Learning To Start HomeSchooling Our Own Way

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This post may contain affiliate links.  Most products we got free in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are our own.

As most of you know we started Homeschooling this year.  This is not something that we went into lightly we knew it was coming the Pandemic just brought it on sooner.  When you start Homeschooling there is a lot to think about one of the main things is what is your states rules and regulations.  Here in Arizona we have to file a notice to home school and have a few subjects we have to teach. We are not doing the normal school year.  We are doing year round with breaks when he needs it.  I love that it gives him freedom on his bad days.

Our Homeschooling will be a little different from most.   Little guy is Autistic and has a learning delay.  Our main goals are not only reading and writing , but we are also working on everyday skills.  I would like to know that when it is my time to go he will be able to help himself with normal activities.

For some making the transition from public school to Homeschool will be the hardest.  This was the easiest for us.  Little guy has anxiety so leaving the big class rooms was a huge relief for him.  Next our learning is going to be based on his interest and fun.  There is no reason why learning can’t be fun.  We found a few toys/products to help make learning fun for the both of you. While we love learning with toys, don’t worry al we still have workbooks we just like to mix it up and have some fun while learning.

 

Gravity Bugs

Gravity Bug are a great Stem project.   They are not only easy to build, once they are build its time for a great science lesson.  Learn about physics and gravity.  We can learn together as we go and little guy is excited to learn with something he has built.  Learn about air pressure and suction cups,. This hands-on construction kit brings engineering and physics to life as it demonstrates the power of air pressure at work. An eight-panel, full-color manual guides your model building with step-by-step illustrated instructions.

Magicube

The Magicube are great for not only hand and eye coordination.  They are also great for problem solving.  They have a few different sets you can choose from and with each set you can build anything you want.  You can follow the guide on the back of the box and watch them recreate the pictures.  Then they can use their imagination to build anything.

 

Crazy AARON’S Hand Sanitizer

Staying home for school does not mean we don’t follow the same cleansing rules as he did in school.  He will still be around kids and people.  During these times it is even more important that he learns sanitizer is going to be a part of everyday life for the rest of his life.  With his sensory issues we even have to make this fun.  Crazy ARRON’S  has made this easy with their new sanitizer.  Made from top-quality ingredients, this fresh gel features layers of colors and shimmering glitter.  Plus, the artistic designs add extra fun and whimsy to the healthy habit. They have a few to choose from all fun and colorful for kids.  Want even better news we have an awesome giveaway going right now to win some awesome Crazy AARON’S .

 

Crazy AARON’S Thinking Putty

Crazy AARON’S has a wide range of putty.  They are perfect for some fidget time or even for some creative time.  They even have putty you can use a light on and draw on it.  This is a great thinking tool.  I have found that when we are stumped on something we can play for a few minutes and the solution normally come to us.  Sometimes out brain just needs a break.  They even have Party Putty sets, and a putty game.

Magformers

Magformers are not only awesome for hand and eye , but also for imagination.  I love that they have a ton of different sets that all work together.  We use these for not only learning fractions, but also for building things we read about.  He loves when we read a book and then he gets to build the land we just read about.

 

All About Eevee Book

Reading of course is an normal one.  No one says you have to read just the list the school goes by.  Why not make it a little fun. Little guy and I LOVE Pokemon and what better way to learn to read then to buy books you will love.  The All About Eevee book tells all about the Eevee line and what they can do.  Their special moves and even a few story’s of famous Eevee’s from the show.

 

eeBoo

 

Puzzles are always a great learning tool.  I love that eeBoo are not only made from sustainable material they are also educational.   When we are putting together the planet one we get to talk about the planets and have a conversation about using material that will help our planet.  They have a great one of animals we need to protect too.  These are going to be a fun and educational activity.

 

National Geographic Dino’s

National Geographic Has whole worlds for your kids to explore.  They have STEM toys, books you name it they have it.  I love these dino books.  They are great for any dino lover and have so much information.  Make sure to keep an eye on the blog in the next few days for an awesome giveaway and more info on these awesome books.

