S is for Soon

*This post contains affiliate links*

I have three reviews coming up this month (March) and wanted to just give a sneak peak.  We have enjoyed the review products that we have gotten so far this year.

Magic Stix Washable Markers ~ These were a favorite. We have enjoyed coloring with these markers. My girls and I and even my 14 year old son have used these over the past several weeks. They are so bright and vibrant. Look for the review to post next week.

Another fun review is from Zirrly ~  My girls, my 14 year old son and I had a good time playing with the super beads and creating the animals that were included in our package. This review will post around March 20.

One last review that will post around the last week of March are books by Carole P. Roman ~ We have reviewed several of Carole’s books before and we still love reading through her books. This time we are reviewing a chapter book and the coloring book that goes along with it. So fun!

We love reviewing products and curriculum and sharing them with you.

I am linking up with:
Hopkins Homeschool

Patterns of Evidence ~ Review and Giveaway

I had heard great things about the Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus documentary and was delighted that I was given the chance to review it. My oldest son loves to learn anything about the Bible that he can.

Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus takes viewers on a journey to find out if there is any evidence to back up the Bible's account of the Hebrew exodus. This film is Tim Mahoney's first documentary film that took 12 years to develop. Tim travels the world to interview people, dig through archeological clues, and looks at history to determine if he can find evidence that the Bible is truth. He leaves viewers to make their own conclusions on what he has found and presented.

I watched the DVD with my children and my older ones found it fascinating. They learned so much by watching the film. We highly recommend this film for anyone with questions whether you are a Christian or not.

DISCOUNT: When purchasing the DVD at the store, you can use MK1 for $3 off the DVD price which retails for $19.95.

GIVEAWAY: Comment below by September 7th if you would like to win a copy for yourself. (Continental U.S. Only)

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Trust Fund ~ Movie Review

My family and I love to watch movies. We also love it when we get to see a movie we had not heard of before. We also love when the movie is family friendly. We were able to review the movie Trust Fund by Mapelle Films.

Trust Fund is a modern day, contemporary Prodigal Daughter story. The movie is about the Donahue family- Grayson (dad), Audrey (sister), and Reese. Reese is a young writer but likes to do things her way. Her father has a successful publishing company which he started with his wife, Audrey and Reese's mother, who has passed away.  Reese doesn't want her father to publish her book because she wants someone else to take notice of her. She eventually lands a deal and is given an advance of money.

Reese finds out her mother has left her and her sister a trust fund worth $10 million to be divided between her and her sister. Because Reese has no money (she spent her advance), she decides to take matters into her own hands. She sets up an account and has the money transferred. She then takes off for Italy where she runs into big trouble.

Reese comes back and begs her father for a job at the publishing company. Grayson is just so excited that she has returned that he gives her a job. Her sister is not so happy. She can't understand why her father is happy. She was the one to stick around and be responsible but her father seems to be ignoring her.

As the movie progresses, we learn more about the Donahue family and the Donahue family learns more about love. Will Audrey and Reese become friends? What happened with their mother's trust fund?

The cinematographer/producer was a homeschooler from 1-12 grades back in the 1980's. You can read more about him here.

We enjoyed watching this movie together as a family even though it is more relatable to female teens. We spent some time discussing the movie after we watched it. My boys did watch it but found it to be boring. My almost 12 year old daughter (who is more in the age range for the movie) found some parts better than others. She will probably enjoy it more in a few years when she is in her mid teen years. In addition to the movie, there is a downloadable study guide and also a book, Love Was Near, for reading after watching the movie.

The Biggest Story ~ Review and Giveaway

*This post may contain affiliate links*

I was recently sent The Biggest Story DVD and CD to review. The Biggest Story is a book written by Kevin DeYoung that was published in August of 2015. Recently, the story was brought to life through an animated short film and an audio cd.

About the animated short film:
The DVD is narrated by Kevin DeYoung and is about 30 minutes long. It brings the pictures from the book to life. The story is about God's plan for us from creation until His return. It also features beautifully animated illustrations adapted from the book, The Biggest Story: The Animated Short Film will captivate children and parents alike as they see how all the classic stories in the Bible connect to Scripture’s overarching message about God’s glorious plan to redeem his rebellious people.




