Product Test Tuesday~ Gymathstics Clip Count Kit

Posted on 16/06/2015 by Momma Jo

_{This post may contain affiliate links which help support my family. Thank you for stopping by.}

I recently had the opportunity to review the Gymathstics Clip Counter Starter Kit and the kids love it!

Gymathstics Clip Counter Kit includes 200 inter-linking shapes and a Gymathstics work mat. The Gymathstics Clip Counter Kit provides endless learning opportunities for your child. Recommended from ages 3- 10 years. This is the perfect starter kit to introduce your child to whole new way of looking at mathematics. Each card has a parent guide at the back to spark your child’s creativity and stimulate logical thinking and problem solving skills.

Pixie (46 months old) has, kinda, hogged it and declared it her “school stuff.” It is great for teaching the different shapes, number formation and an awesome tool for fine motor control. Pixie spends ages playing with this set. At the moment we are focusing on number recognition and building, ie, 1 rectangle equals the number 1, etc. Our lessons are currently no longer than 10 minutes, as she gets bored and prefers to string all the shapes together in a long line.

Fifi (6.5 years old) loves building the shape of each number using the flash cards as a guide. These are great quiet time activities for her and keep her occupied. We have also used the shapes to “build” pictures. For example, a face with a smile using the ovals for eyes, rectangle for the nose and 3 hearts for the mouth. This is a great tool for creative play too!

All in all, I highly recommend this product for your children. It is both fun and educational and they learn without even realizing it!

****I found a gramatical and factual error while we were working through the cards, I have reported this to Gymathstics and have been assured that they have corrected the errors and will be sending me the new cards once they are available.

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What is Gymathstics®

Gymathstics® is an educational math program designed to meet each child’s individual learning style in a fun and easy way.Children learn through 3 learning styles and there are three types of learners:
Visual Learners
Auditory Learners
Kinesthetic Learners

History of the Program

The Gymathstics® Program is a new innovative and a developing concept. The Gymathstics® program was developed by a qualified educator. The classes began as a conventional math’s tuition with four learners. Through these classes she observed that they were aware of the steps involved in mathematics but experienced difficulty with mental math’s concept.

To help these learners she began using brain stimulating exercises to help them make connection between movements and remembering their mental mathematics. Within a week she saw an immediate improvement and within a month she saw an unbelievable improvement. This amazing achievement sparked an ambition in her to want to share this amazing process with every child. This is what led her to developing the Gymathstics® program.

She then designed the unique Clip Counter Kit and began with what she calls interval learning which is similar to interval training. Where we do physical movements to learn and then higher level activities with the clip counter kit. Research has found that learners learn best when they are given a variety of opportunities to learn the same concept in different ways.

Over 500 learners have experienced the Gymathstics® Program with success and are confident and independent learners in mathematics. They have developed a love for mathematics and being able to understand how mathematics can be used in real-life situations. Read our testimonial page for more information.

Healthy Living: Product Review: Real Kids Sunglasses

Posted on 19/05/2015 by Momma Jo

_{This post may contain affiliate links which help support my family. Thank you for stopping by.}

In February this year, I was fortunate enough to attend the Gauteng Mom Blog Meetup and was given the opportunity to review the Real Kids Sunglasses, imported into South Africa by O-V Optics.

Pixie just loves her sunglasses. These glasses are AWESOME and virtually indestructible. They are pricey, but well worth it. We will be getting the older 3 each a pair over time.

Here are the two available styles
Swag:

Sport:

Real Kids Shades – Now in South Africa!

100% UV protective sunglasses for children!

Our product-testing program is rigorous and comprehensive. All Real Kids sunglasses are third-party tested to provide 100% UVA/UVB protection as measured by the strictest American, European, and Australian governing bodies.

All our sunglasses are:

100% UVA/UVB Protection

CPSIA Compliant – Lead-free with no bisphenol A and no phthalates

CE Certified

Rx Capable – you can fit your Real Kids Shades with prescription lenses

FDA Approved

Melanoma International Foundation Seal of Approval

The Melanoma International Foundation (MIF) has awarded Real Kids its Seal of Approval. This signifies that Real Kids has met MIF standards for 100% UV protective eyewear for children. MIF developed its Seal of Approval endorsement as part of its mission to prevent serious sun damage and has recognized Real Kids for helping to protect children from permanent UV eye damage.
These sunglasses are perfect for kids. They bend and twist without breaking and offer the best UV protection to the eyes. Watch the video below to see how these awesome glasses sand up to abuse.

