Before understanding ADHD in my life, I had enormous expectations for myself, crafted from every minute of television I've ever seen, every picture perfect person I've encountered and the above average culture that is celebrated on social media.  Those unreasonable, really high and often subconscious expectations were continually eating away at my self-confidence.  From a very young age, I felt different, self-conscious and desperate to be accepted.  Over the years I have attributed that to all sorts of things in pitiful attempts to stabilize it. Female. Anxious. Introverted. Highly Sensitive. Each lens explained some of it, but never really changed the core of me.  Since discovering what ADHD often looks like in women (it’s quite a bit different than men), this past year has been full of discovering new layers of my life affected by this brain of mine that I’ve completely misunderstood my entire life. The way I have trouble making decisions, especially under pressure. The way I lose things really easily. The way I despise structure, but fall apart without it. The way I shoot for the moon, dreaming of perfection and collapse in despair when it doesn’t work quite right. The way groups overwhelm me. The way I have trouble finishing things. The way I say things without thinking and regret it immediately. It’s true that I’m no different than I was, because I’ve always been this way. But looking through this large lens has given me the gift of understanding.

 My brain is a race car engine with bicycle brakes, able to speed through lightning fast, but just as likely to spin out as make it one lap.  As I have learned about how my brain actually works - not just what the world would have me assume about my brain - I'm uncovering a really beautiful side effect.  I'm recognizing overstimulation (imagine an engine overheating) in my daily life and adjusting my known limits in what I can tolerate and do (to avoid spinout).  As I'm adjusting limits, I'm finding myself more able to complete tasks (before getting sidelined by a world of other things).  Understanding that it's never been about me not being able, it was always the how, the when and the how much that needed to be recalibrated - that understanding is giving me confidence.  Not exaggerated, prideful confidence.  Not fake, let's put on a show to make myself feel better confidence.  Just a more peaceful assurance in who I am and how God designed me. 

It’s a beautiful thing, but every day I will wake up and still have this brain. I’ll still be prone to forget to message you back or have trouble deciding what’s the most important thing to do next. I’m loving the peace that comes from understanding why, but at the same time I’m not somehow off the hook for fulfilling the responsibilities of my life. I’ve heard people dismiss labels like ADHD before out of fear it was an excuse to not do things. I can tell you that living with this label has honestly done the opposite for me. Instead of giving up all the time under the misconception that I just wasn’t working hard enough or I just did everything wrong, I’m simply able to recognize the source of the stumbling block and move it or have more patience with it, which has allowed me to complete more tasks rather than less.

I know accepting something about yourself or someone you love can be scary and overwhelming. I’m literally the poster-child for the easily overwhelmed. Still, I am so thankful that it finally sunk in for me! If you suspect someone you love might identify with some of the things I’ve shared, I’m happy to chat about it! Evaluating yourself with the wrong gauge is exhausting so you might be doing them a favor. :)

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

From science experiments to art projects, hands-on activities are by far my children’s favorite part of their education! Today’s review combines elements of art and history to create an interactive lesson everyone will enjoy! We’re talking about Figures of the American Revolution from Figures In Motion! These moveable figures are a wonderful compliment to any history curriculum.

What We Received:

We received one book of paper figures to cut out, in some cases color and assemble, a bookmark about Benjamin Franklin, a single hole punch and a box of small two prong brads.

How It Works:

The Famous Figures of the American Revolution book contains 10 different people you can assemble. For each person there are two pages, one is colored and the other is blank, ready to be colored by a student. Both are assembled in the same way - by cutting out the individual pieces, hole punching in the designated spots (noted by letters and back or front designations) and then attaching the pieces with small brads. This product is intended for ages 6-12 and requires cutting skills. Most of it is easy but there are some areas of fine detail. For those areas they have added gray space as a guide to give students an easier option.

Once assembled, they are fun to move around and even pretend to interact. Within the book, each person has a description of their patriotic significance and interesting information about their life. These figures compliment any survey of history or biography study, but the text also includes a reading list specific to the American Revolution figures in the book.

