Panda Pickagram Bundle (A Timberdoodle Review)

The Panda Pickagram Bundle is a brand new part of Timberdoodle's Second Grade Curriculum Kit leaving kids with an exciting new way to do school this year. Pickagram is a magnetic puzzle that builds spatial reasoning, creativity, and logic. What I appreciate about Timberdoodle's creative line is the variety of puzzles with seemingly unending levels. Children can easily have unending play with the Pickagram, but, with the bundle, your child also receives 52 designs to work on. The challenges help them get started in their creativity, allowing them to go off script (or card) and make their own creations.

Right out of the package, my son went immediately towards working on the prompts from the cards. Every child is different. Learning styles vary. Having the prompt cards available work well for the child that can get overwhelmed easily, unsure of where to begin. This would be the child who is still sitting in their room two hours after you asked them to clean their room because the mess is too overwhelming to begin to tackle. I homeschool both kinds. The ones that thrive on tackling challenges head on, right away, and the ones that need step-by-step guidance. Both methods have its advantages and disadvantages and I appreciate that this puzzle reaches both personality types.

Side note: if you have company coming over and you know they are the type of people who like to have their brains continually stimulated, have this on an end table for them to fidget with, you will love to see what they come up with!

The first project that my son worked on from the bundle was the whale, and he was pleasantly surprised. From the satisfying clicking sounds that the magnets make to the impressive finished product from the card, my son gained confidence while being entertained. Education comes in all shapes and sizes which Pictogram clearly show us. Timberdoodle has done it again. Every year my homeschoolers have new and innovative activities to keep their minds sharp. This project is no different. With a wide variety of challenges of varying difficulty levels, they are never bored of it.

Apt for both indoor and outdoor play, this simple yet fascinating puzzle is challenging, innovative, and a boredom-buster for long days. I have heard it said that with homeschooling, the years are short but the days are long. That is so true. Having activities, puzzles, and projects to keep hands and minds active can help homeschooling parents savor these precious moments with their children—together.

I highly recommend adding this to your morning basket, shelf of toys, or sensory bin this school year and if you are still seeking a second grade curriculum, this puzzle is only one of many intriguing products to help keep the learning exciting the entire year!

Disclaimer: Many thanks to Timberdoodle for the above product in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Original 13 Colonies Fact Cards (Free Printable)

These Thirteen Colonies Fact Cards were created for my kids as we studied early American history. What a pivotal time in our history! Puritans seeking religious freedom, adventurers setting out for a new land, and those in debt hoping for a fresh start—a new life. From the first colony in Virginia, until all thirteen stars on the first American flag were represented, these cards are a perfect review for your homeschoolers. Use them to drill the first thirteen colonies so your child can recite them with ease, and have them dictate the information on the cards to help them remember a small fact about each colony. Feel free to print these out and have your children write facts that they learn about each colony on the back. Go ahead and laminate them, too! Simply right-click, save, and print to use this resource in your homeschool as you study about the original thirteen colonies in America. Use the facts for dictation, copy work, or discussion in your home. Disclaimer: All co...

Truck-Themed Homeschool Chore Chart

Use this truck-themed homeschool chore chart to keep your kids on track throughout the school week. With lessons, field trips, meals, and unexpected errands filling up your week, even the simplest chore chart can help your home run more smoothly. At times, kids are excited for the new opportunity to help out around the house and do it with joy. Other times they stomp toward the trash can with anything but a good attitude. Help keep attitudes in check by using stickers, smiley faces, or positive verbal reinforcement as your child completes each task on the chart. For the child who loves lists (and the mom) this is the perfect free printable to have on hand! (Simply right-click, save, and print)

The Pencil Grip Inc. {Review}

We have found what we have been looking for in The Pencil Grip Inc .'s 24 pack of Magic Stix Washable Markers . These markers are the perfect fit for a homeschooling family such as ours. I am thrilled to tell you about our experience with them! Normally, I do not have a favorable impression of markers for several reasons. For one, as a kid, I remember markers having such a strong smell that it would give me a headache. I know some kids enjoyed the scents but it certainly was not for me. And to be honest, if I had markers like that in my house today, my kids would probably stick them up their nose or something. Another reason I have a distaste for markers is the drying out factor. As a parent of many children this is super frustrating. I finally teach the older ones to put the caps back on when they are done using their markers but then a younger one comes along and just doesn't understand. This then leads to the undue frustration of your child sitting down to...

Thrift Schooling

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