Silent Hunter 4 Wolves of the Pacific

Item Name	Silent Hunter 4 Wolves of the Pacific
Price	12.000
System Reqruirement	Minimum System Requirements OS: Windows XP/Vista Processor: Pentium 4 @ 2 GHz Memory: 1 Gb Hard Drive: 6 Gb free Video Memory: 128 Mb Video Card: nVidia GeForce 6200 / ATI Radeon 9600 Sound Card: DirectX Compatible DirectX: 9.0c Keyboard Mouse DVD Rom Drive Recommended System Requirements OS: Windows XP/Vista Processor: Pentium 4 @ 3 GHz Memory: 2 Gb Hard Drive: 6 Gb free Video Memory: 256 Mb Video Card: nVidia GeForce 7800 / ATI Radeon X1800 Sound Card: DirectX Compatible DirectX: 9.0c Keyboard Mouse DVD Rom Drive
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silent hunter 5 battle of the atlantic

Item Name	silent hunter 5 battle of the atlantic
Price	Rp12.000
System Reqruirement	Supported OS: Windows XP (SP3) / Windows Vista (SP2) / Windows 7 Processor: 2 GHz Intel Core2 Duo E4400 or 2.1 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ (2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 or 2.6 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ or higher recommended) RAM: 1 GB Windows XP / 2 GB Windows Vista, Windows 7 (2 GB / 4 GB recommended) Video Card: 512 MB DirectX 9.0c–compliant video card (1 GB recommended) (see supported list*) Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c–compliant sound card DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c DVD-ROM: 4x Dual-layer DVD-ROM drive Hard Drive Space: 6 GB (10 GB recommended) Peripherals Supported: Mouse, keyboard Internet Connection: Broadband Internet connection *Supported Video Cards at Time of Release: NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT / 9 / GTX series ATI RADEON HD 2600 / HD 3000 / HD 4000 / HD 5000 series NVIDIA SLI & ATI Crossfire Laptop versions of these cards may work but are NOT supported. These chipsets are the only ones that will run this game.
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Cossacks Anthology

Item Name	Cossacks Anthology
Price	Rp10.000
System Reqruirement	Minimum system requirements - Windows: Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7, 1.8 GHz Processor, 512MB RAM (1 GB recommended), 3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 7 (compatible with DirectX 9 recommended), screen resolution of 1024x768 or higher, 2GB HDD, Mouse, Keyboard.
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Agarest Generations of War

Item Name	Agarest Generations of War
Price	Rp12.000
System Reqruirement	Minimum Requirements : OS: Win XP  Processor: Intel Pentium E2200 @2.2 Ghz or AMD Athlon X2 4200+ @2.2 Ghz Graphic: Graphic card with 64 mb Vram Memory: 1 GB Ram HD Space: 7 GB available space DirectX: 9.0c Recommended Requirements : OS: Win 7 Processor: Intel Core2 Duo @ 3.0GHz or Amd athlon x2  Graphic: Nvidia GeForce GT 8800 or Radeon HD 4670 @512 mb Vram Memory: 4 GB Ram HD Space: 10 GB available space DirectX: 9.0c
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Agarest Generations of War 2

Item Name	Agarest Generations of War 2
Price	Rp12.000
System Reqruirement	Minimum Requirements : OS: Win XP  Processor: Intel Pentium E2200 @2.2 Ghz or AMD Athlon X2 4200+ @2.2 Ghz Graphic: Graphic card with 64 mb Vram Memory: 1 GB Ram HD Space: 7 GB available space DirectX: 9.0c Recommended Requirements : OS: Win 7 Processor: Intel Core2 Duo @ 3.0GHz or Amd athlon x2  Graphic: Nvidia GeForce GT 8800 or Radeon HD 4670 @512 mb Vram Memory: 4 GB Ram HD Space: 10 GB available space DirectX: 9.0c
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Agarest Zero

Item Name	Agarest Zero
Price	Rp12.000
System Reqruirement	Windows Minimum Recommended Operating system (OS) XP Processor (CPU) 2.13GHz Intel Core2 Duo or equivalent 3GHz Intel i3 or equivalent System memory (RAM) 1 GB 4 GB Hard disk drive (HDD) 5 GB Video card (GPU) 64 MB of VRAM DirectX 9.0c compatible Shader model 3.0 support 128 MB of VRAM DirectX 9.0c compatible Shader model 3.0 support
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Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights 2009

Item Name	Product Name Goes here!
Price	Rp12.000
System Reqruirement	Minimum System Requirements OS: Windows XP/Vista Processor: Pentium 4 @ 3 GHz or Athlon Equivalent Memory: 1.5 GB Hard Drive: 6 GB Free Video Memory: 256 MB (GeForce 6600/Radeon X1300) Sound Card: DirectX Compatible DirectX: 9.0c Keyboard & Mouse DVD Rom Drive
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Alone in the Dark Illumination

