Earth Day Giveaway - Enter To Win A CompoKeeper #CompoKeeperSE

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

 

Did you know that Earth Day is on Friday? Do you have any plans for celebrating Earth Day? We are visiting a recycling center for a tour and going to see Monkey Kingdom. In the spirit of Earth Day and promoting a green, eco-friendly environment, I am excited to be participating in the CompoKeeper Giveaway! Composting is a great way to reduce, reuse and recycle. The great folks at CompoKeeper has created an awesome kitchen compost bin that makes composting easier, cleaner and more enjoyable! 

                                       About the CompoKeeper

The CompoKeeper is a cleverly-designed composting bin that makes composting easier and more favorable for families throughout America. Designed to hold more compost than a typical kitchen compost pale, the CompoKeeper allows you to store more compost and prevent daily trips to the pile. 

But what about the smells? If you have ever tried composting, you know that after 2-3 days the odor becomes noticeable. Well, the CompoKeeper has you covered. Literally!  

Designed with a hands-free lid and self-sealing bag, the CompoKeeper prevents odors caused by composting, fruit flies and common concerns associated with keep compost in the kitchen.

The CompoKeeper is designed with multiple features to prevent odors and promote healthy composting:

• Carefully designed clamps seal the bag to prevent orders and fruit flies
• Air holes provide circulation to promote a healthy and active compost pile. 
• Carbon filters installed in the lid to prevent odors and increase air circulation. 

The handy foot pedal creates a hands-free design to make make composting easier and cleaner.

 CompoKeeper Features:

• Odor control through the bag seal, holes for air circulation, carbon filter, and stylized lid to keep away fruit flies.
• BPI Certified compostable bags.
• Foot pedal operated clamps for hands-free opening and closing.
• Easy bag removal tote keeps spillage from happening during trips to the outdoor bin.
• Floor-standing profile to allow it to be stored by the trash bin or tucked away under the sink for easy kitchen integration.

The CompoKeeper is available in 

4 stylish colors to go with any kitchen. 

You can find out more about the CompoKeeper at CompoKeeper.com  or follow them at:

 Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Buy It!

Got to have one for yourself? 

The CompoKeeper is available online at: 

CompoKeeper.com

Amazon

Paperless Kitchen

Gardener's Supply

Bed, Bath & Beyond

Compo Keeper Giveaway

Feeling lucky? Here's your chance to win your own CompoKeeper! 

ARV $99

Kindly Sponsored by CompoKeeper

Giveaway Ends May 5th, 2015 at 11:59 pm CST

Enter to win via the Giveaway Tool below. 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO WIN.

Open to US Residents of Legal Age. Void where prohibited. Winner will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. CompoKeeper is responsible for prize fulfillment and shipment. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media sites are not affiliated or responsible for this giveaway in any way. None of the participating blogs or bloggers received any form of compensation for sharing this giveaway. 

Entry-Form

Brands  & Sponsors: Are you a brand looking to promote your product or services through digital marketing and blogger outreach? If so, please visit Social Exposure PR for more information or contact Stephanie at socialexposurepr@gmail.com. 

Georgia Author Highlight - Carole Marsh #bookingUSA

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

We had so much fun participating in Booking Across The USA last year that we decided to join the fun again. This year myself and about 49 blogger friends have each chosen an author or illustrator that was born in, lived in or currently lives in the state we chose to represent. And all of the books, crafts and activities that will be shared will be inspired by the book(s) that the author or illustrator has published! Head over to the Growing Book by Book blog for additional details.

As you may have guessed I chose Georgia which is the state we live in. The author we chose to highlight is Carole Marsh author and founder of Gallopade International. Carole resides in Peachtree City which is only about an hour away from where we live. Carole writes mystery fiction and also non-fiction books for children. She initially self-published under the imprint Gallopade Publishing Group which she founded in 1979, today Gallopade International is a major small publisher based in Peachtree City, Georgia.  Carole received the Georgia Author of the Year award in 2007 for her contributions to children's literature and to the state of Georgia over her career. She has won several other awards as well. Gallopade International specializes in social studies, with an emphasis on history, geography and biographies correlated to educational standards.

We decided it would be fun to interview Carole Marsh, so here are the questions that the kids came up with and her replies.

Carole Marsh interview:

Which of your books is your favorite and why?

•  I always say my latest book is my favorite (maybe because it's finally done?!)...so that would be "HELLO IN THERE!":  POETRY TO READ TO THE UNBORN BABY and NINE MONTHS IN MY MOMMY:  AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN UNBORN BABY.  I wrote these a long time ago and have revived them with new original illustrations by a Savannah College of Art and Design student, and as a new series:  Cherish the Unborn.  As a preemie born 3 months early, I have always had a great respect for the unborn baby.  I love the new PBS series "Twice Born" where they operate on unborn babies—so amazing!

How long have you been writing books?

