Prest-o Change-o

Yes it is the magic game that is a supplement to your children's math curriculum. I bought my 7 year old daughter this board game for Christmas. At first we was reluctant to play it because lets face it who wants to play educational games during Christmas break, but we played anyway. My daughter loved it. She even asked to play it the next day too.
If you have never seen this game it is can have 2 to 4 players playing at once. Each player starts off with 2 - one dollar bills and has to work his way around the board. Depending on where you land you will either recieve money or lose money. If you receive money, you take the amount from the bank and then you have to make sure you have the least number of coins in your hand or someone can call a Presto Chango on you. For example, if you have 4 quarters you have to trade them in for a dollar bill or risk losing them to a Presto Chango. On the other hand, if you lose money then you will have to pay up and figure out how much change is due to you. For example, if you have to pay 40 cents and you only have a quarter and a dollar bill, you have to give the bank your dollar bill and get the 60 cents that is your change.
Overall, I think it was a fun game to play. Children learning money will love this game. It is kind of like playing store which I know is a favorite around here but you don't have to set up all the props just pull out the board game and start playing. It is great for allowing players to learn to add and subtract mostly in their head. So even if you have a child who thinks he already knows how to add and subtract money they will still benefit from this game.
This is just one of the educational games I bought the kids for Christmas. We haven't played the other one yet but I will talk about it tomorrow when we do.
Blessings,
Allyson

Little House on the Praire

We are currently reading the Little House on the Praire series and we are on book 5. There are nine books total in the series and it makes for a great read if you are learning about that time period in American history. My 7 year old daughter loves this series and will even tuen of the t.v. during t.v. time and ask me to read a chapter. She cannot wait to find out what happens next or where the Ingalls family will be moving to next. I must say though she was especially disappointed when at the beginning of book 5, On the Shores of Silver Lake, we found out that Mary is blind.
There are also many resources that go along with the series too. If you like to lapbook with your students then you will be happy to know that there is a lapbook for each book in the series that you can download for free from www.homeschoolshare.com . My daughter is not much into lapbooking and she would get frustrated when I would stop at the end of the chapter to do that lapbook piece, so we stopped making them.
Reading the Little House on the Praire series is a great way to study American history before the west was settled. We have learned how log houses where built. We have read about how food was hunted or picked to eat. We have learned about how important it was to have a cow during this time for the milk supply and fresh butter. Reading this series is just a great way to discuss American history with your children without using a formal curriculum. Sometimes they are learning things without knowing that they are learning.
Have you ever read the Little House on the Praire series? Did you enjoy it?

Christmas is over!

All the rush rush rush of Christmas is over and for me this is when I really begin to think about the reason for the season. I must admit that before Christmas day I am busy with the tree, decorations, food preparations, parties to attend, pictures with Santa, Christmas cards, gifts to buy, and finishing up our lessons before Christmas break. I feel the pressure every year to make sure that everything is perfect and that my family has the best holiday ever.
After Christmas Day, I feel relief. Relief that the food has been eaten, the guests have all gone home, and the children are busy playing with the gifts. I know it sounds bad and that I should be thinking about the real reason for Christmas, the birth of our Savior. I know in my heart that I shouldn't worry about all the materialistic things but somehow I get caught up in it every year. Am I the only one who thinks this way?
What are your thoughts on the pressures of the Christmas season?

The First Post of Many More to Come

Welcome to our family's blog! As the title states this is our very first post. The first post will always be the first and there will never be another first post so I have to make this one count.
For starters we are a family with four children who loves country living. We can't get enough of being outdoors. Give us a picnic lunch and a good read aloud any old day.
Our children are Imagination (7), Sweet Guy (3), Adventurous (2), and Buggy (10 months.) We are a young family hust learning to live with the grace of God.
We have been homeschooling our children from the beginning, meaning they have never been to public school. We are so very blessed to be able to homeschool our 4 children and I thank God every day for leading me down this path.
I have started this blog to write about our family and homeschool adventures together. I also plan to post some printables and lapbooks so that you may enjoy too. Oh and if you would like to leave a comment about anything else you would like to see on this blog that would be nice too.