Item Name	Alone in the Dark Illumination
Price	Rp18.000
System Reqruirement	Minimum: OS: Windows 7 SP1/ Windows 8 / Windows 8.1 Processor: Quad-core Intel or AMD processor 2.3+ GHz Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 460 GTX or AMD Radeon 6850 HD series card DirectX: Version 11 Hard Drive: 15 GB available space Additional Notes: Supported chipsets: NVIDIA 460 GTX or greater; Intel 4000 or greater. Laptop versions of these chipsets may not be supported. Updates to your video and sound card drivers may be required. Recommended: OS: Windows 7 SP1/ Windows 8 / Windows 8.1 Processor: Quad-core Intel or AMD processor, 2.5 GHz or faster Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 580 GTX or AMD Radeon 6970 HD series card
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Hatred

Item Name	Hatred
Price	Rp6000
System Reqruirement	MINIMUM: OS: x64 versions of Microsoft Windows Vista (SP2) with DirectX 11 update (KB971512-x64), 7 (SP1) and 8.1. Processor: 2.6 GHz Intel® Core™ i5-750 or 3.2 GHz AMD Phenom™ II X4 955 Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD5850 (1 GB VRAM) DirectX: Version 11 Hard Drive: 4 GB available space Sound Card: Integrated or dedicated DirectX 11 compatible soundcard RECOMMENDED: OS: Windows® 7 (SP1) / Windows® 8 / Windows® 8.1 / (64-bit only) Processor: AMD Octa-Core / Intel Quad-Core processor running at 3.4 GHz (AMD FX X8 8350 or Intel Core i5 3570 or newer architectures are recommended) Memory: 8 GB RAM
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Assassins Creed Chronicles China

Item Name	Assassins Creed Chronicles China
Price	Rp 6000
System Reqruirement	MINIMUM: OS: Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 (32/64bit versions) Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 @ 2.6 GHz or AMD Athlon II X2 240 @ 2.8 GHz Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: nVidia GeForce GTS450 or AMD Radeon HD5770 (1024MB VRAM with Shader Model 5.0) DirectX: Version 10 Hard Drive: 4 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Card with latest drivers Additional Notes: Video Drivers: nVidia GeForce 347.52 and AMD Catalyst Omega 14.12 RECOMMENDED: OS: Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 (32/64bit versions) Processor: Intel Core i3 2105 @ 3.1 GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 955 @ 3.2 GHz Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: nVidia GeForce GTX 470 or AMD Radeon HD5870 or better (1024MB VRAM with Shader Model 5.0) DirectX: Version 10 Hard Drive: 4 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Card with latest drivers
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BLADESTORM Nightmare

Item Name	BLADESTORM Nightmare
Price	Rp18,000
System Reqruirement	MINIMUM: OS: Windows Vista/7/8/8.1 (64bit required) Processor: Core i7 870 2.8GHz or better Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: 640*480 pixel over, High Color DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Hard Drive: 21 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c over RECOMMENDED: OS: Windows Vista/7/8/8.1 (64bit required) Processor: Core i7 2600 3.4GHz or better Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: 1980*1080 pixel over, True Color DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Hard Drive: 21 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c over
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Toukiden Kiwami

Item Name	Toukiden Kiwami
Price	Rp30.000
System Reqruirement	MINIMUM: OS: Windows Vista/7/8/8.1 (64bit required) Processor: Core i7 870 2.8GHz or better Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: 640*480 pixel over, High Color DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Hard Drive: 21 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c over RECOMMENDED: OS: Windows Vista/7/8/8.1 (64bit required) Processor: Core i7 2600 3.4GHz or better Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: 1980*1080 pixel over, True Color DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Hard Drive: 21 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c over
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Thankful Thursday: June 25th

I am focusing on a few things that we are thankful for today. Just felt like sharing them.

I am THANKFUL for . . .

• God's Love, Mercy, and Forgiveness
• The Joy and Laughter my Daughter Brings to My Life
• Family and Friends
• My Bible and Inspirational Christian Books
• A Roof Over Our Heads
• Possible House Buyer
• Curricula Blessings 
• God's Amazing Creatures

Alyssa is Thankful for . . . 