• I always say I've been writing since before I was born...thought the uterus was a hammock where I could daydream, write in my head?  But really, published my first book in 1979 after writing for magazines, newspapers, companies, and such for 12 years.

Why did you decide to write kids books?

• I chose to write for children because I knew it would be challenging!  I wanted to repay all the authors who wrote the wonderful books I read as a child, also to change kids' lives, and, as I grew older and wiser, to save kids' lives, because unless you learn to read, and learn to love to read, you are lost!

Were you born in Georgia?

• I was born in Marietta in the old Kennesaw Military Hospital...not sure they knew what to do with 1.lb, 8 oz. preemies back then, but they done good!

Where do you get your inspiration for new books you write?

• Inspiration is not a problem; neither is writer's block!  Kids, teachers, and parents inspire me.  So does just observing the world around me.  When my granddaughter Sadie was balking at potty training, a title flashed in my mind:  A LITTLE POTTY NEVER HURT NOBODY! and that story was born.  Alas, i have easily a dozen ideas a day and often wonder, "What is God thinking?" since I feel I should do them all.  The last thing I wrote today was dialogue between 2 cute rats on a golf course.  I thought, "The crazy things I do to make a living!"

Do you have any children?

• I have a son and daughter and teen grandkids and little grandkids, six in all; so blessed.

What is one piece of advice you would give children interested in becoming authors?

• Write from YOUR head and your heart and never let anyone talk you out of that voice—your voice.  Uh, that means you, too, Moms!

Books and series Carole has written:
Carole Marsh is the author of several different children's book series....and even teachers guides and curriculum's.  Our favorite series is the Real Kids Real Places...they are the perfect supplement for fieldtripping families.

Some of her book series are...

• Around the World in 80 Mysteries series
• Real Kids Real Places
• Pretty Darn Scary Mysteries
• Criss/Cross/Applesauce Mysteries
• Three Amigos Mysteries
• Masters of Disasters Mysteries
• Fantasy Field Trip Mysteries
• The Postcard Mysteries
• Awesome Mysteries
• Wildlife Mysteries
  

Other books Carole has written include...

• Girl Scout Mystery
• Mary America
• When Kids Take Over NASA

Other products include...

• Social Studies Curriculum
• DIY Classroom
• Daily Dozen Classroom Almanac
• 1,000 Readers Biographies Series
• American Milestones

And more....

Craft ideas:
These ideas go along great with the Atlanta Mystery Book.

• -Make a replica of Stone Mountain using modeling clay.

Here are the instructions (this can be adapted for any city so it works great with many of Carole's books):

All you need are some markers or crayons, a light of some sort (Christmas lights work well) and a flat box, shoe box or oatmeal container. Next show your children a picture of your cities skyline and have them try to recreate it on there box or container. After they draw their picture have them color it in with markers or crayons. Next take a pencil or exacto knife and help your child poke holes were windows would be. Then place a light behind or in the container to see your skyline light up.

• Make a dream catcher to learn more about Georgia's Native American history.
• Make a plaster cast of a Live Oak leaf.

• Make your own Atlanta skyline

Here are the instructions: 

All you need is some air dry clay, clay tools, pipe cleaners, a grocery bag stuffed with a fist sized ball of paper and tied off at the bottom with a rubber band (cut the excess at the bottom) and a photo of stone mountain. Mold the clay around the armature (bag stuffed with paper) to create a Stone Mountain. The armature makes the piece hollow and saves clay. Next have the child use their clay tools to carve out the 3 figures on Stone Mountain (Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis). Lastly have your child create some trees to complete Stone Mountain.

For more great Booking Across The USA fun visit Growing Book by Book or visit each of the bloggers listed below:

edSnapshots, Incredibly Confident Kids, Child Led Life, Crayonbox Learning, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom,The Educators' Spin On It, The Art Curator for Kids, My Little Me , Kathys Cluttered Mind, Story Time Secrets, True Aim, The Jenny Evolution, Primary Inspired, KC Edventures, Chicken Babies, Mosswood Connections, Country Fun Childcare, Picture Books & Piourettes, Mama Smiles, Buggy and Buddy, Wise Owl Factory, Bambini Travel, Inspiration Laboratories , Kids Yoga Stories, Elementary Matters, Just Another Mom, Teaching With Grace, All Done Monkey, Something 2 Offer, ALLterNATIVE Learning, Cutting Tiny Bites, JDaniels4's Mom,  Living Montessori Now, Pragmatic Mom, Kid World Citizen, Teach Beside Me, Kitchen Floor Crafts, Mama Miss, A Book Long Enough, and Brain Power Boy

You can also check out this Pinterest board:

Follow the Booking Across the USA Pinterest board. 

Have you ever read any books written by Carole Marsh? If so what is your favorite?

AYL StarLight 330 LED Lantern Review - A Must Have For Camping and Home

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

A moms review:
This year we plan to take more camping trips, so besides making an awesome ultimate camping checklist (which I hope to post on my blog soon) I have been on the search for quality camping supplies.

