Mixing & Measuring with the Littles {Giveaway}

March 24, 2012 By 143 Comments

(This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Tamar on winning this giveaway! Thank you to all who entered.)

Homeschooling sometimes means experimenting, exploring different options, and really diving headfirst into hands-on projects. At times Jacob’s math books have asked us to measure certain things, just so Jacob can really get a visual look at what different measurements look like. We’ve done the best we can with tools we already have in the kitchen, but thanks to Learning Resources we are now using the Mix & Measure Set.The Primary Science Mix & Measure Set is much more than just a few cups and spoons…. it’s a science kit and all with kid-friendly recipes and how-to’s. The kit is geared toward ages 4-7, so it comes with chunky bowls and cups in primary colors that are bright and cheerful; they’re also easily handled by kids. The bowl and 2 of the larger cups are see-through so kids can easily see what they’re trying to measure. There are also chunky measuring cups in different sizes and shapes (1/4 cup, 1/2 cup & 1 cup). In addition, the kit contains 3 self-standing measuring spoons (1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, and 1 tbsp) and a scale.

My favorite part of the whole kit was all of the activity/recipe cards that come with it. The whole kit inspires creativity. The first card we looked at was pretty basic, and it was called Shape Shifting. Both boys helped, but the concept was that two containers (one tall and one short/stout) can hold the same amount of water. Each of the boys picked a cup (Jacob, blue and Jaden, purple). They filled to the line with water, and then they took turns pouring the water in the larger bowl. Jacob was surprised to see that his blue container wasn’t bigger than the purple one. They both held the same amount!Next we experimented with the measuring spoons and the sugar, comparing amounts. We also tried weighing Cheerios vs. water with the colorful scale. The best activity, though, and the one where we made a sweet mess? The boys decided they wanted to try making Mystery Goo. Using corn starch and water, we attempted to make it. The boys were laughing as the corn starch formed a cloud around them when they poured it into the water. We mixed it all together, but for some reason our Mystery Goo didn’t turn out the way we thought. Oh sure, it looked slimy…. it looked like you could just put your hands down in it and squish it around; ours was hard as a rock, though. I’m thinking we used way too much corn starch. We played around with it, though, adding more water, and it turned into this substance that was slimy…. but when you’d push your fingers down in, it felt hard. It was so cool and very addictive to play around with. It was very goopy and reminded me of what quicksand might be like.The result of our mixing and measuring, experimenting and exploring? A sweet mess…. but it was a LOT of fun! Definitely worth the mess….Of course, there are a lot of other recipes we’ll be trying in the future, things like Bubbles, Puffy Paint, Three-Day Clay, Trail Mix, and Slime Stencils. Each activity/recipe card shows the tools and any extras you’ll need on the front. Then the back of the card gives step by step instructions that are easy to understand and follow. They’re also the type of card that can be easily wiped off, meaning a mess like ours isn’t going to ruin them.

The Mix & Measure Set inspires creativity, it gives kids room to explore and experiment, it helps them learn what basic measurements are and visualize them, and it gives tactile practice in using those basic measurements too. Plus kids get to reap a few rewards along the way with the things they create as they experiment. You can purchase the Primary Science Mix & Measure Set for $29.99 from Learning Resources.

The great news is that one MamaBuzz reader can have some mixing/measuring fun, as well, because Learning Resources is sending one reader the set! Please leave a comment (see below) to enter, but then be sure to leave a separate comment for each optional way that you enter. This giveaway will end on Friday, April 13. The winner will be chosen, via random.org. This giveaway is open to U.S. only (void where prohibited). No purchase is necessary, and the odds of winning are based on a number of entries. Good luck, and have a wonderful day!

  1. When you were a kid, what was the biggest mess you ever made, having a LOT of fun in the process? Share a comment.

Other optional ways to enter:

(Disclosure: I received the Mix & Measure Set, free of charge, from Learning Resources, for the purposes of review. All views/opinions remain solely my own.)

Filed Under: Babies and Preschoolers, Educational/Homeschool, Giveaways, Reviews & Giveaways, School Age, Toys & Games Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sorting & Learning with Attribute Apples {Giveaway}

February 1, 2012 By 152 Comments

(This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to TheBargainBabe on winning this giveaway! Thank you to all who entered.)

Working with companies like Learning Resources gives me opportunity not only to use and review educational materials with my kids….but it gives me opportunity to learn even better, more fun ways to educate my children and help them grasp concepts. When I first opened up this latest product, Attribute Apples, I really had no idea all the possibilities of learning with this bucket of 27 cute, plastic apples of all different sizes, shapes, and colors. The possibilities with this awesome little bucket are endless….and not just for my 4 year old.Attribute Apples come in a cute, bushel-like bucket with a cardboard insert that separates the apples. There are red, yellow, and green apples….some apples have stems with leaves, and some apples have cute little green worms. Jaden was ecstatic over the wormies, and frankly, so was I; they are so cute! The apples are small, medium, and large. Of course, the first thing Jaden and I wanted to do was sort the apples. We can sort by color, size, apples with leaves, apples with worms, apples with just a stem, etc. Not only can we sort, but after sorting, we can count the apples. We can count individually or by group. We can compare and contrast groups of apples, because there are relationships between the different attributes or features.

Pattern recognition is another learning activity with Attribute Apples. I can create patterns, leaving certain apples out, so that Jaden has to figure out the sequence and insert the correct apple. Other activities include describing the apples, picking out the one different apple in a group of apples, chain building with different apples that also have similar attributes, asking kids to pick out a certain number of apples with the same characteristics, etc.Here’s where older kids can come into the fun, as well….with Venn diagrams. Venn diagrams can be used to discuss and compare/contrast the different attributes and relationships between the groups. It’s so interesting that such a small bucket of 27 apples can offer so many different ways to learn.

The apples are a type of plastic with a rubbery sort of texture. They can easily be wiped off, a great feature with kids, especially if in a school setting with lots of little hands touching and sorting. They’re very colorful and realistic looking. The only thing I noticed and that I want to caution my readers about is that some of the apples are quite small, so if smaller children get ahold of them, they could be a choking hazard. However, the apples are rated for ages 4-12.

You can purchase Attribute Apples for $21.99 from Learning Resources. I highly recommend them, in both a homeschool and traditional school setting. They come with a very cool activity booklet that’ll spark ideas and inspiration for activities.

The great news is that one MamaBuzz reader will win their very own bucket of Attribute Apples. Please leave a comment (see below) to enter, but then be sure to leave a separate comment for each optional way that you enter. This giveaway will end on Wednesday, February 22. The winner will be chosen, via random.org. This giveaway is open to U.S. only (void where prohibited). No purchase is necessary, and the odds of winning are based on a number of entries. Good luck, and have a wonderful day!

  1. When you were younger, what was a fun way a teacher or parent helped you to grasp a concept that was difficult to learn? Share a comment.

Other optional ways to enter:

(Disclosure: I received Attribute Apples, free of charge, from Learning Resources, for the purposes of review. All views/opinions remain solely my own.)

Filed Under: Babies and Preschoolers, Educational/Homeschool, Giveaways, Reviews & Giveaways, School Age, Toys & Games Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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