• God
• My Mom
• Family and Friends
• People Forgiving Me
• Dance Teacher and my Piano Teacher
• A House with a bed in it
• Homeschooling
• Food and Drinks
• Animals
• Rain to help plants grow
• Plants which make the world beautiful

Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition

Item Name	Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition
Price	Rp42.000
System Reqruirement	MINIMUM: OS: Windows 7, Windows 8.1 Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo 2.4GHz, AMD Athlon(TM) X2 2.8 GHz Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) 8800 GTS, AMD Radeon(TM) HD 3850 with 512MB RAM or better DirectX: Version 10 Hard Drive: 27 GB available space Sound Card: DirectSound Support (DirectX® 9.0c) RECOMMENDED: OS: Windows 7, Windows 8.1 Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 3.0GHz, AMD FX-4100 3.6 GHz Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) GTX 570, AMD Radeon(TM) HD 7790 DirectX: Version 10 Hard Drive: 27 GB available space Sound Card: DirectSound Support (DirectX® 9.0c)
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MotoGP 2015

Item Name	MotoGP 2015
Price	Rp42.000
System Reqruirement	MINIMUM: OS: Windows Vista SP2 / Windows 7 SP1 / Windows 8 / Windows 8.1 Processor: Intel Core i3-530 @ 2.93 GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 850 @ 3.30 GHz Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 @ 1GB / ATI Radeon HD 6790 @ 1GB* DirectX: Version 10 Hard Drive: 30 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX compatible Additional Notes: *Laptop versions of graphics cards may work but are not officially supported. RECOMMENDED: OS: Windows 7 SP1 64-Bit / Windows 8 64-Bit / Windows 8.1 64-Bit Processor: Intel Core i7-3770 @ 3.4 GHz / AMD FX-8350 @ 4.0 GHz Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 / AMD Radeon R9 290X* DirectX: Version 11 Additional Notes: *Laptop versions of graphics cards may work but are not officially supported.
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Total War Attila

Item Name	Total War Attila
Price	Rp 36.000
System Reqruirement	MINIMUM: OS: Windows Vista* Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 3 GHz Memory: 3 GB RAM Graphics: 512 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT, AMD Radeon HD 2900 XT or Intel HD 4000 DirectX: Version 10 Hard Drive: 35 GB available space Additional Notes: PC integrated graphics chipsets require 64 bit Windows, e.g. Intel HD series. RECOMMENDED: OS: Windows 7* Processor: 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: 2 GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti or AMD Radeon HD 5870 DirectX: Version 11 Hard Drive: 35 GB available space Additional Notes: PC integrated graphics chipsets require 64 bit Windows, e.g. Intel HD series.
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Put Your Arms In The Air Like You Just Don't Care!

In an effort to make this blog more informative for my readers, I am going to begin sharing interesting and helpful blog posts that I stumble upon.  For some reason, it hadn't occurred to me until just today that if I found these articles helpful, that my readers would also feel the same way.  The internet is a wonderful resource, especially when working with children. There is a ridiculous (in the best way possible) amount of information out there to be shared with everyone.  However,trying to sift through all the information can be exhausting and time-consuming.  So thanks to Kristin, here is my first article share blog post!

Today, the mom of one of my clients sent me a great article that talked about the importance of working on a vertical surface.  It was written by Lauren Drobjnak, a pediatric therapist and mother who began The Inspired Treehouse with her colleagues in order to share playful activities for children that promote development and wellness.  Their belief is that if kids are given a little help, they can build strong and healthy bodies and minds through play and exploration.  Do yourself a favor and check out and subscribe to their blog here...I promise you won't be disappointed by their emails.

Motor Skills and More!  Working on a Vertical Surface is a quick, easy and informative read about

what can be achieved by working on a vertical surface.  Some of you may be asking "What is a vertical surface!?!?".  Simply put, a vertical surface is a chalkboard or an easel... a surface that is on an incline that requires a child to have to raise their arms in order to write on it.  It is something that requires upper body strength and endurance.  When I was growing up, there was a chalkboard in every classroom I entered.  Daily, I was asked to go up and answer a math question or write the answer to a teacher's question on that board.  I never would have imagined that that simple task, something that seems so "normal" to so many of us, would be something that isn't really part of a kid's school routine these days.  Nowadays, we have the SmartBoard or a dry erase board in classrooms.  You may not sneeze because of all the dust from the chalk, but it will serve the same purpose in writing on a raised surface and sharing information with your classmates.

Whenever I am asked by parents about what can be done at home to help support our work in therapy, one of the first things I suggest is to get an easel.  Living in NYC, some parents worry that they don't have the space for a large and bulky object...space is limited and we all know that kids come needing a lot of things to keep them busy!  For those parents, I suggest that they get a chalkboard or a dry erase board that can be mounted to the back of a door or the wall of a bedroom.

Working on a vertical surface can be beneficial for children of all ages, especially those who need to work on increasing core strength and postural stability.  Depending on the height of the working surface, you can have a child kneel, stand or sit on a therapy ball to draw, paint or write.  Another great thing about working on the vertical is that it is ideal for working on improving bilateral coordination skills.  I have kids hold a piece of paper up with one hand while using their other to hold the writing instrument.  This article talks about playing with stencils to also work on developing skills.  Please click here to learn about all the other benefits of working on the vertical that Lauren Drobjnak talks about.  