A few weeks ago we received an AYL StarLight 330 LED Lantern to review. It has been too cold to go camping so we tested out the lantern at home. Not only is this lantern great for camping, but it also comes in handy around the home. It makes a perfect night light, can keep you safe during a black out, makes bedtime stories more fun, and can save your life during roadside emergencies. 

The AYL StarLight 330 LED Lantern uses LED lighting technology making it one of the brightest, clearest LED lanterns on the market today (300 Lumens). Because it uses LEDs it generates little to no heat so there is no need to worry about starting a fire or having a child get burned. The use of LED lighting technology also means that the lantern uses less power and can be used continuously for up to 6 days. The LED lights are guaranteed for up to 100,000 hours of use before needing to be replaced. The lantern uses 3 D batteries for power (not included).

The lantern is made from sturdy rubber and high impact ABS plastic making it very reliable, durable and even water resistant. The base is very solid and weighted slightly so you won't need to worry about it tipping over easily. But it is still very lightweight making it easy to transport, it is so light that even a child can tote it around with ease. At the top of the lantern is a sturdy metal handle which folds down out of the way when it is not in use. At the bottom of the lantern is a fold-out plastic hook which makes hanging the lantern a breeze.

The lantern has three lighting modes which are easily accessible with the push of a button. There is Low, High and Flashing Strobe (perfect for emergencies). The High mode is equivalent to about a 30 watt incandescent bulb. On the front of the lantern is a little green light that flashes about every 5 seconds. This simple little feature is something that almost no other lantern has. So what does it do? Well it helps you locate the lantern in the dark...pretty ingenious right. One other really unique feature is the removable top which basically turns the lantern into a focused light/flashlight.

I was thoroughly impressed with this lantern and it is a great addition to our camping supplies and home emergency kit.

There are only a few things I think the company could improve on to make the lantern even better. The bottom hanging hook which is made of plastic doesn't look like it will hold up over an extended period of use (especially around children). Perhaps a metal hook similar to the carrying handle may be a better option for them to consider in the future. And the battery installation was a little difficult as there are no orientation indicators on the inside of the battery compartment (like most products)...I finally realized they were located in the instruction booklet...yeah I am one of those people who doesn't like to read instructions. I also had some difficulty with the battery cap the first time. The AYL Starlight 330 uses a special triple seal to help keep moisture and humidity from entering the battery compartment. Because of this the cap can be a little difficult at first to remove and replace...but it is definitely a feature that needs to remain in place. And since the batteries don't need to be replaced often it is totally something I can live with. The instruction manual also has clear instructions for removing and replacing the cap (plus there is a link to a video too).

The AYL StarLight 300 also comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty so you can rest assured you are making a wise investment. 

Where to buy:
You can currently purchase the AYL StarLight 300 Lantern on Amazon for $35.00 (FREE shipping).

Out of the Box Games - Snake Oil Party Potion Review

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Out of the Box Games is an American game publisher that has been dedicated to providing fun, innovative party, card and board games since 1998. All of their games are easy to learn, colorfully illustrated, fun, educational and easily played in less than an hour. And they have won numerous awards.

A moms review: 
We love games...like a lot. We love them so much that we have an entire chest and bookshelf full of them. And I am always on the search for games that are not only fun, but also educational. Well the game we received from Out of the Box Games totally fits the bill!

We received a copy of Snake Oil – Party Potion which is recommended for children ages 8 years and older...however younger children that are able to read will be able to play as well. Snake Oil is super easy to learn and lots of fun to play. We couldn't wait to play Party Potion, so the day it arrived we grabbed the quilt, headed out to the front lawn and played several rounds. Both my 8 and 7 year old loved the game and had no trouble playing it.  They especially liked that there were no lengthy instructions. It was the perfect way sneak in reading for the day. Since then we have played the game several times and each time the game is tons of fun and different than time before.

Before I get into the game playing specifics I want to tell you the educational values of this game. It just so happened that we were learning about the Wild West when the game arrived and it went along wonderfully with what we were learning about. Have you ever heard of Snake Oil? Well the term Snake Oil is from the Wild West days and was used to describe fake health products. In the ol' days, salesmen would try to convince customers to buy oil or liquors in medicine bottles. Yup those magic bottles would cure all yer' aches and pains. People spent their life savings only to realize a few days later that they had been swindled and that the Snake Oil salesman was long gone and probably already in the next town.  Some of the other educational concepts this game promotes are oral presentation skills, creativity and innovation, risk taking, communication skills, vocabulary building, empathetic persuasion strategies and more.

How To Play The Game:
The game is designed to be played by 3-6 players, takes just 5 minutes to learn and 20-30 minutes to play....but your children will have so much fun they will want to play for hours.