Pressman Games

Pressman toys/games has a ton of different games that are not only fun, but can get your kids mind going.  From numbers to solving cases why not keep their mind working while have fun with the whole family.  They have a wide range of games and toys that my whole family loves to be a part of.

The Young Scientists Club Extreme Fossil Dig

I think this one is a great way of learning and having fun.  The Extreme Fossil Dig is a fun way to learn about Dino’s , Arcology, and do much more.  The Exploring Fossils STEM kit is the perfect way for lovers of all-things-science to immerse themselves in a fun, hands-on learning experience that will spark their curiosity in the natural world and the fossils inside it!

SLIMYGLOOP® Aqua Dough

Not everything in life has to be about the major learning.  Sometimes we have to learn how to relax.  If you are paying attention to the world one main thing I notice is that adults no longer know how to take a few minutes and just relax.  The Aqua Dough is not only fun to play with, but helps slow down the world a little and gives you kids time to relax.

With SLIMYGLOOP® Aqua Dough, you can create your own water toys that stretch, mold, float, and change colors! Play with your Aqua Dough in buckets or bowls of water for a fun, sensory experience — use the included mermaid mold to create a soft and squishy floating toy, or squish, stretch, and squeeze the dough in while it’s in the water! SLIMYGLOOP® Aqua Dough is water-resistant, so it won’t fall apart or dissolve while you play — and it never dries out! Keep playing with the dough to watch it change colors, from blue to pink, light green to white, and purple to blue. When you’re all finished playing, wring out excess water and let it dry completely before storing the Aqua Dough in the reusable container for the next time you want to make a splash! Do not use the Aqua Dough in pools, bathtubs, or sinks to avoid drainage issues.

Go! Go! Cory Carson® Two Scoops Eileen Ice Cream Truck

I know a lot of people say limit the screen time.  Of course you should.  Another thing you should do is make sure the screen time they do have is always teaching them something.  We love Go Go Cory Carson.  They are fun for little guy to watch and there is always something for him to learn.  The Go Go Cory Carson Two Scoops Eileen Ice Cream Truck is a great way for us to talk about what we learned when we watched it and have a little fun.

100 Words About Places I Go

This is a easy one.  The 100 Words About Places I Go  from LeapFrog is a must.  This book is fun for kids to play with and is also teaching them their words.  LeapFrog makes a huge range of toys that will have your kids playing and learning.  I love that the book is bigger for little hands and it is strong.  Explore words about places kids love with the 100 Words About Places I Go™ bilingual learning book! Featuring age-appropriate words, this interactive book teaches about people and objects in 12 unique places in both English and Spanish.

Splatz

Washing his hands is one of those basics in life I was talking about.  I want him to get in the habit of doing it over and over.  The Splatz is awesome for getting him to think its fun.   If your little one is anything like mine getting them to wash their hands can be a challenge. Why not make it a little fun for them with SPLATZ.  SPLATZ, the first innovation from One Fun, are eco-friendly bubbles of pure hand soap that literally SPLAT! when kids squeeze them under water. Developed by an entrepreneurial designer (and MOM) and two Harvard/MIT scientists using a patent-pending formula and made in the USA with all-natural ingredients, these irresistible balls of fun change the way kids think about washing their hands.

 

No matter how you Homeschool make sure you make it your own.  You no longer have to follow the normal you can make learning fun for the whole family.

The Space Jam Capsule Collection is a Slam Dunk

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SPACE JAM 2 CAPSULE COLLECTION

Welcome to the Space Jam! Team up with the Tune Squad in this limited edition capsule collection celebrating Space Jam: A New Legacy. Suit up in exclusive and officially licensed Space Jam apparel! Will you help Bugs, Lola, and the rest of the crew save the day? Quantities are extremely limited, so reserve yours now!

I can’t believe we get another Space Jam who else is excited?

 

Sesame Street – Cool Counting DVD Giveaway

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We got this Sesame Street DVD free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are our own.