Fort those of you wondering what kind of vertical surfaces would be good for you and your home, I have provided a few suggestions below.
Chalkboard Wallie (Extra Large)-these extra large panels can easily be repositioned and placed wherever is most convenient/space allows.  Hang on the refrigerator, the back of a door or in a playroom.  I have one of their smaller versions hanging in my kitchen and my daughter has loved drawing pictures and practicing writing her letters on it.  They are easy to clean and can be used with any kind of chalk.  Be sure to hang them up in a way that makes your child have to have their arms extended in order to work on increasing upper body strength.

Dry Erase Board-there are a lot of dry erase boards to choose from that will work on all of the things mentioned in Motor Skills and More!  Working on a Vertical Surface.  I have always been partial to this one by The Container Store simply because it takes up no room at all and is easy to hang up.  It can go on the back of a door, inside a closet or wherever you happen to have the space for.   Also, another important thing, it is very reasonably priced!

Artist's Portrait Easel-if you happen to have the real estate in your apartment for a real deal easel, don't look any further than this one by Land Of Nod.  When my mother asked me what she could get my daughter for a Christmas gift one year, this was the one and only thing that came to mind.  It's been a favorite of Quinn's for years and has gotten so much use since it was gifted to her.  My favorite thing about this easel is that while it is large, it isn't bulky.  It can be folded up and set against a wall without taking up too much space.  Another great feature is that it is double-sided and can be used for many things.  One side has a chalkboard while the other has a dry-erase board.  That's not all...at the top you will find a place to hold a roll of paper for drawing with crayons or markers or paintbrush or finger-painting.  A bonus factor.....it's modern and sleek looking.

Backpack Slant Board-Fun and Function, one of my favorite therapeutic catalogues, has a variety of slant boards to choose from.  I recommend slant boards for many of the older kids I work with for homework time.  Slant boards are great because they don't take up a lot of room.  This one I have
suggested is even better because it can easily fold up and fit into a child's backpack making it easy for them to transport back and forth with them.  The most important thing about using a slant board for kids with graphomotor difficulties is that the design of a slant board automatically puts the wrist in an extended position, thus encouraging hand stabilization for greater ease in controlling writing instruments.  I don't only use this for handwriting/grasphomotor activities...when using an iPad in therapy, I will put the iPad on it to accomplish the same thing.

Thank you to The Inspired Treehouse for this wonderful and informative article!  I hope you all find this as helpful as I did!

LEGO Jurassic World

Item Name	LEGO Jurassic World
Price	Rp24.000
System Reqruirement	Minimum: OS: Windows®XP SP3, Windows Vista/7/8 with latest service packs and updates installed Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo or equivalent AMD dual core CPU Memory: 2 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 7600GS or ATI Radeon 1950, 256 Mb RAM DirectX: Version 10 Network: Broadband Internet connection Hard Drive: 10 GB available space Additional Notes: Windows XP and DirectX® 9.0b and below not supported Recommended: OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8 Processor: Intel i5, 4 x 2.6 GHz or AMD equivalent Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 or ATI Radeon HD 5850 or better, 1Gb RAM DirectX: Version 11 Network: Broadband Internet connection Hard Drive: 10 GB available space
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TOS Review: SmartKidz Media Library for Homeschoolers

I reviewed a full year subscription to the SmartKidz Media Library for Homeschoolers developed by SmartKidz Media. This resource is meant for children in preschool through high school. It also includes special needs content and resources.

SmartKidz Media Library Description
The digital media learning library contains over a 1,000 educational and entertaining videos including flash animated e-books, music, interactive study guides, games, puzzles, and more. It allows you the option of instantly streaming and watching the online videos on a variety of devices anytime, anywhere. You can stream from a PC, MAC, iPad, Mobile iPhone, Roku, and a Tablet. You have unlimited access 24/7. The content on this membership site is organized into a variety of tabbed categories covering topics to supplement learning across several subjects.

Themed Category Tabs

• World of Discovery
• Music and Fine Arts
• Mighty Ebook Collection
• Baby Signs Program
• My Animal Family
• Quick Find Study Guides
• Learning Special Needs (content can be used with all learners)
• Living Skills Program
• Ready Set Sing
• Fun Zone

Supported Subjects

• Science
• World and American History
• Social Studies
• Fitness
• Fine Arts and Music
• Reading and Language Arts
• Practice Life Skills or Living Skills
• Math  

Be sure to browse the catalog to view the resources available.

How We Used
I used this digital media resource library with my daughter Alyssa (7 1/2) as a supplement to our homeschool core and extracurricular subjects 3-4 times per week for a minimum of 20-45 minutes a day. Our subscription was accessed on our MAC computer using both Safari and Chrome as our main browsers.