About the audio book:
This audio book of The Biggest Story—written and narrated also by the best-selling author Kevin DeYoung—leads kids and parents alike on an exciting journey through the Bible, connecting the dots from the garden of Eden to Christ's death on the cross to the new heaven and new earth.

My kids and I enjoyed listening to and watching this story come to life. We had not heard of this story before the review, but now we are interested in also reading through the book. Both the cd and DVD come with a two-sided colorful poster. We highly recommend the DVD and CD.

Enter below for the giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

I received sample copies in exchange for an honest review. No further compensation was received.  

Foreign Languages For Kids By Kids ~ Review

My youngest son, who just started 8th grade, has been asking me for a while if he could learn Spanish. I had been looking at different curriculum trying to find a good one for a middle school aged child. The opportunity came up to review the Starter Set 1 from Foreign Languages for Kids by Kids. I had planned to use this for my 8th grade son as an introductory Spanish curriculum before he starts high school next year. But, all of my kids (ages 5, 10, 13, and 14) have really enjoyed this curriculum and they have learned something.

What is Foreign Languages for Kids by Kids?
Kit Strauss, who was having a difficult time finding a good, quality foreign language program for her three sons, created the program. The program was created as a fun and easy way to learn Spanish. This program is designed for children as young as three all the way up to adults.

What is included in Starter Set 1?
The starter set comes with everything you need to get started on your journey to learning Spanish. The set includes the following;

• DVD with videos for levels 1-3
• Three parent - teacher guides (gives a detailed lesson plan, with a suggested viewing schedule, and a variety of fun activities to do - supplemental and hands on activities to choose from)
• Flash cards and game cards for each level
• Student workbooks for levels 1-3 (contains activities, culture facts, and answer key)
• Stickers for levels 1-3

How we used Starter Set 1:
We are working through each level in order. The first level, Basketballs aren't for Breakfast, was fairly easy for my son and he learned many Spanish words in this level. He has started the next level, The Little Magic House, but it has been a little bit harder (as expected) and he has taken a slower approach with the level. Since he is in 8th grade, I've given  him the choice of how fast or slow he wants to work through each level. He has chosen to go slower through level 2 and has even re-done some of the lessons. We have been going through the the workbooks orally after watching the appropriate video. Doing the workbook orally has helped to be able to go through the lesson again and re-do the workbook pages. We spend around 20-30 minutes each day going through the lessons.

What we thought of Foreign Languages for Kids by Kids:
We have all enjoyed it very much. I though my 8th grade son might think it was childish, but he has enjoyed it very much. He will just start talking in Spanish phrases at random times. I know he has been able to learn so much and will be ready to start high school Spanish next year. My other children also love watching the videos and my 5 year old has picked up on many Spanish words. She will also start saying Spanish phrases at random times. They love watching and interacting with the kids on the videos. We definitely give this program 5 stars!

Beric The Briton ~ Review

You all know from my past reviews that my children and I love audio dramas. I love when audio dramas come up for review and pray that we get picked to review them. We especially love audio dramas produced by Heirloom Audio Productions. Their newest drama is Beric The Briton.

To be honest, I had never heard of G.A. Henty before I started listening to the Heirloom Audio Productions of his books. I never would have thought to introduce his works to my children if it had not been for the dramas.

About G.A. Henty:
Born in 1832, Henty became an exceptional English author and war correspondent. His stories are historical and adventurous. They became popular in the late nineteenth century and are still widely read today.

About Beric The Briton:
This story takes place around 60 AD during the Roman invasion of Britain. Beric is a young man at this time. He fights with the Iceni tribe which is led by Queen Boadicea. Even though he defeats the Romans, he is eventually captured and sent to Rome. There he is trained to become a gladiator. He gains fame when he defeats a lion with bare hands and is then sent to serve in Nero's palace. He does eventually get back home to Britain after Nero dies, but he is not as welcomed as he thought he would be.

Beric The Briton audio drama is recommended for children age six and up. There is over 2 hours of listening time which is a great way to have fun while learning some history. The cast of Beric The Briton includes some well known actors such as Brian Blessed, Tom Cox, Cathy Sara, and John Rhys-Davies.