What is UV?

UV or Ultraviolet Radiation can be classified as UVA, UVB or UVC according to wavelength
UV light is not visible to the naked eye.
UVA and UVB rays penetrate the eye whereas most UVC rays are absorbed by our ever thinning ozone layer.

When UV is absorbed by a molecule, energy is transferred to the molecule and causes damage to the tissue. This causes changes to DNA, resulting in distorted proteins and death of cells.

Protecting your eyes from UV

A large brimmed hat can provide up to 50% protection from UV
Wrapped sunglasses with a UV 400 filter on the lenses provide maximum protection from UV
Tinted lenses or sunglasses with no UV filter cause the pupils to dilate even more in sunlight than if one were to wear no lenses at all – this allows even more light flood into the eye resulting in increased UV exposure.
Bad sunglasses = MORE damage than no sunglasses!

UV Damage in Children

Children are more vulnerable to UV damage as they have larger pupils and clearer lenses – a greater amount of light penetrates the ocular tissues causing an increased risk of complications.
Children spend more time outdoors – approximately 3 times more than adults.
The lenses in children’s eyes do not block as much UV radiation as they do in adults’ eyes, putting them at increased risk for sun damage to the eyes.
UV damage is cumulative – when damage occurs it can never be reversed, only treated.

You can read more on the UV Damage Effects on the Eye HERE.

WHO IS O-V- OPTICS?

O-V Optics Pty Ltd – Protecting the vision in your child’s future
O-V Optics Pty Ltd was founded, and is owned and operated by Tanya and Zulé. The two head up a team of passionate individuals, sharing strong family values and the belief that they all have the right to protect our children in any scenario imaginable. The O-V Team’s mission is to educate and inform about the dangers of UV exposure to the eyes of children, so empowering and enabling you, as a parent, to protect your little treasure.

Sunglasses are a necessity for all, not just an accessory for some!
Tanya qualified as an optometrist from The University of Johannesburg and has extensive experience in practice and in optical sales, having consulted for Johnson & Johnson Medical and Hoya Vision Care. Her perseverance and dedication make her an exceptional problem solver, never giving up until a solution is created. Tanya’s broad optical knowledge is the core of the outstanding service and products O-V Optics Pty Ltd deliver.

Zulé, an adventurer at heart, completed her Psychology qualification through UNISA, while travelling the World. She was enlightened and astounded by destinations such as the natural diversity of England, South Korea, Seychelles, and the South of France in the Mediterranean. She filled various positions in various industries learning from many, but ultimately practicing her passion as a Professional Photographer. Zulé’s unique worldly experiences give her an edge when connecting with people and ensuring O-V Optics Pty Ltd stick to our core values.

Together the duo traveled the South American continent, spending six months volunteering in the rural countryside, touring cities, and appreciating natural wonders – even undertaking the 4 day hiking journey to Macchu Picchu. The two vowed that they will not return home until they had formulated a solid plan to change the future of as many others as possible for the better. With Tanya’s passion and expertise in the optical field and Zule’s vision, literally, as a photographic artist her most prized gift, it could be expected that they would want to protect the sight of others for the future. With the shared belief that prevention is better that cure, and that pro-active living is the way to a healthy future they set out on a mission to protect young eyes.

What they Value Most

– Families First – YOUR family, OUR families and The O-V Team as a big, supportive Family

– Open Honesty Always – They are here to give you the facts

– Create Happiness and Fun – They always leave you with a SMILE

– Embrace Creativity and Change – They find new ways to do things betterSunglasses at School

– Always Passionate, Always Humble

WHAT THEY DO and HOW THEY DO IT?

Our MISSION –They create greater awareness of the effects of UV sun damage on the eyes of children by informing parents, teachers and children of the imminent dangers. They encourage the habitual use of UVA and UVB protective eyewear as part of our ingrained culture, and as part of your child’s school uniform for maximum protection every day.