To play Snake Oil Party Potion you first decide who will be the customer. The customer then chooses a customer card (blue on one side and green on the other). The customer cards provide a role such as Mad Scientist, Princess, Snowman, The President, etc.

The other players use the word cards (2 sets included) to create a unique, outrageous product for the customer. Each player (aka Snake Oil salesman) will lay down two word cards to create a potion. Next they will pitch their product to the customer and convince them as to why they NEED the product. Boy does it get silly.

After the players have made their pitches, the customer awards the customer card to the player who had the best sales pitch. Then the player to the left of the customer becomes the next customer. The game continues in this fashion until everyone has been the customer at least once....or in our case until all the customer cards are finished. The winning player is the one with the most customer cards.

Doesn't that sound like tons of fun?

The game even grows with your children because you can combine the Snake Oil Party Potion cards with the original Snake Oil game (recommended for ages 10 and up) for even more game playing fun.

This game is lots fun and perfect for the entire family...even the anti game playing members. We had a blast playing and laughing together. And later the children had fun drawing pictures of the crazy products they concocted. Can you imagine what poison milk, magic pants or wish plunger would like like? We loved the fact that the game is easy to transport making it perfect for family camping trips, car rides or hotel stays. It has become a new family favorite and thankfully it is packaged in a small box so it had no problem finding a home on the game shelf.

Links to follow:

-Out of the Box Facebook
-Out of the Box Twitter
-Out of the Box YouTube

Where to buy:
Snake Oil Party Potion retails for $14.99 and can be found at local game stores and on Amazon.

Click here for more Out Of The Box Games reviews from the The Schoolhouse Review Crew.

Space Scouts Review and Giveaway

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Space Scouts was created by Carol Stump a mother with an established and successful 25 year career in the Aerospace Industry who has a passion for the night sky. And it was her passion for children and space that led to her vision for Space Scouts.

A moms review:
Space Scouts is a monthly subscription club that engages children ages 6+ with fun learning activities, hands-on discovery, and exciting challenges all about space!  After receiving the introductory kit in the first month, children receive the following in subsequent months: activity sheets, a constellation card and information sheet, magnet, space toy, and more, all around a space theme.

We received the introductory kit and subscription month #2 kit for the purpose of this review. The children immediately tore the package open and began to oh and ah over all the fun goodies included in the package. They begged to get started right away...which we did!

Introductory Kit:
This kit includes program introduction, Space Scouts lunch box, solar system poster, activity sheet, sticker scramble, souvenir toy, constellation card cover and ring and constellation card introduction. The lunchbox and toy were probably their favorite items. The metal lunchbox is very cute and sturdy and offers the perfect place to store future materials.

We first read over the program introduction so we could learn more about space scouts and our adventure buddies Roxy and Jett. Next we read over the information sheet on constellations and learned things like: what they were used for long ago and what the meaning of the word constellation is. Each month children are introduced to a new constellation and receive a new card to add onto their constellation ring. 

Next we moved onto the sticker scramble and activity sheet. My son age 7 completed the sticker scramble and my daughter age 8 completed the activity sheet (they switched on the month #2 kit). My son really enjoyed the scramble and loved the end result which was a photograph of our solar system.
My daughter had no trouble with the activity sheet which included 3 activities: decoding, mini crossword and word search. After she completed the activities she shared what she had learned with her brother. 

Next it was time to play! The souvenir toy was a set of Wiki Stix along with a dot-to-dot space picture. This was my children's first experience with Wiki Stix and they fell in love. They spent almost 20 minutes playing with them and they are in for a treat because they will have a large set of Wiki Stix under the tree for them at Christmas.

And last, but not least we took a look at the solar system poster. I reviewed the planets with the children and we hung it up in our homeschool room. In future kits there are stickers that get added to the poster. The poster was quiet large, brightly colored and made from thick, glossy paper. 

The Amazing Zhus Review #TheAmazingZhus

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details. I was sent an Amazing Zhu and two Amazing Zhus Accessories by Cepia, LLC to review with my family. All opinions expressed are my own or my children's own.

Cepia, LLC is a master toymaker based out of Missouri that has been bringing smiles to children for years with their fun, magical toys. Some of their brands included ZhuZhu Pets, The Happys, Glo E, DageDar and now The Amazing Zhus.

A moms review:
Step right up and prepare to be amazed! Do you remember the ZhuZhu pet craze a few years ago? Well I do. It was all my children wanted for Christmas. Well this year ZhuZhu pets are making a come back and bringing loads of magical, interactive fun!

What child doesn't love magic and magicians? Well with the new Amazing Zhus from Cepia, LLC every child can become a magician. The Amazing Zhus are motorized toys that will amaze and mesmerize your children and their audience as they perform magic tricks and gravity-defying stunts. These toys are intended for children ages 4 and up and guaranteed to keep children busy for hours.