What We Thought:

We loved this product far more than I expected! I know my kids like hands-on activities, but with as much cutting that's involved, I assumed my 10 year old son would be done with it. My 7 year old daughter lives to craft so I expected her to enjoy it, but they were begging to do more and more. Since there are only so many in the book, it quickly became a question of who gets to do more and which ones. They needed a touch of guidance when assembling the first ones, but after that it was a very independent activity. From an artistic standpoint, it requires precision and cutting skills, which is something we always need to work on. A neat element - that I love about learning anyway - was all the questions that arose simply from cutting out these pictures. I wasn't teaching them directly, but we learned about flag making, types of guns and different types of clothes, just from their questions.

This process was such a positive learning experience that I highly recommend including this product in your next history study!

Follow Figures in Motion on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/figuresinmotionbooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FiguresInMotion
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figuresinmotionbooks/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/figuresinmotion/_created/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwr8ROHgSkGmCrutlMg76KQ

The Review Crew were given a varied choice of products so check out the other reviews through the link below to see what other options are available.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW

Homeschooling my children from day one and being on the Homeschool Review Crew for almost five years, I have at least heard about quite a bit of curriculum. Today’s review is of a program I have heard about for years because so many people have used it before! In many circles, this company is a standard for math curriculum. We are talking about Teaching Textbooks Math 4.0 from Teaching Textbooks, their computer-based, no DVDs program.

What We Received:

We were given access to Teaching Textbooks Math 4.0 digital courses for 12 months and lifetime access to the gradebooks for 2 students, grade 3 and grade 4. There is also 3 months of pause time included that do not count against the 12 months.

How It Works:

For each student/grade level, there is a downloadable program (that works like an app on my laptop) that can be accessed any time regardless of internet access. In our 2 student situation, on our computers there is an M3 app for 3rd grade and an M4 app for 4th grade. Upon loading each program, you have the option to sign in as the student or parent. In the Parent account you can manage settings, see the gradebook as well as answers. Within each app in the Student account there is an Ebook (the textbook), Lesson Work, Gradebook, Wallpaper, Book, Sticker Book, and Hint Sound Settings.

As you can see above, the lessons are presented in a book form where you can turn pages to move forward and back. Regardless of where you go, the program keeps record of lessons and quizzes the student has completed. You can jump around as you wish, but within each lesson there are 22 practice questions that build on the previous lessons as well as the lesson just taught. A neat feature is the scratchpad where you can write out your work when needed. It is certainly helpful, but its probably most useful with a touch screen. There are also Bonus Questions that are sometimes offered usually featuring math facts.

How It Worked For Us:

My 10 year old son is finishing out 4th grade and my 7 year old daughter is finishing out 2nd grade. We chose M4 for him because he was still in the 4th grade. My daughter is really good with math so I thought we could at least try her out in M3 to get a good feel for the program and, if it was too challenging, she could work up to it. What we found out is that the grade level didn’t quite match the level of their normal math curriculum (which is known to be higher than average). So my son started toward the end of the program and my daughter had no problem starting M3 from the beginning.

The setup of the program encourages student independence and doesn’t require very much parent involvement, unless the student struggles with a concept. In that case, the parent section provides the textbook (ebook) and answer key for the parent/instructor to help as needed. It is always helpful that the grades are accessed forever, which is helpful when creating a transcript.

Both of my children said the lectures were easy to understand and enjoyed decorating their space with different wallpaper and sticker fun. While the grade levels were different than what we were used to, that is easily resolved and everything else worked very well! If you are looking for a math curriculum that allows your students to work independently, but also give you plenty of feedback and opportunity to engage when needed, Teaching Textbooks is a great program to consider.

Teaching Textbooks on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Teachingtextbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TThomeschool
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachingtextbooks/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVlomrjY7xTs2cRxSsuKCrw

Teaching Textbooks Math 4.0 offers programs for 3rd grade through high school, including Algebra, Geometry and Pre-Calculus. Click on the image below to check out reviews of other grade levels.