This tool was used for both educational and entertaining purposes. I also utilized the media library to raise cultural awareness and to teach my daughter to appreciate different types of music and art. We utilized it for science, research, history, exercise, writing, independent reading time, notebooking activities, music and art appreciation, and more. The product was also used during free time, on the weekends, as I prepped meals, as part of her school work, and as we traveled into town. Videos were frequently integrated into other subjects and was often required as part of a particular lesson. It also encouraged a natural curiosity for independent research about new cultures. We needed Adobe Reader to access a few PDF files we chose to print.

Would you like to see how I integrated the content and videos into our homeschool day?  

My Animal Family Storybooks, Animal Fun Facts, and Songs

We used this series as an opportunity for Alyssa to explore the world of animals and make connections to real life situations. She learned how to respect animals and their way of life. She loves music, songs, facts, and is a definite animal lover so this section was perfect for my daughter. Tahi (Dolphin), Korow (Chimpanzee), and Nanuq (Polar Bear) are a few of her favorite animals so she visited those resources first. She would watch the storybook video. Then, she viewed the interesting fun facts video followed by the corresponding animal group song which all reinforced learning.

Alyssa created a key word outline (KWO) using the SmartKidz Media video content. Alyssa was asked to write an animal report. Then, she chose a specific animal from the website and wrote a paragraph about it. She drafted her paper through the writing process from the KWO notes she took using the African Elephant online videos. This activity integrated writing, science, and literature.

She also enjoyed learning about Dolphins. I love how vocabulary words like "echolocation" are noted in a slightly larger text size and the word is defined.

Dancing to the Chimpanzee Song

Baby Signs Program

I taught Alyssa a few ASL signs to help her communicate her basic needs at an early age to eliminate frustrations. Alyssa hasn't used or practiced these sign language skills for years, but she had the opportunity to review many signs using this program. She was eager to start and relearn sign language so that she can use the signs to communicate non-verbally during play time with a boy we know. His speech is limited. The videos she mainly used were from A-Z Dictionary portion which demonstrated each word with a sign and a short verbal explanation.

World Wide Discovery Collection
Travel and Adventure: Egypt

We decided to learn about Egypt, because we were studying it in our Bible study and in World History. I asked Alyssa to complete an exit card activity. Her task was to write three interesting facts about Egypt from the content found in the video. All responses were accepted. She was required to write them down on an index card and give it to me at the end of the lesson.

Lifestyles and Cuisine

First stop my FAV . . . Bravo! Chef: Italian food! There are 8 Italian recipes. The videos are separated so you don't have to watch all of them in one section. The chef also shares tips and tricks with the audience. After watching Cantucci video from the Italian recipes, I gave Alyssa a list writing activity. She watched the video again for details. The activity idea came as an after thought, otherwise I would have given her paper to jot down notes during the first viewing. She made a Grocery List and checked for items we already had in the pantry. We didn't actually get to make any of the recipes yet, but we hope to make the Ravioli or Tiramisu recipe as a mother-daughter activity soon. The chicken recipe collection is our next stop! I wish the recipes were converted to volume measurements and not mass measurements (150 grams) as seen in the videos. I also wish a list of ingredients were listed at the beginning of the video and not just scrolling at the end like credits so that I can gather the ingredients ahead of time to follow along when cooking. This is a fun way to learn how to cook and try new recipes with or without children. 

Fitness

We used the Aerobics for Kids and Exercises for Kids videos together. The videos gave us something active to do inside out of the hot, mid-day Texas heat and worked splendidly on rainy days. These videos provided Alyssa with movement and exercise for the day. I haven't worked out in a long time so it was a wonderful intro back into the fitness world. It also gave us more bonding time together. She exercised during her free time and used the videos as part of her Physical Education routine. I would be most thankful if more fitness videos were added covering different muscle groups, types of workouts, and even vary the workout movements. Alyssa's only complaint about one of the videos was that the routine was a little long and boring, because it was the same actions over and over again.

Quick Find Interactive Study Guides
Ben Franklin's Social Studies Basics
These interactive study guides are informative "go to" tools for basic facts, illustrated glossaries, and rule or definition references for writing, spelling, science, math, social studies, and many other subjects.

50 States: Texas
We found a Texas notebooking sheet online and used it in conjunction with the study guide. Alyssa clicked on the Texas link and researched facts about her home state in order to complete the printed sheet. 

US Presidents
During the review period, we were working on an American History unit study. We researched information about the first three presidents (George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson) using SmartKidz. These three presidents were mentioned in our unit study. Alyssa completed a notebooking sheet about George Washington.

Mighty E-Book Collection
These interactive e-books motivated Alyssa to read during her 15-30 minute independent reading time. They were flash-animated videos with highlighted text and voice-over synchronization. Some books followed the words with a bouncy ball. The topics of the books varied and frequently contained sound effects and music. Alyssa's favorite e-books were Dry Bones, Dinosaur Bones, Metamorphosis, Caterpillar . . . Caterpillar, and Birds of a Feather. Dry Bones was used a brain break, because it provided Alyssa with step-by-step dance moves while teaching anatomy.  We'll be checking out more of the Bible e-books later this week.