We received an Amazing Zhus pet named Piccadilly and two Amazing Zhus Stunt Accessories, the Disappearing Box Trick and High Dive to review. With an Amazing Zhu and stunt in hand children can amaze their spectators with tantalizing tricks and fantastical feats. It only takes minutes for children to learn how to perform tricks and feats with their Zhu friends, but they will have hours of fun entertaining friends and family.

My children absolutely loved that they were in charge of the show and had tons of fun performing stunts and tricks with their Amazing Zhus for their audience. The first trick they mastered was the disappearing Zhu. The great thing about the Disappearing Box is that you can place anything into the box and watch it disappear and reappear before your eyes. Next they snapped Piccadilly onto her stunt ball to perform her spin-tingling 30 inch free fall into a tiny bucket of water below. The children laughed and giggled over and over again.

There are a total of 6 amazing pets available: The Great Zhu, Madame Zhu, Dynamo, Abra, Piccadilly and The Great Kardini. These pets are so cute that your children will definitely want to collect them all! Unlike the ZhuZhu pets the Amazing Zhus are not fuzzy, but they are still absolutely adorable. They still make lots of fun noises and have 3 operation buttons and 3 modes. The Amazing Zhus Magician Pets (The Great Zhu and Madame Zhu) come with Magician Cards and can correctly guess the answers to the cards - without even looking. They also come with their very own wands and magic hats. Each Amazing Zhu also comes with batteries!!!

There are many amazing accessories to help your children and their Zhus create their own special, unique performances: Magician Shell Game, High Dive, Circus Ball, High Wire, Disappearing Box Trick, Cereal Box, Tomato Can and Train Car Carriers.

But don't take my word for it! Watch the video below to see what my children have to say. You can view additional videos here.


Have you seen The Amazing Zhus in stores yet? What do you think would be your children's favorite Amazing Zhu pet, trick or stunt?

Links to follow:

-The Amazing Zhus Website
-The Amazing Zhus Facebook 
-The Amazing Zhus Twitter 

Where to buy:
The Amazing Zhus will be sold exclusively in Walmart stores nationwide beginning in October, and prices will range from $7.99-$24.99. They will be disappearing off the shelves so make sure you get your hands on one NOW! To learn more about The Amazing Zhus, check them out at their site at AmazingZhus.com.

Bugs Big & Small God Made Them All Review

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

This month for the Moms of MasterBooks we reviewed Bugs Big & Small God Made Them All! Below is my review about the books as well as further details about this months Facebook party. 

A moms review:
My children love bugs, so much so that we actually have a bug specimen board and a family of Madagascar Cockroaches (we have 4 adults and about 35 babies). So you can imagine how excited they were when this book arrived at our door. They immediately grabbed the book and began flipping through the pages before I even had a chance to look at it. This is what I heard next, "Wow, no way, mom come look at how cool this bug is."  

This informational, hardback book is 80 pages of buggy fun. It was written by Will Zinke who was homeschooled and now homeschools his own children. He is passionate about insects and holds a BS in biology. The book is broken into 6 sections: Amazing Creepy Crawlers, Jumbo Giants, Weird & Wonderful, Bugs in Camo, Bizarre and Beautiful and Words To Know. The full-color, glossy photographs are absolutely wonderful and incredibly detailed.

This book is great for children of all ages. Children will learn about where each bug lives, their body parts, how they got their names and more. Vocabulary and bug names are super easy for children to find because they are written in bold text and highlighted in light green. Throughout the book there are "Creepy Cool" purple triangles that provide interesting facts on various bugs. Like did you know that a Large toothed longhorn beetle spends up to 10 years of its life in the larva stage? In the back of the book there is a page with multiple bug related scriptures, a glossary of "Words to Know," and removable bug flashcards.

One of my favorite things about this book is that it highlights the beauty and incredible design of insects. All those stereotypes about bugs being dirty and gross will be completely eliminated after reading Bugs Big and Small!

Learn How To Pan For Gold Review

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Discover with Dr. Cool was created by a husband and wife team, Jordan and Katie Willing. Both possess a passion for science and children which is why they only produce kits that offer exciting hand-on experiences that will inspire young learners with the wonders of the natural world. Every Dr. Cool Science kit is exciting and engaging for students, as well as a valuable contribution to the curriculum of any teacher, homeschooler, or parent. Some of their adventurous kits include gem mining, crystal growing, dinosaur digging, geode breaking, fossil digging and gold panning.

A moms review:
Christmas is just around the corner and if you are anything like me I am sure you are on the search for amazing gifts that are unique and will provide your children with hours of fun. Well the Learn How To Pan For Gold kit is an amazing product that offers children a fun, learning adventure.

A couple months ago we visited Dahlonega, Georgia, which is the site of the first major U.S. Gold Rush. Well as you can imagine both of the children became fascinated with gold after our trip and ever since then have been on the search for gold in our local rivers. But since they lack the proper tools and panning technique their attempts have not been very fruitful. Which is why I knew The Learn How To Pan For Gold kit would be the perfect gift for them this Christmas.