On April 19, 1995, I was 15 years old sitting in English class at a south Oklahoma City high school. When the Alfred P. Murrah building in downtown OKC was bombed that morning, the sound rattled our windows so much that they came open, despite being locked on the inside. Students took turns going to the office to make phone calls to parents. A television was rolled in on a cart so that we could watch footage on what happened. No one directly close to us was injured, but at that point in the day we couldn’t have been certain of that. I didn’t know it then, but that was the day I started growing proud to be an Oklahoman.

Over the next days and weeks, there would be so many amazing and tragic stories to be shared among us. Oklahoma would suffer and flourish in the way Oklahoma always does. The one person I had actually known that died in the building that day demonstrated this beautiful suffering in her last moments. Jamie Genzer, a woman I sang in Sweet Adelines with, worked in the Murrah building. The way it was told to me was that another singer was interviewing in the building that morning, but forgot her resume. By chance (or providence), she bumped into Jamie and shared her frustration. Jamie assured her she had enough time to run back to her car. That kindness from Jamie saved this woman’s life.

The shame that comes from the very flawed members of our community is outshined by the majority who are ready to do the right thing in the face of pain and struggle. Maybe we’re just really good at recovery and rebuilding. There would be so many tornadoes and tragedies further down the road that would continue the growing pride I now find in my home.

When 9/11 happened, it was brought bizarre flashbacks and an odd sense of familiarity. It’s nothing that you’d wish on anyone, but it was something Oklahoma knew how to handle.

As today marks the 26th anniversary of the Murrah bombing in Oklahoma City, I am thankful to have grown up here. It’s not a pride in the tragedies so many have had to endure, but a pride in the resiliency of a community. This community is full of different people with different lives that, when it really matters - like in emergencies and their aftermath - take care of each other.

In a pretty complicated world that we live in, I’m so thankful I’m raising my kids around people who know how to take care of each other. The common mantra on this day is “May We Never Forget”, but if you experienced that day, I don’t think you ever could. Today is a great day to pray for those who have suffered tragedies in their life, but are in the throws of having to live life anyway. May God’s peace block out all the rest.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW

One thing that homeschooling has certainly taught me is that learning is always possible. As a girl growing up, I never knew ‘how’ to do art and always just felt I wasn’t good at it. After several years in the homeschool mindset, thankfully I’ve learned better. As a result, my kids have always loved to try their hand at anything to do with art and excited to learn new skills. One of our favorite art curriculum companies, ARTistic Pursuits , is one of the reasons why. They offer a variety books and programs for all ages and today we are reviewing one of their book and online courses, Beginner Level, Art Core 1, Drawing with Graphite Pencils.

What We Received:

We received one hard cover book, Beginner Level, Art Core 1, Drawing with Graphite Pencils that contains 1 DVD, 1 Blu-Ray of corresponding videos and access to the same as an online course. Art supplies are not included, but can be purchased on your own or through Artistic Pursuits.

My 7 year old’s take on Unit 7’s Animal Form.

How It Works:

This program is designed for 4th grade to adult, though my 2nd grade daughter participated and certainly had some success. This program can certainly be parent-directed, as there are great opportunities for demonstration and discussion. The online course includes the videos also contained on the physical discs and there is digital access to the textbook. This allows users to access the content however they would like. Since there are not videos for every lesson in the textbook, even though you choose the online course, there is still content to be covered outside of the videos. If you hand it to a child and say go, that part might go unnoticed for a bit.

Each unit contains 4 lessons within it:

• Art Materials Video Lesson

• Creativity Lesson

• Art Appreciation Lesson

• Master Lesson

With all of these themes, you can see how easily it is to include outside sources when available or still get a wide variety of education solely from this text.

From Unit 7: Animal Forms

After a lesson one day, my 10 year old son still wanted to draw so he drew the scene he was sitting in.

What We Thought:

We always enjoy Artistic Pursuits products and this one is no different. The videos are clear and enjoyable. The tasks are flexible and easily adjusted for age or ability. For deeper learning and practice, the illustrations are beautiful and detailed. My 10 year old son had no complaints and all things felt age/skill-level appropriate. My 7 year old daughter who is crafty and game for anything certainly wanted to be involved. For the most part, her experience was positive too. As you would expect, some of it was challenging for her and her own disposition doesn’t appreciate things being “too hard.” We reminded her that it was intended for a 4th grader so her brother was likely going to have an easier time and she quickly moved on. After those experiences, I certainly agree with the age level. I certainly would let younger ones try if they want to, but expectations need to be adjusted.