Not only do you get to listen to a great story, but you are able to expand on the story with the included 48 page digital study guide. Your children learn historical facts from listening to the story and also from answering the questions provided in the study guide. They are also able to learn the meaning of different words throughout the story. And while reading through the study guide, I found a recipe for Roman Noodle Bake. Sounds good.

I also like how they incorporate the Bible in the study guide by offering several Bible Studies.

Some of the other digital freebies I received are as follows:

• Beric The Briton MP3 Set
• Beric The Briton E-Book
• Official MP3 Soundtrack
• Printable Cast Poster
• Inspirational Verse Poster
• Behind the scenes video

What we thought of Beric The Briton:

We loved it! This series is so well produced and it really does bring history to life. This is the fourth Heirloom drama we have listened to and we look forward to hearing more audio dramas produced by Heirloom Audio Productions. We try to spread out our listening time, but we always seem to get hooked and just have to listen to more. We did manage to spread out our listening this time to a few days. We did not use the study guide at this time, but if we listen again, I will probably go through some of the guide with my older children. 

5 Stars for Beric The Briton!

LearnBop ~ Review

For the past several weeks, I have been reviewing a math program from LearnBop, LearnBop for Families. I chose to use the family plan, which gives you access for 2-4 students. My original plan, if I was chosen for the review, was to allow my soon top be 9th grader and soon to be 6th grader to use the program to get them ready for the upcoming year. It didn't work out with them using it, so I have used both of their levels to try to get a feel of the program.



















What is LearnBop for families? 
LearnBop is a self paced, online math program. It is geared for children in grades 3rd through 12th. Parents are also able to use the program to help them to better teach a math program to their children. After going through an assessment, LearnBop provides an immediate personalized program for your child (or you).  LearnBop for Families is for children who need to catch up or get ahead in math. It also helps to prepare them for exams and builds confidence in math. LearnBop for Families is for parents who need some help in teaching (or helping) their child with math concepts. LearnBop is built for families with a step by step help in different math levels.

How we used LearnBop.
I stated above that this program did not work out for my 9th or 6th graders. I had them sit down and take the assessment for their grade level. Since the 9th grader is going to be starting geometry in a few weeks, I thought it would be great if he could get a head start on it. After doing the warm-up (assessment), he said he did not know anything and it was really difficult. He also said it was a different style of learning than what he was used to and did not think it would help him. After he told me that, I decided to sit down and go through the geometry steps. Wow, it is difficult! I thought I would remember at least some geometry from high school, but according to this site, I did not. I continued on even though it was difficult and have not been able to make it past the first unit. I keep getting stuck and even though it shows you step by step how to solve the problem, I am just not getting it. I may try to continue if it helps me be able to help my son in geometry.

Now, on to my daughter. I had her start on the 6th grade, but it was too difficult for her. She struggles in math and gets frustrated very easily. So, when she started crying, I bumped her back down to the 5th grade level thinking it would be easier. For her, it was not. She was just as easily frustrated. Then, I had to make a decision to be able to review the program. I decided that I would sit with her and help her through each step. We would sit down and go through a concept one at a time. The first unit was multiplication and division. The one thing she struggles with all of the time. I had her watch the videos (there were about 3 for each step), then I would sit down with her and go through the problems and help her. The goal is set to be a 90% mastery and she was able to get around 95% with me helping her through the program.

Final thoughts:
While this math program may have not worked out for our family at this time, I think it may be a good program for learning math concepts for other families. The videos are short and help lay the foundation to each step. The child (or parent) is able to take a concept step by step if needed if they do not know the answer right away. After going through several geometry bops, I can't say that the concept has stuck with me. I probably would not be able to solve them again. I'll be keeping this program in mind if my son does need help with his geometry later on. I do think some of the videos would be helpful for him.

Check out what other crew members thought of LearnBop.

The Glass Castle ~ Book Review

I love to read and have tried to instill that same love in my children. The latest book that we read together is The Glass Castle by Trisha White Priebe and Jerry B. Jenkins from Shiloh Run Press.