They pave the way to the positive societal opinion that wearing sunglasses when outside is a necessity FOR ALL, not only for adults, but their children too. They do this through speaking engagements – directly with you, parents, teachers and children. They provide necessary health and safety information that you may not be aware of as part of The “Sunglasses at School” Program, a FIRST in South Africa. This, in turn, creates the need for a product that can be trusted by parents to offer the desired protection their children need. They source only the best quality in international, children specific frame designs. O-V Optics Pty Ltd distributes your child’s ordered sunglasses to member schools directly and a trained professional will fit each pair to your child’s unique features to ensure optimum comfort and protection.

They are the industry leader in the supply of children’s sunglasses as they offer unmatched quality and value in our products and services.

Speak to your principal TODAY to become part of The “Sunglasses at School” Program!

Most Importantly WHY THEY DO IT?

They believe the dangers of UV damage to the eyes aren’t being spoken about enough and they will make the facts known by educating and informing as many as possible.

They believe YOU, as a parent, have the right to protect your child from any danger that may befall your little one.

They believe you have the right to a quality product that provides value for money and protects your child’s eyes adequately.

They believe in providing a quality service, ensuring optimum comfort and safety to your child.

They believe every child has the right to eye protection and aim to establish Charitable Projects in lesser fortunate communities that will provide access to decent eye protection for all.

O-V Optics Pty Ltd – Protecting the vision in your child’s future

Healthy Living: Product Review: NUK & The Importance of Water Consumption in Children

Posted on 12/05/2015 by Momma Jo

_{This post may contain affiliate links which help support my family. Thank you for stopping by.}

Product Review: NUK Junior and Sport Bottles

For over 50 years now, NUK has been ensuring that mothers and their children enjoy a sense of wellbeing and security like no other in their constantly evolving world. NUK soothers were designed by Dr. Müller and Prof. Balters who used their expert knowledge of orthodontics and found that the mother’s nipple changes shape as she breastfeeds. It does this by adapting optimally to the baby’s mouth. This is why they developed the natural NUK Shape for soothers, which is exceptionally well-suited to the baby’s jaw. Most South African orthodontists use NUK soothers for their own children. All NUK products are the result of the latest medical know-how and the practical experience of mothers and midwives. Only in this way can NUK offer every mother the sense of security she needs to make such an exciting time the happiest time of her life.

We met up with the representatives of NUK SA at the Gauteng Mom Blog Meetup in February. I was given the opportunity to review two of their products, the Junior Cup for Pixie and Sports Cup for Koko. We love these bottles so much that we bought Fifi a Sports Cup too!

These bottles are the perfect size for their little hands and hold the perfect amount of water for car rides and extra murals. Their bottles get filled with water every morning and popped in the refrigerator. They fit perfectly into the door for easy access. I just love the themes they have gone with on each of the bottles. Pixie’s Junior Cup has a cute little girl that reminds me of Alice in Wonderland on the side. Koko’s Sports Cup has bikers on it and Fifi’s Sports Cup has a ballerina on the side. They love their “cool water bottles” and they aren’t “babyish” at all! They go everywhere with the children when we go out and have helped with increasing the children’s water consumption.

We only use these bottles for water and tea. I don’t recommend putting milky drinks into these as the spouts do not disassemble and will make cleaning the milk out nearly impossible. You can swap out the sport sipper for a non spill sippy spout (sold separately) that is easy to clean. I use these with Pixie when we travel (the girl LOVES her milk).
nuk spout

Junior Cup – Push Pull
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For fun and games in all weather. Ultra-lightweight and unbreakable. For young adventurers aged 3 and upwards.

The bigger and more active your child is, the more he or she will need to drink. The NUK Junior Cup with its 300ml capacity and Push-Pull Spout 3 is ideal for children who are already exploring the world on their own two feet.

Features and Benefits:

with non-spill push-pull spout that can be easily opened and closed by any three year old: simply press, pull and drink!
made from ultra-lightweight and extremely sturdy polypropylene (PP) material
includes a clip to prevent the spout from getting lost and an integrated protective cap to make sure nothing falls out!

Specifications:
Designs: Mickey, knight, Alice
Size: 300ml

Sports Cup – Push Pull

nuk sports cup 1 nuk sports cup2

For fun and games in all weather. Ultra-lightweight and unbreakable. For young adventurers aged 3 and upwards. A new attractive companion for the whole family!