In the first unit, students are asked to collect some objects to draw outlines From the character bin, my daughter chose and drew these: a frog, Piglet, and a My Little Pony character.

Artistic Pursuits is a great art program and a strong investment for your art curriculum library. These are lessons that can be revisited as development increases or simply just to improve skills. The combination of drawing elements with creativity and art appreciation can create a variety of different learning opportunities that can be repeated and adjusted. Especially when you start collecting some of their other books, you truly have art education at your fingertips. I highly recommend this company and their products to everyone!

Follow Artistic Pursuits on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtisticPursuitsInc
Twitter: @ARTisticPursui1
Instagram: @artisticpursuitsinc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk75eIpDhZUqbr1On5xEQJQ

Artistic Pursuits has other books and the Homeschool Review Crew tried out several of them! Click the link below to see what those were like!

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew

Despite our attempts to streamline people in every way imaginable, we learn at different paces and often experience gaps in learning out of sync with those around us. Multiplication and Division is one of those areas that can really hamstring someone’s education when they struggle with mastery for too long. If you have a student who still hesitates or depends on methods like counting fingers to remember math facts, this review is for you! Today I’m talking about Accelerated Individualized Mastery (AIM) for Multiplication with a Bridge to Division from Math-U-See.

What We Received:

We received the program Accelerated Individualized Mastery (AIM) for Multiplication with a Bridge to Division from Math-U-See. It came in a thin box that has been useful for keeping it in long-term. Inside the box there was a Resource Guide that works as a Teacher’s manual, Integer Blocks. Fact Check Cards, Math Fact Strategy Posters, and a Digital Access Card that provides access to the Digital Pack and a Quick Start Guide. The Digital Pack (online access) includes AIM for Success Videos, Lesson Videos, Solutions, Activities, Resources and Assessments. This program includes SO many resources!

How It Works:

This program’s design is in it’s name - Accelerated Individualized Mastery. When the traditional approach and time period has been spent on multiplication and division, but mastery hasn’t been completely achieved (age 10+), this program is intended to step in and bridge the gaps remaining. Before beginning the program, the teacher/parent is to complete the Before-AIM Assessment that determines where the students strengths and weaknesses are. From there, based on the needs of the student, you can determine whether to begin at the beginning or jump to lessons addressing particular needs. However, it is recommended to complete each lesson in order for optimal learning development as it builds on principles in each lesson. Each lesson is divided into 4 parts, called sessions where there is a specific goal to meet for mastery. In these sessions the Build, Write, Say Method, Fading From the Manipulatives and Mastery Check are used. Each lesson also has access to a variety of activities including word problems, fact check cards, manipulative-based activities, online drills, worksheet generator, and much more. This program is very parent/teacher heavy and requires instruction, direction and regulation to get the most out of it.

What We Thought:

My 10 year old son isn’t a struggler when it comes to multiplication, but he does hesitate with some facts in the 6-9 families. The fact that it wasn’t a major issue did cause me to drag my feet a little bit when I realized how much I needed to be involved. That being said, the multi-layered approach really breaks down all the elements of multiplication so that any level of weakness can potentially be addressed. We all thought the videos were easy to understand and the manipulatives were a hit with everyone, whether they were doing math or not! My son, who simply wants to do everything fast (not necessarily well) would rather there not be so many different elements, but that’s kind of why he is sluggish in his skills as it is!

If you are looking for a program to truly address your child’s learning gaps when it comes to multiplication and division, this Math-U-See Accelerated Individualized Mastery program for Multiplication has everything you need. Using their insight and methods, every child can bridge their learning gaps and be ready to move on in no time!

Follow Math-U-See on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mathusee
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mathusee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mathusee/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mathusee
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mathusee

Is your child really struggling? Check out what other families with children in other situations had to say about this program through the link below.