About the Book:
The Glass Castle is a story that was written for middle school age children. The book is a beautiful hardcover book, 250 pages long.

Avery has been kidnapped! Why? Where is she going? What happened to her father and brother? When she gets to the castle, she learns a little bit about why she may have been kidnapped. The king is growing old and needs an heir to the throne. He has remarried, but thirteen years ago, the king's wife had a child. She died, but no one knows what happened to the child. The new queen's solution? Dispose the kingdom of all the thirteen year olds. But, it won't be easy. Avery teams up with Kate, Tuck, and Kendrick to try to find out more. Along the way, Avery discovers that her mother may have a connection to the castle. She remembers her mother telling her stories about a castle, but she thought they were made up. Avery is also able to get out of the castle, but when she gets back to her home, where is her father? After learning that her father is no longer living in her house, she reluctantly goes back to the castle. She is determined to help the other children.  She needs to find out more. More about her mother's "stories," more about why she is in the castle.

What we thought:
I read this book aloud to my children, ages 14, 12, 10, and 5. I would read through a couple chapters at a time. The older kids enjoyed hearing the story. They wanted to know what is going to happen next. At the end, they said that it was a good book and they were disappointed it ended they way it did (as a cliffhanger). They said they cannot wait until the next book comes out, because they can't wait to hear what happens to Avery. I thought thus was a good book. I also disliked that it ended in a cliffhanger and we didn't get to learn everything. We can't wait to get the next book in the series that comes out in October. We are looking forward to learning more about Avery and her friends.

Essential Skills Advantage ~ Review

Over the past month and a half, my 5 year old daughter has had the chance to review the Complete Home Learning Suite from Essential Skills Advantage.

What is Essential Skills Advantage or ESA?
 ESA is an online curriculum for children ages 5-12 (K-6th grade). It is a self paced online learning tool that is fun and engaging. It is a supplemental program for children that need some extra practice. There are thousands of activities for children in the following subjects:
Math (K-6th)
Reading (K-6th)
Language and Grammar (K-6th)
Science (K-3rd)
Geography (4th-6th)
Purchasing a subscriptions allows you access to all grade levels. You are able to mix and match to your child's needs.

What is the Complete Home Learning Suite?
It's exactly as it sounds. You have access to all subjects in all grade levels. You are also able to keep track of your child's progress. And your child has access to a lot of fun!

How did we use ESA?
I used this program with my newly turned 5 year old (March 2). She will be starting kindergarten this fall. She did some K4 things this past year, but I felt she could use some practice in a few areas, specifically reading, to help prepare her for K5 this fall. She will be home-schooled using a box curriculum that I have used with my older three children. So, how did we use ESA? I set up her account and had her "play" (her word) at least three times a week. She always wanted to do more and I let her.  Although I had her working on the reading portion of the curriculum, I did let her try out the other subjects to see how they were and how I could use them with her. She worked through the reading portion starting at the very beginning and has been working through each segment. She also worked though some of the math and a section on Earth and Space science. She liked the reading part the best, so that is what we mainly reviewed.

What we thought of ESA:
As you can see from the short video posted below, she had a lot of fun "playing" on the computer. Since, she has not used a computer yet, I did have to help her in the beginning with using the mouse. She is used to using a tablet and we did load it up on the tablet (Kindle Fire) one day, but the screen is too small and she didn't know how to scroll to get to the next section. I had heard of ESA, but did not know much about it. I am glad to have been able to review the program with my daughter. It has helped her so much, not only with reading or math, but also with computer skills. I allowed her to get on the computer by herself which is a big milestone. The program has also helped her with her phonics, letters, numbers, and listening skills. She has had so much fun and I will have her complete the kindergarten portion over the next year as a supplement to our main curriculum.

Screen shot from Kindle fire

GREEMU ~ Review

Over the past several weeks I have been using a great vegan alternative to emu oil called GREEMU from Devonian.

Devonian is a company that uses the power of plants to make their products. Their primary focus is replacing animal products with ingredients derived from plants. Emu oil is becoming an increasingly popular oil in the world. Because many people would rather not use oil that comes from animals, Devonian has come up with a plant based product that matches the grade of emu oil.