The bigger and more active your child is, the more he or she will need to drink. The NUK Sports Cup is the biggest of NUK Cups with its 450ml capacity and Push-Pull Spout it is ideal for children who are already exploring the world on their own two feet.

Features and Benefits:

450ml capacity ideal for games and sport
With pull-pull soft silicone spout that can be easily opened and closed by any three year old: simply press, pull and drink!
made from ultra-lightweight and extremely sturdy polypropylene (PP) material
includes a clip to prevent the spout from getting lost and an integrated protective cap to make sure nothing falls out!

Specifications:
Designs: Ballerina, Bike, Mickey, Minnie & Mickey
Size: 450ml

The Importance of Water Consumption in Children

Why should we be concerned about kids drinking water? Water is a vital nutrient and, because it has no calories and is free when it comes from the tap, it is the ideal drink for thirsty kids.

The Kidlets drink copious amounts of water every day. I rarely have juice in the house and when I do, they are limited to a glass or two a day.

Many people are surprised at the amount of water they drink and that they will ask for more if their water bottles are empty. I am often asked how they can get their children to drink water and not demand juice, milkshakes, etc. My answer is simple, if its not accessible to them, they will drink water when they are thirsty.

Children and adolescents are not consuming enough water, instead opting for sugar-sweetened beverages (sodas, sports and energy drinks, milks, coffees, and fruit-flavored drinks with added sugars), 100% fruit juice, and other beverages. Drinking sufficient amounts of water can lead to improved weight status, reduced dental caries, and improved cognition among children and adolescents.

While water drinking is important to both adults and children, children are more likely to lose water during activity because of their size and might be less aware of their thirst than adults, Kristen E. D’Anci, a psychology researcher at Tufts University, has pointed out.

Here is a great tool for calculating how much water needs to be consumed per age.

Signs of dehydration

When our bodies don’t have enough water, we are said to be dehydrated. One of the first signs of dehydration is feeling thirsty.

If you think you may not be getting enough fluids, check whether you have any of these other common signs of dehydration:

dark urine and not passing much urine when you go to the toilet
headaches
lack of energy
feeling lightheaded

Resources:
Encouraging Consumption of Water in School and Child Care Settings: Access, Challenges, and Strategies for Improvement
Water Consumption Webtool: How Much Water to Drink A Day?
Easy access may boost kids’ water consumption
Water and drinks
Water In Schools
NUK South Africa

Healthy Living: Product Review: Farm Fresh Online

Posted on 05/05/2015 by Momma Jo

_{This post may contain affiliate links which help support my family. Thank you for stopping by.}

A farm fresh farmer’s box of carefully selected, locally grown fruit and veggies delivered to your door, anywhere in Johannesburg.

FarmFreshOnline.co.za is Joburg’s first online Green Grocer delivering farm fresh produce to your home or office. Started in November 2014 FFO has grown considerably and earned a reputation for quality service and produce. Soon they will be delivering Pantry Fillers like herbs, olive oil, honey and more as well as dairy and farm fresh eggs.

I had the opportunity to review the products and service of Farm Fresh Online and I must say, I am very impressed with the quality of the produce we received. Farm Fresh Online is an online business that delivers fresh fruit and vegetables (depending on your order) right to your door. I ordered the Family Seasonal Veggie Box and the Family Fresh Fruit Box. The prices are incredibly good and the quality of the produce is great.

I HIGHLY recommend anyone within Johannesburg to make use of this service.

Below are pictures of the produce we received. These photos were taken the day of the delivery. Most of the fruit was consumed within the first 5 days, LOL. The convenience of the delivery has made my life so much easier and we no longer need to stand in queues on weekends with the kids asking for everything their eyes see. This way I get what I need for the week. The kidlets are excited to see what gets delivered every week and can’t wait to tuck in. Those carrots never last the whole week, they get eaten straight from the bag!

Family Seasonal Veggie Box

The Family Seasonal Veggie Box contains a variety of 15 to 18 different seasonal vegetables every week. Included are all of your staple favorites to sustain the household for a week. To give each week its own flavour, they also throw in whatever interesting and exciting seasonal fruits and veggies South African farmers are growing.