DISCLOSURE: 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.

As fun as preschool learning activities are, it’s pretty fun to dive into subjects that I can actually learn more about. The age ranges of my kids certainly keeps things interesting for me as a teacher and this review has given me a glimpse into middle and high school. I’m sure not mad about it! Getting to discuss the structure and history of our government through a Biblical lens is such a blessing. Today we’re talking about Homeschool Court Student Worktext, a judicial system curriculum from Homeschool Court.

What We Received:

We were given access to digital files that included a Student Worktext, Teacher Manual, and 3 Case Summaries each with a student and teacher manual file.

How It Works:

This curriculum is designed to work in a co-op or family classroom with the goal of a mock-trial. There are 9 chapters total that introduce the concept and origin of law, discusses elements of court, and then builds understanding of cases to equip students to participate in a mock-trial. Each chapter contains reading content, a worksheet or two, and a ‘Digging Deeper Enrichment Activities’, a list of activities to continue the learning. The Teacher’s Manual includes instruction for a group setting or individual, making it very versatile to a variety of learning environments. Each case summary includes the case facts, witness statements, use of evidence at trial, laws considered, jury instructions, and a verdict form. The information in these summaries sets the stage beautifully for a fun mock-trial.

How We Used It:

While Homeschool Court made every effort to provide materials for a group to use this curriculum - especially to accommodate a mock-trial, we didn’t have a large group available to participate right now. Our local co-op semester had already started when this review became available, but I am going to look into possibly using it for a course next semester. In the meantime, I walked through the material with my 10 year old son one on one.

What We Thought:

Due to the review period, we only got to chapter 4, but the discussions it prompted were really rich. As a teacher, I found it to be a great blend of overview and in-depth discussion. In chapter 1, the author gives an overview of important law events that impact todays law and then in chapter 2 talks about the Ten Commandments. The content and questions laid a great framework for nurturing a respect for God’s role in American government. Considering my son is only in the 4th grade, he learned a lot just in the basic reading of the material. In one section it asks the student to use scripture to prove their answer, which was a great exercise for my son. Older students would have an even greater opportunity to practice their knowledge of law (and scripture) and debate throughout the course. I highly recommend this curriculum for any government or civics credit, especially because of it’s foundation in and connection to Biblical teaching.

Follow Homeschool Court on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HomeschoolCourt
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HomeschoolCourt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolcourt/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/HomeschoolCourtDBurton/_created/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjXgvZzIUtMU4nZe-jFeisw

Homeschool Court offers High School supplements that several of our Review Crew families utilized. Check out their reviews through the link below if you’re interested in seeing how this program works with High School students.

Offending people is getting harder and harder to avoid these days.  Have you noticed?  Everyone is mad about anything and EVERYTHING! The other day I ran across a homeschool meme that listed several things that are likely to discourage a homeschool parent.  It mainly focused on complaints about having children at home or how hard life is when kids aren't in school. Being a homeschool parent myself, many of them resonated with me and caused me to chuckle.  In the caption, the author asked, "What would you add?" As I read the comments, I royally got more than I was expecting.  I seriously thought we were just having a good time, trying to lighten the mood, but the comments sucked the wind out of me.  Just about every complaint was pointing out something they hated seeing on social media.  And, yes I agree there are some annoying and offensive things people post, but ya'll, I just unfollow those accounts!  One woman hated seeing posts about kids and sports because she couldn't afford them herself.  Another commented about pictures with grandparents because her children didn't have living grandparents.  There were complaints about pregnancy posts, promotion posts, negative posts, sibling posts, spouse posts and they just went on and on.  The discussions got more pointed with expectations suggesting that everyone in their chosen category needed to stop posting about that thing because of how it hurt the commenter.

