzzles in one box.  Each puzzle gets progressively bigger, allowing your kids to improve their skills gradually.  When your cat is stuck up a tree or there's a hole in the road, you need help!  And these vehicles are ready to come to your aid.  It's a perfect gift for little fans of action vehicles featuring four progressive puzzles.  One has 9 pieces, one has 12 pieces, one has 15 pieces and one has 35 pieces.  There are also eight figures included that will enable children to create their own stories and play in a variety of ways.  Sorting and assembling the thick, high quality cardboard pieces into the four different puzzles will train perception and concentration, improve manual dexterity and foster curiosity and imagination.  The handy box that it comes in has a practical handle and makes it a great gift.

  
And finally we have the Peek-A Boo Riddles.  I received the one for age 3 Advanced, but there are others.  One is for age 3 Beginner, one for age 4+ and one for age 5+.  This is a collection of educational books containing rhymed riddles in a unique presentation.  Illustrated fragments of the answers to the riddles are visible through a special viewing window, making guessing great fun!  The books for 4+ and 5+ year olds feature additional fun facts and activities for curious preschoolers.  Each book has 80 pages and is bound with a rivet.  The box is pocket size and travel friendly, making it perfect for on the go fun.  The riddles will engage your children's senses and support language learning.  They will help expand and reinforce knowledge and vocabulary and will also awaken curiosity and imagination.  Parents and children can learn about the world together in a funny and enjoyable way.

Where Can I Purchase CBD Oils

Where Can I Purchase CBD Oils

Image Credit: Pixabay

So you’ve been hearing about CBD oil for months now and you’ve finally decided to give it a try. However, you might struggle in trying to figure out where the best place to purchase CBD products is. Many different types of locations sell CBD products, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. So which locations should you be looking at? Here’s where you can purchase CBD oils.

Drug Stores

As CBD becomes more accepted by the medical community, it becomes increasingly more common in standard drug stores. CBD has many health benefits, making it a great over the counter solution to many ailments. While CBD is certainly not a cure-all, it definitely has some advantages in medical use. As a result, you may be able to purchase CBD products at your local drugstore. CBD products may be hard to find in these types of stores, and their product range might be limited compared to some other options. However, drug stores carry many other products, allowing you to shop for other things while you pick up your CBD products.

Smoke Shops

An interesting place to purchase CBD oils is at smoke shops. Many smoke shops around the country have started to sell a wide assortment of CBD products, ranging from oils to edibles. While you might not always find the top brands at these locations, they still can provide you with some CBD products that can provide benefits. In addition, many of these smoke shops will also sell pieces that you can use with your CBD products. For example, you may be able to buy a CBD vape at a smoke shop, allowing you to use your CBD oil if you didn’t already have a method to.

Online

A simple way to get your CBD oil is to shop online for it. Shopping online has several advantages that going to physical locations can’t compete with. First, shopping online is extremely convenient, as it allows you to shop from the comfort of your home or anywhere else. Second, shopping online allows you to compare a wide range of prices and products from many different websites. The only downside to using the internet to shop CBD is the lack of personal contact you’ll have. You won’t have an expert or a clerk telling you what works best and which brands are most trusted, meaning that you’ll have to do all of the research on your own.

Specialty Stores

Since the market has exploded for CBD in recent years, many businesses have begun taking full advantage. However, some stores have devoted their entire inventory to taking advantage of this opportunity. These specialty stores sell only CBD products and things that compliment the use of CBD. These stores are great as they offer a wide range of CBD products for you to try and staff is usually knowledgeable enough to point you in the right direction. However, since the market is relatively new, there aren’t that many CBD specialty stores out there. In addition, those that are already established aren’t on the best footing financially. As a result, you may find difficulty trying to find CBD specialty shops in your area.

How to Avoid These 9 Homeschool Science Mistakes

This post is sponsored by College Prep Science. Copyright 2020 by Greg Landry. 

Having taught science to several thousand homeschooling and college students over the past 20+ years, several things stand out to me. I've put together a list of 9 homeschool science mistakes and 9 concrete steps we can take to better prepare our budding scientists.

Mistake #1 – Generalizing the names for, and thus the way we teach, science. Call it Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc. and not “General Science”, “Physical Science”, etc., even in the young grades. Doing this virtually eliminates the intimidation that comes with “Physics” etc. in the high school years and clarifies what you’re teaching in the middle grades.

For example, at College Prep Science, rather than a homeschool year of “Physical Science," we teach a semester of “Pre-Physics” and a semester of “Pre-Chemistry.” Rather than a homeschool year of "Life Science," we teach a semester of "Pre-Biology" and a semester of "Pre-Anatomy and Physiology."

Mistake #2 – Not doing enough testing.

Testing in the sciences prepares our students for the rigors of high school level homeschool science, college science, standardized testing, and assures that they are learning the material and how to take tests. Of course, it should be age-appropriate, but we should be testing.

​Mistake #3 – Teaching science year-round.

I know that many parents are proponents of year-round school (no summer break), but I believe it’s actually counter-productive. From experience with thousands of students, I believe that students need to know they can work hard for a prescribed period of time and then have a total break from classes for a while.

Mistake #4 – Not starting the high school sciences early enough.

I know it’s easy to put off starting the high school sciences, but it’s important, especially if the students may be a college science major. Critical decisions should be made going into 8th grade. The critical factor is being ready for standardized testing and being able to fit in the needed sciences in the high school years. High school Biology should be taken in the 9th grade for most students and in the 8th grade for very capable students who will likely be science majors.

Mistake #5 – Not beginning to take the ACT early enough.

Success on this standardized test is critical for college admissions and plays a direct role in how much financial aid a student will receive. Taking these tests twice per year beginning in 9th grade gives students experience and confidence which enables them to do well when they take this test for the final time in 11th or 12^th grade. See my article on this topic, “6 Reasons to Ditch the SAT and Laser Focus on the ACT.”

Mistake #6 – Not training students to write good lab reports.

As a college professor, I saw the pain of students who came in as science majors without good lab report writing skills and experience. Students get better at this with experience – there’s no substitute for that. Lab reports are simply the written record of the scientific method. It takes lots of practice to develop the skill needed to do well on these.

Mistake #7 – Not creating a lab manual for every science class.

A lab manual is a collection of observations, data collection, and lab reports from a class. This gives students one place to neatly keep all of this information and gives them a sense of accomplishment. It’s impressive to have them lined-up on a shelf from all of their science classes. It’s also required by some states or umbrella groups for homeschoolers and some colleges want to see lab manuals as evidence of labs being completed.

Mistake #8 – Being squeamish on Creation.

Despite what you may hear in the media and elsewhere, God wrote the book on science. We need to boldly teach our students about God’s creation. Science and the world around us support biblical creation.

Mistake #9 – Not using graphing extensively.

Graphing, when done regularly through the middle and high school grades has a unique ability to develop critical thinking skills in students that not only benefit them in math, science, and academics in general, but also in life! We encourage families to have students construct one graph daily as part of their homeschooling day. They can graph anything. Let them run with it and you will be surprised at how creative they are. The resulting skills can be very beneficial.

​Homeschool dad, scientist, and former college professor, Greg Landry, offers live, online homeschool science classes, the Homeschool Mom’s Science Podcast, in-person two-day science lab intensives nationwide, freebies for homeschool moms, and homeschool print publications that students can be a part of.