Do you have a Sesame Street lover?  If so then you don’t want to miss out on the new awesome DVD.  They are going to love the Cool Counting DVD.


On Sesame Street, you can count on your friends … and count with them, too! Sesame Street: Cool Counting Collection will be available on Shout Kids and Sesame Workshop. Join Elmo, Abby, Cookie Monster, and more as they sing, play, and laugh their way from 1 to 20. Learning numbers has never been more fun—or more furry!

Animations, songs, and favorite moments from recent seasons make counting as easy as, well, 1-2-3! Celebrity friends help the little ones practice their numbers, too: Elvis Costello wants to count to 10, but he’s missing an important number; Feist sings about her favorite number 4; and Liam Neeson gets an acting lesson from Count von Count while they count to 20.

The DVD is packed with over two hours of fun and comes complete with bonus features, including quintessential counting segments from Elmo’s World and Abby’s Flying Fairy School. Also included with the DVD is a Count with Elmo! mini-book for young fans.
Bonus Features:
·        Street Story: Numeric-Con
·        Street Story: Elmo and Zoe’s Hat Contest
·        Abby’s Flying Fairy School: Sheepytime
·        Elmo’s World: Counting
Currently in its 51st season, Sesame Street is the country’s longest-running children’s television program and has received more Emmy® Awards than any other show in television history.
  Want even better news?  2 lucky winners are going to get their very own copy.  You will 24hrs to reply to your email notifying you of your win.  Good Luck All

Sesame Street – Cool Counting DVD

 

All entries will be verified—only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Any person who has won a prize (or whose household has won a prize) in any promotion sponsored by the Sponsor in the past thirty (30) days before this contest start date is not eligible to win a prize in this contest.

Entrants who have created social accounts purely to enter Competitions or Sweepstakes will not be eligible to win. All social accounts used must be public. The winner will be chosen randomly through Giveaway form and contacted via email. A reply to the winning email is required within 48 hours before a new winner is chosen. Void where prohibited by law. One person entering per household, please. Winner chosen

Awesome Toys For Your 2021 Summer

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We got these free in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are our own.

The last few years have been hard on us.  Even more they have been hard on our kids.  I want to make this summer fun for little guy and keep the fun going all summer long.  One thing he asked for this year was a sandbox .  He had one when he was younger but does not remember and he wants to pay in the sand.  I can’t wait to give him the Playmobil Castle set.  He is going to go nuts for it.

  • PLAYMOBIL 1.2.3. Knight’s Castle Sand Bucket OR The 1.2.3 Sand Bakery Sand Bucket ($24.99 each) – Hit the beach this summer with either of these adorable, high-quality pails and shovels. Perfect for the beach or backyard fun, each set has three different molds. Perfect for little ones can bring imaginative play to the beach or sandbox. Available on playmobil.us . Hashtag: #PLAYMOBILSummerFun
  • Go Go Bird (Zing; $39.99) – R/C meets today’s trending drone toys with the wing-flapping Go Go Bird. Perfect for the outdoors or on the beach fun – this modern day kite flies distances of up to 100 feet! With a smart obstacle-avoiding module that uses infrared sensors, Go Go Bird has autonomous obstacle recognition and will automatically turn around 6 feet away from the wall for self-protection. Inside of Go Go Bird, there’s also a six-axis sensor, so it can take off by lifting your hand up and down when you’re ready to fly. Available on Amazon. Hashtag: #GoGoBird
  • Wing Ball  (Hog Wild; $14.99) – A totally tubular throwing toy! Thanks to its unique design, you can throw Wing Ball super speeds, great distances and even master the perfect spiral. Great for kids and adults; lightweight so easily tosses into your summer tote; great for beach or pool fun too ‘cause it floats!! Available on Amazon.   Check out all the fun people are haveing Hashtag: #HogWildWingBall

Pictures On Gold Father’s Day Giveaway

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This Father’s Day will be extra special.  We can finally enjoy each other’s company and celebrate our family patriarch properly.