Interacting with the Video

Two e-book series she showed an interest in and enjoyed tremendously were the Mother Goose and Aesop Fable Collections. This brought back some great memories for us. I remember reading several of these stories to her years ago. She also read or listened to new and unfamiliar Mother Goose stories and rhymes too.

Special Needs or Ebook Collection

Holiday and Celebrations: Memorial Day

Instead of printing the provided organizer or web for research, I had my daughter draw the web and fill it out about Memorial Day. There are several other holiday e-books included in this collection including but not limited to Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year, July 4th, and Easter.  

Watch the video to find out who SHE is? 

Memorial Day Word Web and Template

Fun Zone
My daughter earned tickets as part of our reward system for completing chores. These tickets were used to "play" in the Fun Zone area during her free time. Occasionally, I would require use of the first two video series during art or geography class. I will only discuss her favorites activities and games below.

Cezanne Collection Jigsaw Puzzles
My puzzle loving daughter was drawn to the puzzles. This is a neat way to integrate art appreciation into a fun activity and helped her recognize popular masterpieces. My daughter truly enjoys art and jigsaw puzzles. She liked that you could choose the number of pieces (12 or 20). We both appreciated the fact that we could scroll or hover over the ABOUT button which tells you the artist's name, time period, and gives you biographical information about the artist's life. Each jigsaw puzzles also indicates the title of the artwork. Alyssa and I both hope that additional artists and their collections are added to the website. They may want to add a 6-piece puzzle option for younger children to this collection.

Where in the World Are We: Maps Puzzle
The pirate theme immediately caught my daughter's attention, because it reminded her of her pirate themed birthday party.You choose the number of pieces (6, 12, 24). Alyssa clicked on the CLUE button when she needed help. You are allowed FIVE clues and each CLUE click labels a surrounding area or country. The goal is to identify the correct sea which is indicated by a red "X" which marks the spot. A list of ten sea choices are given. Wrong choices will receive an "Oh no" remark. This activity may be tough or frustrating for younger children not familiar with map work, but with parental guidance your child can learn more about maps. I would LOVE to see a series covering all the continents and even state maps. This looks like a fun way to teach and help children become more aware of the geography of our massive world.

Dress the Divas
Alyssa was really excited about this activity! Three girls are having a dress rehearsal for a concert. They need help with their wardrobe before the concert begins. Alyssa observes their wardrobes paying close attention to the details. Her task was to dress them in the exact outfits and when she does they'll sing their song. This activity encourages observation skills and a keen attention to details. Girls will most likely enjoy this activity more than boys. The HELP button shows what the girls are dressed in again in case your child forgets. I recommend that the company creates a version of this game for boys as well.

Music and Fine Arts
The classical music was listened to during handwriting lessons, writing, art projects, chores, and sometimes before bedtime. I wanted her to appreciate different styles of music and composers while working. She enjoyed listening to the well-known composers from the Classical Music section (Volumes 1 and 2) including Chopin, Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven. Her favorite song was Fur Elise. We also read biographical books about several of the composers. I enjoyed listening to the music as I cooked, did chores, and wrote reviews. Relax and soothe your soul by listening to the Panpipes, waves splashing against the shore, gentle rains, rolling thunder, birds singing their songs, and more using the two volumes of Relaxation Music. Be careful these peaceful sounds may help you fall asleep faster! We adored The Art Van Gogh and the Music of Bach which integrated both music and art appreciation. The video showed Van Gogh masterpieces in a slideshow format while playing Bach's music in the background.

Ready Set Sing Songs
We tried to focus on the songs suitable for children between the ages of 6-8 and Kidz Karaoke, but we took many detours during our visit. Yankee Doodle is a favorite which tied into our American Revolutionary unit study. She also liked singing Big Blue Zoo and Animal Antics songs around the house. Big Blue Zoo: Birds of a Feather teaches children about how we all live together and should live in harmony as we share the same planet Earth. It brings joy to my ears to hear new songs instead of the same old songs she sings on a daily basis. It also makes chore time more fun too!

Overall Thoughts
SmartKidz Media Library for Homeschoolers was a great addition to our homeschool day! Anything dealing with animals was our favorite part. We utilized the Animal Storybooks, Fact Books, and Songs the most. The presentation immediately captured the attention of my daughter. The photographs were captivating! She was addicted to the My Animal Family section and found the non-fiction content to be fascinating and interesting.