1kg Potatoes

1kg Tomatoes

1kg Brown Onions and a head of garlic

Lettuce

Large cucumber

Large butternut squash

Cocktail tomatoes

1kg Carrots

4 Avocados

6 Gem Squash

Pack courgettes

Cauliflower

Pack of small aubergine

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3 Bell peppers

Family Fruit Box

The Family Fresh Fruit Box contains a variety of 6 to 10 different fresh fruits every week.

4 Mangoes

2 Pineapples

Peaches

Naartjies (clementines)

Large red apples

Oranges

Purple plums

The fruit and veggies lasted well over 2 weeks and as a result we have decided to rather place the weekly order for the Family Fruit and Veggie Box. The Family Fruit and Veggie Boxes contain a variety of 16 to 20 different fruits and vegetables every week. Included are all of your staple favorites to sustain the household for a week. To give each week its own flavour, they also throw in whatever interesting and exciting seasonal fruits and veggies South African farmers are growing.

Technology Tuesday #11 ~ Standard Deviants Accelerate Review for Educents

Posted on 17/02/2015 by Momma Jo

_{This post may contain affiliate links which help support my family. Thank you for stopping by.}

product review

What is Standard Deviants Accelerate?

The Standard Deviants Accelerate online homeschooling program guides students through complete core curriculum courses. Through the clever way our instructional videos use humor to make difficult topics fun and simple, we are able to keep students attentive and engaged. A well-balanced range of assignments provides students with different outlets to demonstrate their understanding. Make homeschooling more fun with SDAccelerate!

SDA will teach and re-teach, allowing your student to learn, progress, and then master a subject, requiring little time from parents.

Parents: We want to make life and homeschooling easier for you by saving you time and money. As a condensed supplemental course, SDA provides instruction covering all necessary topics in each subject through video content, so you don’t have to. Most of the assignments are automatically graded, and you have access to those scores at any time via your parent account. For assignments that are not automatically graded, parent accounts include customizable rubrics that make grading quick and easy. With one subject costing only $24.95/month or $99/year, SDA is an affordable homeschool curriculum choice.

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Learn and Review<
Video breaks down content and provides in-depth instruction
Multiple-choice Quizzes following each video re-teach by replaying clips corresponding to questions that have been answered incorrectly
Multiple-choice Tests at the end of each chapter and at the end of the subject continue to check knowledge and are customized according to student’s prior quiz performance
Drag and Drop Diagrams test knowledge using a visual component
Red flag alerts report low scores to the parent every step of the way

Progress
Standard Deviants Accelerate engages students in higher orders of thinking, and has students relate their findings back to the central thematic question.

Student is prompted to examine and re-examine the same subject-wide thematic question after each lesson in the Written Answer assignment.
Critical thinking questions at end of each chapter are customized according to student’s quiz scores, and prompts student to apply and analyze knowledge

Master
Student demonstrates mastery of topics by teaching what they have learned to their parent or peers in a new context in the Group Activity
Writing feature in the Final Word at the end of each subject prompts student to synthesize all that they have learned and apply it toward creating a new solution or product.

What appealed to me?

SDAimage2

The I really love the progress report for each class. It highlights the section of each subject a student struggles with and where they may need assistance.

You can go through their different Homeschool Courses and select which subjects are suitable for your children.

Their homeschool courses start at Grade 3, which is a pity since my homeschooled children are currently in Grades 1 and 2 and I have fallen in love with their science program. I did, however, go through their Grade 7 work and found it rather engaging and practical for my public school child to work through and navigate without any issues.

My only gripe is that the back end, for the teacher/parent, was not as easy to navigate as the student site and did frustrate me quite a bit in the beginning. However, once I had gone through all the Video Tutorials that were sent with my login information, I mastered it fairly quickly.