The Learn How To Pan For Gold kit is the perfect gift for little prospectors age 6-12 years old. This award winning toy will provide hours of fun and learning. The hands-on science kit includes a 10" prospectors pan, tools, storage vial, practice and advanced miner bags of paydirt, plus a large fool's gold nugget (pyrite). There is also a full color adventure and activity guide which were written by teachers. The adventure guide include lots of amazing science and history facts about gold. And the activity guide includes 10 fun games, puzzles and challenges.

Before digging into the kit I read over the instructions which explain the gold panning technique. The instructions were super easy to follow and include photos for reference as well. Since I do intend to give this to the children for Christmas I was the one who played with the kit, and I must admit I had a blast. Boy is gold panning harder than it looks. With lots of patience and practice I worked my way through the practice paydirt bag and EUREKA, I found the gold! Note: the gold in the kit is not actually gold, it is just pyrite, but it definitely teaches children about the art of gold panning. And after they have mastered the included paydirt bags they can move onto local streams and perhaps find real gold. You can also purchase mining bags of real gold online from various sellers.

This kit is the perfect way to enhance history and science lessons. Dr. Cool kits are so much fun that children won’t even realize they’re learning! 

Links to follow:

-Dr. Cool Website
-Dr. Cool Facebook 
-Dr. Cool Twitter 


Where to buy:
The Learn How To Pan For Gold kit is regularly $14.95, but right now you can get it for just $7.50 off the Dr. Cool website ($7.50 price expires 10/31/14). The kit is also available on Amazon.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

2014 Gift Guide

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Image from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Over the next couple of months I will be posting reviews on several amazing products, which will make perfect gifts for the upcoming holidays or even birthdays. Below you will find two lists one for children and one for adults, along with a direct link to the review once the post is live. I will continue to add more products over the coming months so continue to check back.

Children Gift Ideas:

• Learn How To Pan For Gold
• Gravity Maze         
• The Amazing Zhus     
• Usborne Books + Giveaway
• Snake Oil - Party Potion
• Space Scouts Subscription
• Bramble and Maggie Books
• Star Wars Workbooks - review still coming but in the meantime check out Zulily. They are offering a great deal on the workbooks. All 3 books for each grade level for only $16.99
• CHARM IT! Jewelry for Girls + Giveaway
• Peekapak

Not reviews but items I found, love and am getting my children this year:

• Peabody and Sherman DVD (this DVD contains all 91 episodes of the TV show short)
• Nancy Drew Graphic Novel Book Series
• Zita the Space Girl Book Series
• Pottery Tool Kit and Air Dry Clay
• Rocks and Minerals Smithsonian Book
• Cobra Walkie Talkies

Adult Gift Ideas:

• JORD Watch + Giveaway

Kids Love Travel Guide's - I-75 and Georgia Review

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

George Zavatsky and Michele (Darrall) Zavatsky are called "the family that goes on vacation for a living." Over the past several years, they've researched and published several best-selling state travel books. To accomplish this, they spent thousands of hours in research, travel, and writing to produce books that they would be proud to use. Head over to their website Kids Love Travel to find out about all the amazing products they offer adventure loving families.

A moms review:

As you know we love traveling. And we are more of a  road-schooling family than a homeschooling family! Right now we are limited to our amazing home state of Georgia, which is fine because Georgia offers a WIDE variety of things to do. I thought I knew of all the amazing things there were to see...that was until I received a copy of Kids Love I-75 and Kids Love Georgia to review. 
Whether you are just looking for a quick adventure close to home or planning for a long journey, each of these detailed books will save you hours of research and provide your family with tons of fun! Each of these books contains hundreds of activities as well as lodging and restaurant suggestions.
Other books in the Kids Love Travel series include: Illinois, I-95, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland and DC, Missouri, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and DC, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin.
One of my favorite things about these guides, which sets them apart from others, is that they include links to teaching materials that may be available on the attraction websites. 
I had the opportunity to review an eBook and paperback version of two different Kids Love Travel guide's, below is information on each of the books we received.
Kids Love Georgia (eBook): The Kids Love Georgia guide is 216 pages with over 400 listings, broken into 6 geographical zones. Everything you could possibly be interested in exploring in Georgia is listed in this comprehensive book from hidden islands to historic gold mines. It is the perfect book for locals or those planning a vacation to Georgia.
In the front of the book you will find general information which includes information on how to use the book, maps, tour ideas, city listings, geocaching information and more. Each chapter is broken up into a day trip zone (NE, NW, MW, ME, SW, SE) and highlights the best kid-friendly points of interest, events and author-tested lodging and dining. Each of the zones spans a 2 hour radius. Each chapter starts out the same and includes an overview of the activities, lodging and dining you will find in the chapter. This is followed by a map and some brief history on the zone area. Next you will find detailed information on each of the sites and attractions. This information includes address, pricing, web address background and/or historical information and more. The book is very easy to navigate and the keys, descriptions and maps were all very easy to follow. In the back of the book is a comprehensive index.
I have spent hours searching the internet for Georgia activities to list on my blog and share in my Southeast Fieldtrip Facebook Group, so imagine my surprise when I discovered several things in the book that even I didn't know about. 
The interactive eBooks are available as an instant download and will work on a computer or other e-reader device (iPad, Nook, Kindle, Android, etc). Though I do prefer paperback books the eBook does have several advantages: more affordable, instant delivery, interactive website links and direct links, highlighting and/or sticky note features and more.
In just 20 minutes you can have your entire trip planned out. No more searching the internet for hours on end. Everything you need including facts, prices and exclusive, expert kid-tested reviews are included for every listing in the guide. There are even lots of FREE places included in the guide to save you money as well!
Kids Love I-75 (paperback): The Kids Love I-75 book is 370 pages with over 400 listings, spanning 6 states and 91 maps. This multi-state guide offers the best of I-75 from Michigan to Florida. All of the attractions listed in the book are within 10 miles of the freeway. You will also find lodging and restaurant suggestions too. 
In the front of the book you will find general information which includes information on how to use the book, maps, tour ideas, money saving tips and more. Each chapter is broken down into sections by state starting with Michigan. After reading a quick introduction for the state which highlights some of the authors favorites places within the chapter, you will find a list of activities by topic and exit number for easy reference. Topic categories include amusements, animals & farms, history, museums, outdoor exploring, the arts, tours, science, sports, welcome centers and suggested lodging and dining. There is no doubt you will find something for everyone in your family. Next you will find several maps that break down the interstate into 20 mile increments. Each of these maps includes a box with the exit number and family-tested attractions, eateries and lodging that can be found off that exit. You can also find rest areas, hospitals and indoor/outdoor play areas listed on the map. If a section of highway doesn't have any stopping points you will see a message saying to enjoy the scenery or play some travel games! After the maps you will find detailed information on the sites and attractions listed in order by exit number and distance from the exit. These details include address, pricing, web address background and/or historical information and more. In the back of the book is a comprehensive index.
This guide is really handy for an I-75 adventure and is the perfect guide for young navigators. The guide came in quite handy on our South Georgia Adventure this summer. Everything you need for a perfect roadtrip is included in this guide. And just like the Georgia guide there are lots of FREE places included in Kids Love I-75 too.
If you are looking for the perfect resource to help you plan out fieldtrips, daytrips, side trips, weekend getaways or vacations then pick up one or all of the Kids Love Travel guide's! Spend less time researching and planning and more time traveling!
Though it is mentioned in the guide's remember that things change (prices, websites, addresses, etc) so always be sure to call or visit the website ahead of time to confirm details prior to your arrival.
Links to follow:

-Kids Love Travel Facebook
-Kids Love Travel Twitter

Where to buy:
The Kids Love I-75 paperback is currently $17.95 plus shipping, and the eBook version is $15.95. The Kids Love Georgia paperback is currently $16.95 plus shipping, and the eBook version is $12.95. Both can be ordered directly through KidsLoveTravel.com. All of the books can be purchased on Amazon too.

$10 Off Coupons - Educents and Kiwi Crate

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

I wanted to let you in on two amazing deals that I just stumbled across.

Head over to Educents, create a FREE account and receive a $10 off coupon to use on anything you would like. Educents is an educational deal website where you can save up to 90% off curriculum, toys, and more. The $10 coupon expires and 6 months and can be used towards any purchase. I already snagged a great Christmas present for my children and save over 30%! New deals are posted weekly!

Image courtesy of Kiwi Crate!

Have you heard of Kiwi Crate, Tinker Crate, Koala Crate and Doodle Crate? Right now you can get $10 off a crate subscription! Give it a try, you have nothing to loose and can cancel at anytime. There are crate options for every age group from age 3 - 16. Crates are monthly subscription service that deliver delightful, creative kid projects right to your door. 

Raising Bearded Dragons Course Review

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

If you follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and/or Google +  you may know we have a small petting zoo forming at our home. We currently own a ferret, a rat, two guinea pigs, 4 Madagascar hissing cockroaches and a bearded dragon.

We adopted our bearded dragon Spike from a friend earlier this year and despite all our online research and chats with the local pet store employees, we were not properly prepared to raise him correctly. About 3-4 months after having him in our care he became ill, thankfully we were able to rectify the issue before it was too late.

Recently we reviewed a fabulous resource called Raising Bearded Dragons and are now completely and properly informed on what we need to do to give Spike a happy, healthy life. If you are considering a bearded dragon for a pet or recently became a beardie owner, I highly recommend purchasing this comprehensive course.


