When it Rains......

Have you ever heard the expression When it rains, it pours?  Well, that's what has been going on around here lately.  I've been MIA for a few weeks now,  just hanging on and dealing with what life was throwing at us!  Flooded basement, broken computer, fried electrical in the basement, and a broken truck.  We are still dealing with getting the basement put back together, I picked up my computer yesterday, we pick up the truck tomorrow, and we are waiting on an electrician to tell us the verdict on the electrical. 

I really felt lost without my computer!  I also learned how important it is to back up as often as possible!  But, in all of this, we heard news of friends whose son is dying from a terminal disease.  That made us stop and think about how all our troubles are material.  I'd take material troubles any day over a sick, dying child.

So, I'm back on track and will be getting caught up on my reviews this week.  The forecast ahead is calling for sunny skies!

Schoolhouse Crew Review~Samson's Classroom

Samson's Classroom is an online learning website for grades K-5, focusing on sight words, spelling, and reading.  With Dyslexia, Chad struggles in these areas and we have found that online games definitely help him progress. 

Sight Words with Samson is proven to help early readers master the 224 most commonly used words in the English language. Spelling with Samson is the most comprehensive spelling product on the market with over 5,000 words available.  Reading with Samson helps students learn how to comprehend and analyze what they are reading. 

The games are so much fun! This treasure chest game pictured above is Chad's absolute favorite Sight Word game from Samson's Classroom.  He enjoys all the games, and will actually keep going back until he gets every single answer correct!  There is a demo video you can watch to learn more about the program. 

Samson's Classroom is affordable at only $30 for a one-year membership for one student, or $50 for one year for up to four students.  There are also school memberships available.  Pricing information is available here. 

Our experience with Samson's Classroom was a positive one.  All of the games were a hit, and he is really learning a lot while playing them.  The Reading section was more advanced for Chad, and he could not do it himself.  I would help him read the passages, and then he would answer the questions himself.  There are lots of resources, including lesson plans and worksheets, on the website.  As a parent, you can always check what your child has been doing and how successful they are.  Kids also see for themselves what they have mastered, which is very motivating for my child.  You can try Samson's Classroom out for yourself by playing demo versions of the games!  For more Crew reviews, click the banner below:




*Disclosure: I received a free membership to Samson's Classroom in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Review~Clever Dragons

I'm so excited about this website!!!  It's called Clever Dragons, and is a boys-only website for K-8.  There is also a website for girls called Always Icecream!  It can be really hard to find websites that your child enjoys, but still have an educational component that parents want.  This isn't just mindless computer play.  Clever Dragons is a perfect mix of fun and education!

In exchange for practicing math, language arts, geography, science, typing and more, boys collect gold coins.  With their coins, boys can build castles, play fun games, and feed their virtual pets!  Chad loves games like this, where he can earn the chance to design and buy items.  Here is Pet World, Chad's favorite place!

As a parent, there are lots of features on Clever Dragons that I appreciate.  You can set the grade level(s) you want your child working on. There are no ads, all memberships are traceable, all content is moderated and monitored, and you get to choose what features you want to let your son use.  You get a weekly email showing you everything your son did, and if you choose to let your son communicate with other members, you see who he communicated with as well.  The safety features are certified by Privo Kids, in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.      

Membership to Clever Dragons is affordable! A monthly membership is $5.95 (first month only $.99), an annual membership is $47.40.  There are also lifetime memberships available: $119 for one child, or $259 for a Family membership for up to four children!  You can also get a free trial membership. Another great feature?  Satisfaction is guaranteed at Clever Dragons!

As you can tell, I'm really impressed with Clever Dragons!  I think you will be too-check it out for your boy(s), and check out Always Icecream for your girl(s)!

*Disclaimer: I received a membership to Clever Dragons in exchange for my honest review. 

Product Review~K5 Learning

Members of the TOS crew were recently given the opportunity to use and review K5 Learning, an online after-school supplemental study program.  Lessons are available in math, math facts, reading, and spelling.  