#1 ~ DIY Windmills: Tutorial
#2 ~ K5Learning Review
#3 ~ Time4Learning Review
#4 ~ How is Technology used in our homeschool?
#5 ~ Toddlers and Technology
#6 ~ James Hall Museum of Transport
#7 ~ Youtube?
#8 ~ Zoodles
#9 ~ Programming for Kids
#10 ~ Web Safety for Kids

Technology Tuesday #3 ~ Time4Learning Review

Posted on 22/04/2014 by Momma Jo

_{This post may contain affiliate links which help support my family. Thank you for stopping by.}

I would like to invite you all to link up your technology related posts. Be it games, blogging advice/resources, technology based learning or reviews, etc. The only requirements are that the post focuses on technology and is family friendly.

I am really impressed with this online, interactive, curriculum. We used the Grade 1 section of this curriculum. Koko loved the lessons during our 4 week trial and was bummed when he couldn’t log in because our trial had expired. Not only does this curriculum offer English and Mathematics, it also offers Science, Social Studies and Learn-to-read programs. Koko affectionately called this his Puppet lesson because of the puppet animation used during the lessons. He would work for hours on end if I let him and he loved the lessons. He didn’t get flustered or frustrated once during this time with any of the work that was done on the day.

Cost?

Yes it is pricey, however, it is well worth it. We will be using this as part of our daily school schedule next year.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Homeschool Curriculum Questions

Can I use Time4Learning as a homeschool program?

Time4Learning gives members access to an entire years worth of materials, so families can begin at any point in the year and use the program however they see fit. The majority of our users are homeschoolers. Some choose to use Time4Learning as their core curriculum, while others use it as a supplement or part of an eclectic approach.

Although the majority of our curriculum correlates to state standards, we are not a school or a course. Parents act as the teacher of record, so it’s important that you refer to your particular states’ requirements to determine if there are any gaps you need to fill in.

If you are new to homeschooling, we recommend reading our free “Welcome to Homeschooling Guide”.

Is Time4Learning Accredited?

Time4Learning is a curriculum provider– not a school. Therefore it cannot be accredited. However, Time4Learning provides printable reports that are used by parents as part of a homeschool portfolio. Read more about homeschool portfolio usages here.

Can I enroll my school / classroom for Time4Learning?

Time4Learning does not provide its K-12 program to schools. Time4Learning is intended to be used in the home as a homeschool curriculum, afterschool alternative to tutoring, and for summer study.

If you are looking for an online curriculum for classroom use, please contact CompassLearning® directly for information.

Does Time4Learning offer any assistance to help me plan my homeschool year?

There is an optional activity scheduler available to members, which is located within your parent administration page. The activity scheduler tool generates a weekly schedule of activities for your student, based on start and end dates chosen by the parent.

What makes Time4Learning good for a child with special needs?

There are many reasons Time4Learning works well with exceptional students. Every child has his or her own combination of gifts, skills, needs, and difficulties with learning, so each deserves a customized learning program suited to his or her needs. Time4Learning is great for educating both gifted students and those with special needs.

The lessons build on existing reading, writing and math skills.
The levels for language arts and math programs are independently set for each child, helping those who perform or progress at different levels.
K-8 students are given access to one grade above and one grade below their grade placements so they can review or move ahead whenever they need to.
The program allows students to go at their own pace and even repeat lessons if need be.
The lessons use exercises that stimulate the visual, auditory and motor skills of students with multisensory activities that are animated & interactive.
Parents can easily make adjustments to their child’s learning level if the work seems too challenging or not challenging enough.

Program & Membership Questions

How much is a Time4Learning membership?

Pricing depends on the grade level of your students:

For PreK to 8th grade, the monthly membership cost is $19.95 for the first student and $14.95 for each additional.
For high school, the monthly membership cost is $30 per student, and includes 4 courses. Additional courses may be purchased for an extra $5 per month, per course. While having one student in the high school enables you to receive a discounted rate of $14.95 for a student in the lower grades, there is no discounted rate for a second student in the high school.
Your billing cycle begins on the day of registration and members are billed every 30 days. Members can start, pause, and cancel at any time. Time4Learning has no hidden fees, requires no contracts and offers a 14-day money back guarantee.

Parents must cancel through their parent administration page. Once an account is cancelled, members will have access to the program until the end of their billing cycle.

What does a membership consist of?