And in that moment I realized how ridiculous we all sound.  Our society has truly bought into the idea that life is fair and social media just hasn't gotten the memo yet.  I agree that there are always more polite and respectful ways of doing things, but if I were to base my posting  on these people's suggested criteria, I literally couldn’t.  I could not post pictures of my children (the most common thing people do on social media) because many suffer from loss or infertility.  I could not post about any hardship, because someone has it worse (and they aren't complaining).  I could not post about my husband because it's anti-single or full of made-up lies.  Don't talk about money, religion or politics because 2020!  Don't post pictures of your purchases because some can't afford it.  Don't even mention a garden because it's making those without the space or the want-to feel bad.  Spoiler alert!  Under those conditions, everyone has the 'right' to be offended about something because we are all lacking in some way.  It's just as surreal as it is ridiculous.

To be fair, I have certainly found myself in a tizzy over other people's posts.  I absolutely do NOT agree with a lot of things that get touted around.  This last year has been worse than ever.  The temptation to let others know how wrong I think they are is huge some days. So, I am not in denial about disagreeing with what other people choose to say or post.  But that is really my point.  It is impossible to create a healthy environment in which I agree with everything other people say.  Impossible. I'm not able to champion all the causes you think I ought to without offending everyone else.  So everyone just needs to stop perpetuating this lie that YOU have to stop being you in order to make ME feel better because it isn't sustainable and certainly not healthy.

Since it is a foregone conclusion that my entire existence and life choices are offensive to somebody somewhere (according to social media consensus), what should I do? What CAN you do?  Some choose to remove social media from their life, which isn't the worst option depending on the day.  Others go on the offense with a blast of lunging aggression at anyone who might not adore everything they say or post.  Maybe you have a good suggestion that's a little more balanced than those two.  I sure would be happy to hear it.  The best course of action I have come up with is to focus on my people and pray that you do the same for yours.

No one else is in the greatest position as I am to love and support my children and husband. Whoever your people are, you are in a unique position to love and serve them. Since I try really hard to not be hateful, spiteful or insensitive already (especially online), at the end of the day I owe my kids and my husband love far more than I owe Jack or Jane in Anywhere, USA silence about my joys and tears because they are struggling too. The victories of making our marriage work (when it can be incredibly hard) or navigating an ADHD discovery that affects all of my children is real to my life.  Just as real as the thousands of dollars in school loans I walked out of college with or the severe allergic reaction to Ben & Jerry's ice cream that resulted in a pus-filled rash all over my body the spring before we got married.  In this age of bait and switch marketing, I feel like we owe each other real life more than carpeting the world for everyone's  short stick situation.

Real life really stinks sometimes. For everyone. But real life isn’t all bad either. For every rotten thing that happens to you in your life, there’s half a dozen more great opportunities. Let’s work harder at caring for our people and give less space for getting our feelings hurt.

DISCLOSURE: 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.

In a couple of weeks my baby will be 4 and we've already entered this next phase of homeschooling - Preschool!  After 10 years of a homeschool mindset is, this really is one of my favorite stages!  That doesn't mean I don't have to fight off waves of sadness at the thought of this being the last time I get to teach one of my kids to read.  It is a beautiful privilege and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  And today our review is going to look at an online program designed to support young students in their journey towards literacy, LeapFrog Academy® from LeapFrog®.

What We Received:

We were given a 1 year subscription for multiple students to a LeapFrog Academy®, an online interactive learning program ideally intended for 3-6 year olds.  In addition to the annual, they also offer a monthly and 6 month plan, though the annual subscription offers the greatest discount.

How It Works:

 After setting up the student profile, the program takes the child on an introductory tour of the LeapFrog Academy world. Initially, the student learns how to move around, where the activities are, how to collect marbles for the reward bank, and eventually become familiar with their Learning Adventure. There is a dashboard where everything is directly accessible as well.

Within each student's virtual world there is a highlighted path they can take which brings them to a variety of puzzles and games. However, they can go anywhere they want and at any time head back to a red tent where they can change colors and clothing. As they travel around and complete activities, the student is rewarded with marbles and eventually prizes, like pets. My son has a pet hedgehog! When they do an activity they really like, there is an option to save it to My Favorites, which is then accessible through the dashboard. Also located on the dashboard are areas for certificates the student has earned, a My Learning Lab for activities focused on what they need to learn next, a reading area, and What's New for recently added elements. The concept as a whole is very open ended, but also structured if you choose to follow it.