PicturesOnGold.com has a great assortment of gifts for dad that are perfect for celebrating him. One of my favorite pieces has always been the Stainless Steel Laser Photo Dog Tag Photo Pendant.  

Look at the beautiful Stainless Steel Laser Photo Dog Tag Photo Pendant I had made from PicturesOnGold:

 

Video Review:

About this item:

This handsome dog tag is laser engraved on the front with any photo you’d like.  The photo is a black finish that allows for a holographic photo finish.  The stainless steel dog tag includes a 24 inch 5 mm Stainless Ball Chain.

 

  • You can customize your item with message, names, dates or monograms on the back.  The engraving doesn’t delay shipment of your chain.
  • The Picture Engraving is included in the chain price and is both water and scratch resistant.
  • 1 1/4 Inch x 2 Inches In Stainless Steel
  • What Shape is This Item? Dog Tag
 
Purchase this item by clicking here.
Receive a 10% discount with code: DAD10
 
GIVEAWAY
 
 
One winner will receive a Stainless Steel Laser Photo Dog Tag Photo Pendant. (RV $110).
 
See below for terms and conditions. Open to U.S. residents of the 48 contiguous United States. You must be 18 years old to enter to win. This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on 6/19/21. All entries will be verified—only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Any person who has won a prize (or whose household has won a prize) in any promotion sponsored by the Sponsor in the past thirty (30) days before this contest start date is not eligible to win a prize in this contest. Entrants who have created social accounts purely for the purpose of entering Competitions or Sweepstakes will not be eligible to win. All social accounts used must be public.

The winner will be chosen randomly through Rafflecopter and contacted via email. A reply to the winning email is required within 48 hours before a new winner is chosen. Void where prohibited by law. One person entering per household, please. Chatty Patty’s Place and Tabby’s Pantry are not responsible for shipment of prize.
 

4 Easy Therapeutic Things to Try at Home During the Lockdown

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Image by Artem Beliaikin from Pexels.

“Be happy for this moment; this moment is your life” are words said by a Persian poet named Khayyam Omar. If you are at your lowest point, especially during the pandemic, worry not. Even the richest and powerful individuals have their sad days.

Cheer up! Fortunately, there are things you can do to have a tranquil and happy life at home. Here are four therapeutic things you can do to be more calm and happy.

Meditate

Connecting to your mind is key for a calm life. So, you can achieve this by putting your electronic gadgets away, sitting in a dark, quiet room for a few minutes and concentrating on your breathing. Your thoughts will likely be random or about something in particular.

If you have thoughts about a specific thing, let them flow. Feel all your emotions and take deep breaths rather than distracting yourself. If you want, you can play some soothing and slow music to help you relax. Leave the room after a few minutes, and you will surely observe improved mental health, making you happier and rejuvenated.

Embracing bad and good emotions rather than suppressing them is an excellent way of healthy living. So, it will be best if you set some time aside and focus on your mental wellness daily.

Write Down Your Feelings

Do you feel overwhelmed with feelings you don’t want to share with others? Putting them down on paper will help with the heavy feeling in your chest. It will help if you let your emotions flow through you regardless of them being good or bad.

This process will help you heal and grow, especially if you have bad emotions. However, if you bottle your feelings up, you might experience health problems after a while without noticing. So, to avoid this, you might consider writing a letter to a loved one or to a situation to feel lighter. You do not have to send it.

Cook

When you are having a bad day, it will be best if you get up and break out your recipe books rather than lie down on your couch. Believe it or not, cooking can create a significant impact on your mental wellness.

 

Like any mindfulness habit like meditation, culinary therapy involves living in the moment because the process will need your full mental attention. You will likely lose yourself in the process. You can make something as simple as a sandwich or something more complex like a salsa macha.

 

The best thing about cooking is that it encourages creativity and makes people feel good about themselves, especially when the dish turns out well.

Try Doing New Things

Once you feel stuck or demoralized, giving your brain a new task to perform will be great. You might do simple things like going for morning walks or more complex things like writing practical goals for the year.