Raising Bearded Dragons: The Ultimate Care Guide to Raising a Healthy Bearded Dragon, is a complete care course for Beardie owners. This comprehensive course is an 11 module video series created by Abigail Kessler and Gabriel Valo, and is presented by Bay Guthrie. The course teaches you all of the do’s and don’ts of raising a healthy Beardie. Also included are a Bearded Dragon Food list PDF, Care Sheet PDF and access to the Raising Bearded Dragons exclusive Facebook community.....

Read our full review on Raising Bearded Dragons as well as 2 other reviews on The Old Schoolhouse Magazine website. 

Under Drakes Flag Review - Bring History To Life

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Under Drake's Flag is an amazing audio drama from Heirloom Audio Productions. Under Drake's Flag is based on the novel by G.A Henty. 

A moms review:

We roadschool more than we homeschool so I am always on the search for educational music and audio stories for my children. The entire family enjoyed going on an adventure with Under Drake's Flag on our most recent trip to Myrtle Beach. What better way to start off a beach vacation than with a story about the sea!

The set we received included 2 CDs, a study guide booklet and a pdf study guide curriculum. If you listen to both CDs straight through (which is what we did) you will enjoy 2 hours of exciting, engaging entertainment. Under Drake's Flag is great for entire family and is recommended for children ages 6 years old and up, though I could see slightly younger children enjoying it too.

Under Drake's Flag is not an audio story, or an audio drama it is an active listening audio adventure! Audio theatre is a little different because it is, "fun, entertaining and engaging and allows children to tap into, exercise and build their imagination by letting them create their own self-generated visual images and mental movies."

You will be on the edge of your seat as you set out on an adventure aboard The Golden Hinde with Ned Hawkshaw, Gerald and Sir Francis Drake, one of the most celebrated heroes in history. There are shark attacks, shipwrecks, fierce land and sea battles and more. My favorite thing about the Under Drake's Flag besides the fact that it based on true events is that it teaches children many important lessons, values and morals. Children will learn about history, bravery, selflessness, courage, valor and more. The shark attack was the children's favorite part. My favorite part was escape from the Spanish Inquisition.

Are you ready for an adventure on the high seas with one of the earliest pirates?

Henty's stories do have a Christian focus, but even secular families will enjoy listening to Under Drake's Flag and will be able to take away lots of great historical information and important morals.

The production quality is magnificent. The fast-paced dramatization was recorded in London and features fantastic actors, including Brian Bless an acclaimed British actor. The musical score was written by Emmy-award winning composer John Campbell (Lamplighter Theatre®, Focus on the Family Radio Theatre®, Adventures in Odyssey®) .  The face-paced script is very engaging and both of my children (ages 8 and 7) were completely captivated by the story. The sound effects and music really enhanced the story and made it feel as though we were watching a movie. 

Trailer:

Study Guides:
To further enhance the audio theater production each CD set comes with an abridged study guide booklet. In the booklet is a link to the complete study guide curriculum which includes even more information for helping your children understand the storyline and principles it teaches.

This booklet and study guide curriculum contain questions for discussion, vocabulary and a Bible study linked to the story. Under each chapter there are three sections, "Listening Well", "Thinking Further", and "Defining Words". Since each chapter in the story is numbered on the CD it is very easy to stop at your convenience to utilize the study guide.

Example of study guide curriculum.

"Listening Well" contains questions to make sure children are listening to the story. They will be asked questions to see what they have heard or what they remember. "Thinking Further" questions help your child utilize their critical thinking skills. Children will be asked to look up something they heard in the story, draw conclusions from characters' actions, or to speculate about intentions, mindset and character. "Defining Words" provides a list of vocabulary words that children may not be familiar with. At the very end of the study guide are 3 brief Bible studies to help your children understand godly character traits.

In the back of the pdf study guide curriculum there are also recommended resources for further exploring on Francis Drake.

Since we were traveling we listened to the entire story straight through and later when we arrived home discussed the questions and vocabulary. The children inevitably forgot parts of the story (or so they said) so we had to listen to it again at home on a rainy day. We snuggled up on the sofa and went through the story slowly pausing for the discussions. 

Wrap up:

This audio drama set is a great way to liven up history lessons and really bring them to life. Under Drake's Flag is one of the best audio dramas we have ever listened to. It is fun, engaging and great for the entire family. It is definitely one that we will listen to multiple times. The accompanying resources further extend the amazing audio story helping you create a fantastic mini history unit study on Sir Francis Drake (a 1500's explorer), the Spanish Inquisition and even slavery.

Links to follow:
-Under Drakes Flag Facebook.

Where to buy:
The Under Drake’s Flag, 2 CD set is $29.95 (physical CD set) there are other pricing options are available. 

Update:
In November Heirloom Audio Productions will be releasing a new audio theater production called In Freedom's Cause. This audio drama will cover the story behind the life and legacy of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Visit the In Freedom's Cause website or Facebook page for more information.

Click here for more Under Drakes Flag reviews (many different products were reviewed) from the The Schoolhouse Review Crew.