What We Thought:

My son hasn’t quite mastered the mouse or track pad completely yet, so there were a few activities that he got frustrated on. Luckily, he has an older brother and sister who are more than happy to 'help' him. Other than that, the activities were fun and engaging, all while reinforcing preschool concepts.

As I have mentioned in reviews before, I am not a proponent of exclusive online learning. While I understand the reality and value of computer and internet skills for my children, I also know the importance of non-screem learning for healthy development. So, in our homeschool we have never relied completely on an online program. That being said, LeapFrog Academy® is a delightful program that was always inviting learning and one my son always asked to use. As a company in the business of learning since the 90’s, they have continued to do a great job of supporting early education!

LeapFrog® Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeapFrog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeapFrog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leapfrogofficial
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/leapfroginc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/LeapFrog

Not all preschoolers are the same! Are you interested in another perspective? Read through other families’ reviews of this product to see what they thought.

DISCLOSURE: 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.

As athletic and sports-loving as my kids are, we haven’t ever tried anything like Tai-Kwon-Do or Mixed Martial Arts. I certainly haven’t ever genuinely considered it for my preschoolers. Even taking an online mixed martial arts course seemed a little far-fetched prior to the last year, but here we are! Today I’m please to share our review of Family Mixed Martial Arts Videos Preschool Mixed Martial Arts from Family Mixed Martial Arts Videos. My 3 (almost 4) year old son was excited to have an activity for him, but honestly, the other two were not happy to be left out so it turned into a family affair.

What We Received:

We received access to an online course, MMA Course for Early Learners, which consisted of 16 video lessons. There were a few printable files for supply lists and certification instructions. Supplies consisted of items you likely have around the house, but easily replaced by something available.

How It Works:

This Preschool MMA online course functions like many virtual courses these days. It is easy to navigate with a table of contents always visible on the left side and every lesson can be accessed in any order, with the previous and following videos always visible at the bottom of the video player. Unless your student has had previous MMA instruction, I doubt there would be any need to skip around. This is certainly a program that requires parents to help and direct students towards good technique and participate as a partner at various points throughout each lesson. The class begins with a few introductory videos that gives you a feel for what to expect throughout the course and then each lesson functions with a similar routine: Warm-Up, Technique, Character Trait, Review, Game, Fun Exercise, Lesson Review, and Closing. Each lesson does build on the last, but there is quite a bit of repetition, making it difficult to truly be lost no matter where you jump to. Even though this is a Preschool or Early Learner class, they do learn techniques such as Jab, Hook, Upper Cut, Single Leg Takedown, and Sprawl. Once a child has completed the course, they even have the opportunity to submit an Application for Certification and also pursue an Application for Belt Ranking. The steps to do so are all lined out in a file included with the course.

What We Thought:

The kids and I were really excited about this course. Even though it was slated for the 3 year old, the 7 and 10 year old were happy to participate whenever possible. The instructor’s approach is certainly geared toward preschool age children and while it does get a little repetitive, the complicated nature of the subject matter, the instructor’s repetition and clarity helps reinforce the concepts for parents and students. The warm-ups consist of typical exercise warm-ups, which are both healthy and fun for the kids. My 3 year old loved every minute of it, though he still doesn’t quite know his right from left. That’s certainly why parent (or older sibling) involvement is necessary. Has he mastered all of the techniques he’s learned so far? No. Does it matter? Not unless we were trying to receive certification or advancement of some kind. Though the instruction is geared towards a younger audience, the actual instruction has left my older two with a beginning understanding of mixed martial arts techniques and approaches. Parents and children alike, it has been a great opportunity to have fun together.

I was very impressed with this course and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an introduction to MMA, especially for kids. Finding another great way to keep kids healthy and active is always a plus in my book! In person courses certainly have their strengths, but if virtual is your reality right now, this digital course is a wonderful way to go for Mixed Martial Arts.

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We are a pretty athletic family, but maybe yours isn’t. Take a look at the other reviews through the link below to see how other families enjoyed this course.