Picking a new hobby like dancing or playing a musical instrument will be a fun and challenging way to help activate your brain.

Conclusion

If you feel sad or depressed during the lockdown, you can use these given tricks to be healthier and happier. However, if they do not seem to work on you, it is advisable to see a therapist.

The Common Plumbing Issues Plaguing Your Home

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Homes up and down the country have to deal with plumbing issues on a daily basis. It’s a notoriously faulty system, and one of the worst breakdown offenders in the home, thanks to just how much use you get out of it! 

 

Because of this, your home is probably dealing with a plumbing issue right now, and it’s time to sort it. With this in mind, we’ve listed the most commonly troublesome parts of your plumbing below, and just how to deal with them. 

Pexels Image – CC0 Licence

 

Something’s Leaking

 

The most common issue by far, whether you’ve got a leaky showerhead or you’ve got a leaky faucet that’s wasting water, it’s an easier fix than you might think. You could be costing yourself hundreds by leaving it. 

 

Turn off the water first, to keep it from bursting into your face, and most often, you’ll just have to replace the inner cartridge. Indeed, you can watch an easy video tutorial right here; you don’t need any specialised tools for the job, just a regular tool box screwdriver and/or spanner! 

 

Temperamental Water Temperature

 

How’s the hot water in your home? Does it take ages to heat up? Maybe it turns hot and cold and then luke warm and tepid in quick succession, even when you’re actively in the shower and just trying to wash off? Maybe the temperature is far too hot to be safe to use? These are all common problems in the home, and they need fixing as soon as possible to keep water usage safe for you and your family. 

 

But what can you do? Well, the first thing is to be sure you know what kind of heating system you’re working with. Maybe you have an electric shower that heats on demand, or maybe you use a tank that has a select amount of hot water available at a time; once you know what you’re working with, a full step by step can be found here. 

 

You may also want to consider a fresh hot water heater installation; it’s a reliable and cost effective way to ensure there’s always some hot water ready for washing, but plenty of cold to pour into a glass as well. 

 

A Clog in the Shower/Bath/Toilet

 

Maybe the toilet won’t flush anything away, or maybe the water won’t drain out of the bathtub – either way, you’ve got a clog somewhere in the pipes! And while it may be a little disgusting to deal with, it’s actually quite easy to manage a problem like this yourself. 

 

No one wants to deal with dirty drains, so make sure you have a pair of gloves to wear. Then, start with boiling some water to pour down the toilet and/or plughole, to try and shift any potential congealed fat or debris. You could also use a ‘snake’ to pull foreign bodies out of the hole. 

 

It can be a lot easier to DIY plumbing pipes and flushing systems than you might think! 

Spirit Untamed only in theaters #SpiritUntamed #RWM #AD

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  • This is a sponsored post on behalf of Review Wire Media for Dreamworks.

Spirit is back and you are only going to be able to see in in theaters. How excited is that.  We can head back to the theaters get our popcorn and candy and watch on the big screen.  Dreamworks Spirit has become a classic with kids and adults.  When I was a kid I loved riding horses and everything about them.  My aunt had the best horse that would bow down and let you clime on and that is what started my loved for horses.  I love that Spirit brings the love of horses to kids to have never been able to personally see how amazing they are.

Spirit is one of the best shows your kids can watch.  It is truly a magical show for the whole family. We got some of the most beautiful swag for this movie and I am in LOVE with the backpack, I don’t know if little guy is going to share.