First, Chad was given math and reading assessments.  Parents are able to view the results and see exactly what grade level their child is at in each area.  Chad thought the assessments were too long- he was moaning and complaining about halfway through.  What is nice about the assessments and this program, though, is that the material your child works on after the assessments is entirely assessment-based.  Children are not just given work that corresponds with the grade they are in.  Also, the program adjusts to how your child is doing, making problems harder or easier if needed.  Below is an example of  reading assessment results:

K5 Learning lessons are multi-media, which always works best in our house.  Your child can work independently-I only needed to help Chad a few times.  There are fun games to play as rewards, and Chad enjoyed designing his own Avatar to use in the program.  Parents can check their child's progress at any time.  The characters used throughout the lessons look modern and fun, although Chad complained about a few voices being 'annoying'. 

The price for unlimited use of all K5 Learning programs is $25/month for the first child and $15/month for each additional child, or $199/year for the first child and $129/year for additional children.  You can see how the pricing works here.  For my family on a limited budget, this price would be too high for us, especially since it is a supplemental program and not a full curriculum.  I'm sure for some families K5 Learning would be the perfect after-school program. Before deciding for yourself, you can get a free 14 day trial!  Be sure to check out K5 Learning's website for sample lessons, an introductory video, and FAQs. 

Click here to read more reviews of K5 Learning from the TOS crew. 
Disclaimer: I was given a free trial of this program in exchange for my honest review. 

Product Review~Reading Eggs

If you've read posts on this blog, you most likely are aware that we have really struggled with Chad and reading.  He is 9 years old now, but at a 1st grade reading level.  He didn't learn to read in kindergarten or 1st grade while at public school, and since homeschooling he is reading and progressing, but very slowly.  Which. Drives. Me. Crazy.  When he was little, Nick (now 20) just caught on immediately and read like a pro.  Alyssa (now 17) needed more instruction and practice, but was an eager learner and didn't take long.  So I really haven't had experience with this frustration.  Now, he does have dyslexia, so I know that doesn't help. 

We have been focusing most of our energy on phonics and reading, and he is getting there.  But like I said above, slowly.  I've found a few great programs that I love and are working, but the problem is Chad doesn't like reading or learning to read or any of it.  So it has not been a fun situation for either of us.  Until I had the opportunity to review Reading Eggs the past few months!

Reading Eggs is meant for kids age 4-8, and there is a program for older kids (7-12) called Reading Eggspress.  It is an online world with games, songs, stories, and more where you learn to read!  There are currently 100 lessons-Chad took a test and was placed where he needed to start, on lesson 67.  I liked that he didn't have to sit and do lessons he didn't need.  He does several activities and games for each lesson, and is rewarded with golden eggs!!  These eggs hatch into avatars for your child to decorate and dress.

Just above is a screenshot of a learning activity.  I asked Chad what he likes about Learning Eggs, and he said 'Everything'!  His favorite activities are dressing up and buying things for his avatar, going to the toy store, earning eggs,  and the rhyming games. I asked him what he dislikes and he replied 'Nothing!  I love Reading Eggs!'  Is that awesome or what???  Whats nice is that he can do Reading Eggs all by himself, without me helping him.  He even woke up early one morning and asked if he could 'play' Reading Eggs while I was making breakfast!!

There is so much for kids to explore at Reading Eggs-Chad has been using it for two months now and is still discovering new things to do!  I have definitely noticed an improvement in his reading ability. The parents dashboard is a great tool to show you where your child is at in the program, and what they have been learning with each lesson. Click here to try a sample lesson. Click here for FAQs about the program.

Reading Eggs is affordable-online subscriptions are $9.95 per month, $49.95 for six months, or $75 for one year! Click here to purchase a subscription. There are also sibling discounts. Along with the online program, you can also purchase book packs, activity books, and flashcards.  The online subscription comes with free worksheets to print out too! You can get a 14 day trial subscription to try it out yourself.  I definitely recommend Reading Eggs if you have a beginning or struggling early reader.  We plan to purchase a subscription when our trial runs out!

Click here to read more TOS crewmember's reviews of Reading Eggs.

Disclaimer: I received a temporary membership to Reading Eggs in exchange for my honest review.