In addition to the subjects specified below, Time4Learning includes the following:

A secure, ad free, online learning environment for your students to work in
24/7 access to our award-winning online curriculum
More than 1,000 interactive lessons that teach using a combination of multimedia activities, instructional videos, printable worksheets, quizzes, tests, and both online and offline projects
Detailed reporting for easy record keeping making student portfolios easy and convenient to maintain
An activity scheduler for your planning needs
Extensive parent resources, lesson plans, and teaching tools
Access to the grade above and below in preschool-eighth grade subjects (excludes high school courses)
and much more…
Does your child have different achievement levels in different subjects? No problem! With Time4Learning, you can set each subject at any grade level.

Time4Learning is web based, so there is no software to download, no CDs and nothing additional to purchase. Members can access the program 24/7 from anywhere with a computer and an Internet connection.

What subjects / courses are included with my membership?

The preschool to eighth grade curriculum consists of standards-based language arts and math:

The language arts curriculum is presented in a suggested sequence designed to create a strong literacy foundation. It includes phonics, grammar, reading comprehension, spelling, vocabulary, writing skills and more. The language arts curriculum correlates to state standards.
The math curriculum combines multimedia lessons, interactive activities and reinforcing worksheets to teach basic arithmetic, number sense & operations, measurement, geometry, pre-algebra and more. The math curriculum correlates to state standards.
The preschool to eighth grade curriculum also offers social studies and science as an added bonus for most grade levels:

Social studies lessons are available to students at the 2nd through 7th grade level. Because state by state standards differ, social studies may need to be supplemented to satisfy your local requirements.
Science is available to students at the 1st through 8th grade level, and is organized as follows:
Elementary science is offered from kindergarten to 5th grade and is organized by grade level. Although the materials are extensive, science is included as an added bonus. It does not correlate to all state standards and is not animated.
Middle school science is offered at the sixth to eighth grade level. It is organized into three primary courses that correlate to state standards: Earth/Space Science, Life Science, and Physical Science. In addition, Nature of Science is provided as an added supplement with each of the middle school science courses.
The high school curriculum consists of the core subjects of math, language arts, science, and social studies. The elective courses of health and economics/finance are also available. Membership includes 4 courses, with the option to add additional courses for an extra $5 per course per month. For a closer look at the high school selections, visit the high school curriculum overview page.

Does your child have different achievement levels in different subjects? No problem! With Time4Learning, you can set each subject at any grade level.

Please note that it is possible to use Time4Learning for just one subject, however, pricing will not change.

Which grade levels / courses should I select for my child? Can I make changes if necessary?

Parents are considered the teacher of record, so it is up to them to determine the grades and courses their students need.

For preschool to third grade students, there is a short questionnaire in the initial sign-up process to help parents find a good starting point. If you are not sure what grade to enroll your students in, simply fill it out and leave the grade levels blank. We will place your child at a level of curriculum based on your answers.

Keep in mind that preschool to eighth grade students will be given access to three years of curriculum. So a student who is enrolled in second grade math and language arts will also have access to first and third grade lessons. This allows them to review and advance whenever they need.

High school is organized by courses rather than grade levels. Therefore, students do not have access to three levels. However, you can change or update your choices at any time if you find that your student’s learning level is too challenging or not challenging enough.

No matter what grade level or course selections you choose for your students, parents are ALWAYS able to make changes. Simply submit a request to us through your parent login, and your request will be satisfied within 24 business hours.

High School Questions

Does Time4Learning offer a diploma?

Since Time4Learning is not a school, we do not offer a diploma to students using our program. Time4Learning is a curriculum tool to be used by the student, while the homeschool parent remains the official teacher of record.

All 50 states in the U.S. allow parents to issue a homeschool diploma to a child they feel has met or exceeded the guidelines for high school graduation. To check comparable public school graduation requirements, check your state Board of Education website. Many websites offer downloadable homeschool diploma templates.

We recommend the diploma templates offered at LetsHomeschoolHighschool.com.

Does Time4Learning offer a transcript?

Time4Learning is not a school, so we do not provide a formal transcript for students. Parents are considered the “Teacher of Record”, and are responsible for creating student transcripts and submitting them to the proper authorities.

However, Time4Learning’s automated system grades your student’s online lessons and keeps reports that can be included in homeshool portfolios or used to create transcripts for your students.

For additional advice, transcript templates and other helpful resources, we recommend exploring the Homeschool High School Transcript FAQ page at LetsHomeschoolHighschool.com.