An epic adventure about a headstrong girl longing for a place to belong who discovers a kindred spirit when her life intersects with a wild horse, Spirit Untamed is the next chapter in the beloved story from DreamWorks Animation.
Lucky Prescott (Isabela Merced, Dora and the Lost City of Gold) never really knew her late mother, Milagro Navarro (Eiza González, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw), a fearless horse-riding stunt performer from Miradero, a small town on the edge of the wide-open frontier.
Like her mother, Lucky isn’t exactly a fan of rules and restrictions, which has caused her Aunt Cora (Academy Award® winner Julianne Moore) no small amount of worry. Lucky has grown up in an East Coast city under Cora’s watchful eye, but when Lucky presses her own luck with one too many risky escapades, Cora picks up stakes and moves them both back with Lucky’s father, Jim (Oscar® nominee Jake Gyllenhaal), in Miradero.
Lucky is decidedly unimpressed with the sleepy little town. She has a change of heart when she meets Spirit, a wild Mustang who shares her independent streak, and befriends two local horseback riders, Abigail Stone (Mckenna Grace, Captain Marvel) and Pru Granger (Marsai Martin, Little). Pru’s father, stable owner Al Granger (Emmy winner Andre Braugher, Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine), is the best friend of Lucky’s father.

When a heartless horse wrangler (Emmy nominee Walton Goggins, FX’s Justified) and his team plan to capture Spirit and his herd and auction them off to a life of captivity and hard labor, Lucky enlists her new friends and bravely embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to rescue the horse who has given her freedom and a sense of purpose, and has helped Lucky discover a connection to her mother’s legacy and to her Mexican heritage that she never expected.
Spirit Untamed is the next chapter in DreamWorks Animation’s beloved franchise that began with the 2002 Oscar-nominated film Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron and includes an Emmy-winning TV series. The film is directed by Elaine Bogan (Netflix and DreamWorks Animation Television’s Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia) and is produced by Karen Foster (co-producer, How to Train Your Dragon). The film’s co-director is Ennio Torresan (head of story, The Boss Baby), and the film’s score is by composer Amie Doherty (Amazon’s Undone, DreamWorks Animation’s Marooned).
Genre: Animated Adventure
Cast: Isabela Merced, Julianne Moore, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marsai Martin, Mckenna Grace, Walton Goggins, Andre Braugher and Eiza González
Director: Elaine Bogan
Producer: Karen Foster

Bazooka ® Bubble Gum Launches Celebrity PSA Campaign in Support of Dad Jokes

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The campaign features favorite celebrity personalities as they deliver the important message… It’s OK to Dad Joke!

Anthony Anderson, Sean Astin, Gilbert Gottfried, Jon Lovitz, Dolph Lundgren and Charles Shaughnessy. In the 6-part video series, each celebrity shares their love for a good old-fashioned Dad Joke as they call on the public to speak up about their love for Dad Jokes too! The delivery is unique to each talent as they share their funny and lighthearted take in the classic PSA format.

The campaign will be released on Instagram and Facebook and run alongside a digital campaign in June on Facebook and Instagram.

visit www.candymania.com andwww.bazookajoe.com.

 

Social Handles:

Facebook

@bazookabubblegum

 

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All-New Film Clip & Photos From A CINDERELLA STORY: STARSTRUCK – On Digital June 29 & DVD July 13

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Check out this all-new film clip and never before seen photos from A CINDERELLA STORY: STARSTRUCK, available on Digital beginning June 29th, and DVD on July 13th.
In this clip, you can get a glimpse at the moment when Finley Tremain (Bailee Madison) and Jackson Stone (Michael Evans Behling) first meet, while Finley’s cruel stepmother Valerian (April Telek), and stepsiblings Saffron and Kale (Lillian Doucet-Roche and Richard Harmon) watch in amusement as Finley’s pig, wreaks havoc on the Hollywood movie set.

Synopsis:
Finley Tremaine, a small-town farm girl, longs to spread her wings and soar as an aspiring performer. When a Hollywood film crew arrives in her sleepy town, she is determined to land a role in the production and capture the attention of handsome lead actor Jackson Stone. Unfortunately, a botched audition forces her to change course. Now, disguised as cowboy “Huck,” Finley finally gets her big break. But can she keep the charade a secret from everyone, including her evil stepmother and devious step-siblings?
This is the sixth installment in the A Cinderella Story movie series. Other titles include A Cinderella Story (Hilary Duff), Another Cinderella Story (Selena Gomez), A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song (Lucy Hale) A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits (Sofia Carson), and A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (Laura Marano).