Precious Chimp Image

The website was easily navigated but the organization could use some improvement. There was a decent-sized collection but I have used several similar, larger media libraries in the past. This one contains tools for younger children which is a bonus. We did have a slow or lost connection on several occasions even though we have high speed Internet. We just logged back in and it usually helped with the situation. This could also be due to the fact that we were getting a lot of rain in the area. Chrome seemed to work better than Safari.

There was some content that my daughter wasn't comfortable watching. She called me in the room anytime women were barely dressed or if any nudity what-so-ever was found in paintings or on statues. She also saw a man smoking a pipe and a girl's tongue was pricked and bled. However, the content did spark a discussion about cultural diversity and values. This content mainly came from Mysteries From Ancient Times (Part 1). Some videos contain content you may want to view and approve first, but older more mature audiences can learn a lot about different cultures. The Wild Moments (Part 1) also showed a little blood when discussing the life of an elephant seal. It wasn't enough to really bother Alyssa, but it was something she pointed out and said I should mention it in case younger children were watching.

What I Liked

• My Animal Story Books
• Beautiful Images and Live Footage
• Access on ALL Devices Making the Content Portable and Easily Accessible
• Includes Preschool or Kinder Readiness Content (At-Home Daycare Providers)
• Collections of E-book Resources
• Puzzles and Games
• Catchy Song Tunes
• Music and Art Appreciation Resources

Recommendations
I recommend this resource to any homeschooler or family for independent use with children in 7th grade and up due to some content or visuals. Supplement your homeschool curricula or replace TV time with educational and valuable videos that will engage your child. You can pick and choose which videos to watch. I highly suggest that the parent or educator screen the video content prior to allowing younger students access to the videos or watch the videos together followed by a discussion, because some content requires a mature audience.

This can also be used in daycares for whole class use with the teacher presenting the content. The are many songs that little ones will enjoy singing. It is an educational tool that will add variety to your homeschool day.

The company will continue to expand the content on their website. They will be adding more US History and Science videos within the next month. You can stay updated by subscribing to their newsletter.

Possible Vendor Suggestions

1. Give warnings about content that may contain nudity, smoking, animal mating or reproductive patterns, bloody graphics, or any other content that may need to be screened for approval. I noticed the word "ATTENTION" was used in the Fitness videos and can be used in other videos for the purpose of warning parents about questionable content.   
2. Study Guides - Can you possibly include printable PDF files for research purposes such as notebooking pages, lapbook pieces, research forms, vocabulary sheets, and so forth?
3. We would absolutely LOVE to see the My Animal Family Storybook section extended. More animals can be added to the series and organized into animal classifications.
4. We hope that additional artists and their masterpiece collections are added to the Jigsaw Puzzle portion.

Price
$10 per month
$99 for a year (Saves $20)
Sign-up for a 14-Day FREE trial before you buy!

Social Media
Facebook @SmartKidz Homeschool
Twitter @SmartKidzMedia

The Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog is the place to visit if you are looking for additional reviews about SmartKidz Media Library for Homeschoolers which highlights the experiences of other crew members with this resource. There's no way one person can cover all the video content in one review so I suggest readings several to gain a better understanding of what is included in your subscription. 

A Blast from the Past: Work It Girl!

I was looking through old photos and came across these hilarious pictures. They were taken exactly 6 years ago on this date, but at our old house. I was working out using my Turbo Jam videos. Alyssa heard the music and came running into the room. She LOVED music and dancing . . . she still does. She decided to join me. Basically, she plopped right in front of the screen. I remember the day so clearly and I'm glad I caught it on camera. Maybe it'll bring a smile to your face today and encourage you to check out older photos you have stored on your computer.

Take a look into the past. 

What image did YOU capture on this date?  

Thank you for visiting A Learning Journey. I will link this post up at Life at Rossmont's Wordless Wednesday Linky.

Coloring...Not Just For Kids!

I wrote a long time about about coloring books and often refer to my favorites in some of my posts.  I

love having a good selection of coloring and activity books in my office and at home.  One thing that I have discovered is that coloring isn't just for kids these days.  I will often join the kids I work with or my own daughter when she is coloring.  I do this for several reasons:

*if I am engaged in a coloring activity, I find that the kids will color for longer which ends up building up their grasp strength and endurance.  It also helps on increasing a child's attention span

*I will often mess up or ask a child for their suggestions on what colors I should use to help them understand that their pictures don't have to be perfect or that they shouldn't get too frustrated when coloring

*I find coloring to be one of the most calming and organizing activities.  Not just for kids, but for anyone.  

In this post, I am not going to focus just on kids coloring/activity books, but also ones that are good for older kids and for adults who may love to color.  Coloring with your kids is a great way to stimulate conversation and imagination skills.  It is a wonderful way to build confidence and self-esteem...when a child completes a picture that they have worked really hard on, they feel really good about themselves and want to show it off to their people.  There is no greater source of pride for my own daughter when someone compliments her on her work and then hangs it up.