Can my high school student access middle school grade levels?

Yes. Parents have the option to select eighth grade math and language arts as an option. This will also grant students access to seventh grade.

How many credits is a Time4Learning high school course?

Time4Learning does not assign credits to courses. Time4Learning is a curriculum tool to be used by the student, while the homeschool parent remains the official teacher of record.

However, Time4Learning’s automated system tracks the amount of time students spend on online lessons. This feature can help parents estimate the value of the courses based on how much time students spend on their assignments.

Although each state is unique, a typical one-year high school course equals one credit, while one-semester courses equal one-half credit. Another way of counting credits is in hours spent on coursework. In general, 120-160 hours spent on a course equals one credit, while 60-90 hours of work equals one-half credit.

For additional information on high school credits, we suggest checking out the Guide to High School Credits for Homeschool at LetsHomeschoolHighschool.com.

Will completing Time4Learning’s high school courses qualify my child for graduation?

Because Time4Learning is not a school, students do not automatically graduate upon completing our courses. Time4Learning is an online curriculum, parents are the acting “Teacher of Record”, and the home in which they teach is considered the school students will graduate from.

It is up to the parent to compare Time4Learning with state standards to make sure that graduation requirements are satisfied. It is also the parent’s responsibility to submit transcripts to the state in order to receive credit for their work.

For additional information on high school graduation requirements, we suggest checking out LetsHomeschoolHighschool’s high school graduation resources section.

Technical & Support Questions

Can Time4Learning run on any computer?

For the most part, yes.

A computer (PC or Mac) with “fast access” (DSL or cable modem) to the Internet is ideal.

While some subscribers have been able to access with a satellite connection or a Linux operating system, it is not recommended. Our program does not support Linux and requires a strong, steady Internet connection to run the streaming lessons.

What browser works best with Time4Learning?

Our recommended browser is Firefox. You may experience some issues viewing some of the activities in Chrome or Internet Explorer.

Can Time4Learning run on an iPad or other tablet?

YES, Time4Learning can be used on an iPad or other tablet.

For tablets equipped with Flash based technology, Time4Learning can be accessed via the internet (our recommended browser is Firefox), or using the Puffin Academy Browser for Android.

For iPads and other non-flash based tablets, Time4Learning can be accessed using the Puffin Academy app, which is a free download on iTunes.

What support is available from Time4Learning?

We can be contacted by email or by phone.

All email feedback is answered personally within 24 hours. If you’d like to contact us by email, click here.

You can call us at (888) 771-0914. Our support team answers the phone weekdays from 8:30am to 7:00pm (6pm on Fridays) EST.

What is the Time4Learning 100% satisfaction guarantee?

Time4Learning has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If our learning program does not satisfy your family’s needs, you can cancel your membership by logging into your parent administration page and clicking on “Cancel Student” during the first 14 days and we will refund your money directly to the credit or debit card used to pay for your membership. This offer is only valid for new members. Further cancellation and refund policies are detailed in our billing policy.

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Welcome! Please make sure to link directly to your post (not your main blog page) so we can find the fabulous post you want to share. Each week we will select someone’s blog link up that our readers “clicked” with the most and share some of my favourite posts that were linked up!

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Please make sure to display our Technology Tueday Button button on your blog post, sidebar or tabs. This button can be found on the Technology Tuesday post each week. Kindly make sure to visit some of the other wonderful bloggers who have linked up here.

Were you featured on our Technology Tuesday post? Congratulations! Grab a Featured button to proudly display on your blog or website.
Thank you!

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.monstersed.co.za/category/technology-tuesday/" title="Monsters Ed Technology Tuesday"><img src="http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy312/monstersed/Homeschool/technologytuesdayfeaturedbutton_zps8091d629.jpg" alt="Monsters Ed Technology Tuesday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

We invite everyone to get “clicking” and have some blog hopping fun!

We have created a Pinterest Board so that we can help spread the word on the blog’s that have had featured posts on our Techology Tuesday posts. Make sure to stop by and check it out HERE.

Please share your family friendly posts with us!

By linking up you agree that if your blog post is selected to be featured on any of our hosts’ blogs that we can use an image from your post with a link back to your post.

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