Schoolhouse Review: Activity Bags

It arrived.  It arrived.  And, oh, how pleased I am.  When the email from Activity Bags hit my inbox, I was thrilled.  I am so excited about these great new additions to life and school and I KNOW you will be as well.     Activity Bags -- "where fun and education fit in the same bag" -- can revolutionize the way your children learn.  Really, they can.  Designed for children to be able to jump in and DO, the assorted Activity Bags (and Binder) are perfect tools for bringing learning to life.

When my email hit, I downloaded the eBooks immediately and set my printer to printing.  3-ring binders, plastic sheet protectors and dry erase markers are a staple at Long Leaf Academy, but if you don't have them on hand, that's really all you need to get started with the Travel Activities in a Binder.


Once the pages had printed, I slipped them inside the plastic sheet protectors and then into a 3-ring binder, and our Travel Activities Binder was ready to go.  Now I don't know about you, but we spend LOTS of time in our van as I chauffeur kids back and forth to assorted activities.  Plus with two kiddos in braces, I spend quite a few hours in the waiting room of our orthodontist.  I sure do like the idea of having instant entertainment at my fingertips.  Reminiscent of the Quiet Book I had when I was little, the Travel Activities Binder gives my kids something to do as we run the roads locally and will be an awesome addition on our Thanksgiving travels "over the river and through the woods" when we head to Grandma's house in a few weeks.

I added multiple dry erase markers (in assorted colors) to the pencil pouch that I placed in the front of the binder and let the games begin. (The eBook suggests making erasers out of felt, but we used the fine point dry erase markers that have erasers attached to the lid.  This was an easier option for me since I had them on hand and offered the added benefit of each person being able to choose their own colored marker.  They could keep up with whose turn it was to play that way.)

A perfect book for elementary-aged kids (with preschool activity pages included for younger childen, as well), my 6th and 8th graders have enjoyed playing all of the different games -- and I've even enjoyed playing along when I can.  Who doesn't enjoy the old favorites like mazes and hangman and tic-tac-toe?  We surely do -- and the new games have us all smiles as well.  {The t-shirt design is the Princess' favorite activity of all.}  With over 40 printable activities to take on the road, the Travel Activities in a Binder provides hours of fun for all.  $15.00 is a great price for quiet family travel and I think this would also make a great Christmas present for family and friends.  {I do want to point out here that the Boy Scout was way too cool to do ANYTHING with the Travel Binder the first time we pulled it out, but it didn't take long for him to ask for a dry-erase marker so he could play along.  The Travel Binder stays in the seat pocket of the van now and he's one of the first to pull it out each time we load up to head out.   Fun, huh?}

The Princess hard at work play while waiting on her turn in the Orthodontist's chair.

We've also been exploring science fun with the Science Experiments in a Bag eBooks.  Each of the three available science books offers simple directions for 25 scientific experiments for students in K - 8th grades that can be easily assembled in a gallon-size ziploc-style bag.  One of my favorite things about the Science Experiments in a Bag eBooks is that each book focuses on a different field of science and my children have been able to find experiments to go along with their current studies.  We have quite a bit of science education going on at Long Leaf Academy and have been able to easily tailor a lab experience through the specific experiments included.

Science Experiments in a Bag, eBook 1 focuses on Biology, General Science and Nature -- perfect for the Princess' Botany this year and the Boy Scout's General Science.  Science Experiments in a Bag, eBook 2 focuses on Chemistry, Human Body and General Science.  It is perfect for the Boy Scout and has served as a neat review resource for the Junior.  Science Experiments in a Bag, eBook 3 focuses solely on Chemistry and adds an additional 25 {simple} Chemistry experiments to our lab.  It is a very neat complement to the Chemistry textbook we've all been studying together.  {I LOVE it when a plan comes together.}  Each Science Experiments eBook retails for $15.00 but can be purchased in bundle packs at discounted prices.

                      

For a VERY reasonable price, you can have a super series to keep your children excited about science.  Each Science eBook gives a DETAILED explanation for assembling the science experiments it contains.  Supply lists and directions for each experiment is included.  You will probably need to purchase some supplies to assemble the science bags, but it will be well worth the effort.  Once you have put your bags together, your children will spend hours in independent science study -- and they'll be having a great time as they learn.  There's even an option for creating a "Science Bag Swap" that we're working on as an added bonus:  several families are putting together multiple science activity bags and we will be meeting together next month for a Science Lab Day.  I'm so excited about the experiments that we will be doing as a group -- and I'm even more excited about the bags we'll be bringing home for individual study.

Activity Bags are the brainchild of two homeschool moms who have "been-here, done-this."  They have successfully combined "fun and education" in a way that truly connects with kids.  There are quite a few options currently available and even more on the way.  {I can't wait to get the Crafts books.  They will be right up our alley, too.}  I KNOW you will be able to find just the right book (or two or three) to put a smile on the faces of your children.  Make sure you fill out the quick survey on the HOME page -- and they'll send you a really neat Activity Bag E-Sampler with pages from all of the Activity Bags offered.  You'll be able to check them all out and pick the perfect ones for your family.  Enjoy.

~Disclaimer:  I was given the opportunity to use and review Activity Bags as a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  The opinions stated are mine and mine alone.  I was not paid to share my thoughts and feelings with you.  I received the Activity Bags eBooks in exchange for my honest review. You can check out the Crew Review and see what other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew thought of the Travel Activities Binder, the Science Experiments in a Bag and other Activity Bags.~


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