Some of my favorite coloring and activity books right now are the following:
Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest-these two books by Johanna Basford are more than just coloring books.  They are also coloring adventures that take you on a journey through a beautiful garden and an enchanted forest to discover what is in the magical castle.  The pictures are all in black and white and have so many little details to color in.  In addition to coloring some of the most magnificently drawn pictures, you have to find objects hidden within each picture.  I also like that some of the pages have mazes to go through and pictures to complete.
While these books are most definitely for older children, they are definitely something that could be done together with your child.  Having them look at the pictures and tell a story based on what they see is great for building up their language and imagination skills.  You can play a game of I Spy while looking at the pictures to find some of those hidden objects.  I first discovered these beautiful books when shopping at my local toy store, Norman and Jules, but you can also find them at the bigger bookstores and other speciality toy/bookstores.

Color Me Calm-this is a book that was designed for busy and crazed adults.  At a time where life gets busier and more complicated each day, we find ourselves to become more stressed and overstimulated by work and family obligations.  Created by art therapist Lacy Mucklow and artist Angela Porter, Color Me Calm has about 100 different coloring templates that were created specifically to get a person to color themselves to a calmer and more relaxed state of being.  The book is broken down into seven therapeutically-themed chapters including Mandalas, Water Scenes, Wooded Scenes, Geometric Patterns, Flora and Fauna, Natural Patterns and Spirituality. The intention of the book is for adults to put pencil to paper and get themselves into a state of creativity and relaxation.  Some of the pictures could be appropriate for younger children, but this is definitely intended for older children and adults.


Daydream Doodles-I've been looking through the shelves at Barnes and Noble and other bookstores non-stop lately trying to find new coloring and activity books for not only the kids I work with, but for my own daughter who has officially turned into one of those kids who can't stop drawing and coloring.  While I love to see her imagination come to life on paper, it isn't always so easy for her and she needs some jumping off ideas.  Throughout this book, there are several different kinds of activities.  You can color in pictures, complete different kinds of pictures or draw your own patterns on objects.  This coloring book is definitely more appropriate for older children (they suggest 6 and older).  In addition to working on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills, it is great for working on creative thinking and imagination skills.  I like that you can also work on language skills while the kids are completing their pictures.  You can also work on improving executive functioning skills be encouraging them to talk about what they are going to draw, how they are going to do it, etc..

Usborne Big Book of Drawing, Doodling and Colouring-I am a huge fan of all the Usborne activity books.  They have a wide range of coloring and drawing books that will spark the imagination of children.  This book is especially awesome because it has a wide range of activities in one book.  There are pictures and patterns to color in and complete, various scenes for children to color in and add their own details and pages that will teach your child how to draw things step-by-step.  The book is filled with a ton of modern and stylish pictures ranging from monsters, animals and food.  I have found that many of my kids, even those who typically resist any kid of drawing/coloring activities, love looking through this book and finding the "right" picture for them.   My favorite pages are those that teach kids how to draw different animals, people and objects step-by-step.  The directions are easy to follow but also leave plenty of room for kids to use their imagination and add their own details to pictures.  This book promises to be fun not only for your children, but for the adults who want to color and draw with them!

Here are a few handwriting/coloring tips to keep in mind when coloring with your children:
*always encourage a child to hold a writing instrument properly.  Broken crayons or short colored pencils are an easy way to get a child to hold a writing instrument with a tripod-like grasp. Some of my favorites are the Faber-Castell Jumbo Triangular Colored Pencils, Flip Crayons by Handwriting Without Tears and the Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Markers.
*if you are working on increasing upper body strength, have children color on an elevated surface like an easel or tape the paper to a wall.
*let kids do what they want with colors....let them choose whatever color they want for what they are doing without telling them what they should do.  Coloring should be an activity that allows kids to express themselves and expand their imagination skills.  They want to color an elephant pink...go for it!
*try and encourage a child to stay in the lines when coloring, but don't make a big deal about it if they don't.
*work on building language skills by having children tell you a story about their picture.  Encourage them to elaborate and talk about the details by asking them meaningful questions.

With summer just a few days away, I'm finding that parents are asking me more about what they can do for their children to keep working on their fine motor and visual skills while they are taking a break from therapy.  Coloring, drawing and activity books are a great and fun way for kids to keep working on skills that have been addressed in therapy during the school year.  So many parents want to be more involved in their child's therapy but complain that the kids won't "work" for them.  Coloring is a great way to hide the therapy piece.

The books I suggested in this post are definitely geared more towards older kids, but there are many other books out there for younger kids.  If you want to read about books that are better suited for younger/pre-school aged children, check out this post here.

Do you have any great coloring or activity books that I should add to my library?  I'm looking forward to nights of coloring with my little girl this summer and would love to test out some new ones.  I am always a click away and love hearing from you all.