GREEMU oil works the same way emu oil does in that it protects and nourishes your skin. It also works well in your hair. And can also help reduce wrinkles.

GREEMU contains macadamia seed oil, certified organic palm oil, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, and rice bran oil.

I used GREEMU on some dry skin patches that I have on my face and elbows. After showering each day, I applied the oil on the patches of dry skin. I have never used emu oil, so I cannot compare, but GREEMU has been great for my skin. I love it and I am going to be trying it out in my hair in the near future. Since the oil absorbs slowly, not much is needed. I only use a pea sized amount and can spread it out over all of my dry skin patches. I definitely give this oil 5 stars!

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Writers In Residence ~ Review

My children have never liked writing papers or reports. We have used a curriculum in the past that has introduced writing as early as the 3rd grade. It's not that they don't know how to write a story, it's that the curriculum said to do it this way and not any other way. I have also tried several other writing programs for my children and some have helped, while others were not helpful at all or boring to them. Over the last couple of months, my daughter, who is 10 and in 5th grade, has been reviewing the newest language arts curriculum from Apologia Educational Ministries, Writers in Residence.

What is Writers in Residence?
Writers in Residence, written by Debra Bell, is a program that will guide your child as they find their love for writing. Writers in Residence is geared for children in grades 4-8. It is a writing focused language arts writing curriculum that incorporates grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. It is very easy to use since it comes with a detailed suggested daily schedule. It is suggested to use the curriculum four days of each week. Not only will your child be writing more, they will also be learning about sentence structure, parts of speech, and how each part functions in a sentence. Not only does the curriculum include the writing and language portion, it also includes Christian writer spotlights through the book, such as Bill Myers, Amy Parker, and Phil Vischer, Each module is set up the same: writer's questions, sneak peek, the assignments, and a checklist.

How did we use Writers in Residence?

I had my daughter use this for three days each week. We were able to completely finish two modules and have started on module three. The first four modules focus on the child writing about "When I Was Young (I Remember)." Each day, I had my daughter complete the sections that are listed on the suggested daily schedule. The first two days of the program are introductory days, which includes an introduction to the course, a spotlight on Christian writers, six traits writing model, and an introduction to the writing process. My daughter worked on each section, which also helped build her story. Most days she worked on this by herself, but there were some days she needed my help. Below is a sample of her memory sentences from module one:

When I was young in K------, I had the greatest time going fishing with my family. When I was young in K------, I loved the smell of the flowers blooming every spring. When I was young in K------, I remember when the snow and ice glistened on the trees.

She enjoyed doing these modules and bringing up the memories of when she was younger.

What we thought of Writers in Residence.
When the book first arrived, my daughter was a little intimidated by the size of it. It is very thick because it is the text and workbook all in one. I reminded her that it was that size because it is suppose to take a full school year to get through to the end. Other than that, she enjoyed going through the modules. I have noticed that it has helped her with her writing skills. We give this four stars.

Times Tales ~ Review

My daughter has always struggled with math. She has had a difficult time with multiplication especially. I have tried everything to help her and nothing she has done has helped her to learn her multiplication facts. For the past weeks, we have been using Times Tales a great, fun product from The Trigger Memory Co. to help her learn multiplication.

What is Times Tales?
Times Tales is a visual mnemonic way to learn the more difficult multiplication facts. It uses stories to help the child remember the facts. There are several number characters that are introduced in the beginning of the story. After being introduced, the number characters are put together to form a multiplication fact. Here are some examples:
Mrs. Snowman (8) stood on a chair (4) to reach her 3 buttons and 2 mittens. (8 x 4 = 32)
A butterfly (3) flew by the tree house (9) and discovered 27 cents. (9 x 3 = 27)
The facts that are put into stories are 3x6, 3x7, 3x8, 3x9, 4x6, 4x7, 4x8, 4x9, 6x6, 6x7, 6x8, 6x9, 7x7, 7x8, 7x9, 8x8, 8x9, and 9x9. The reason these are used is because these are the more difficult facts to remember.
The downloadable (digital) version comes with two videos and three pdf's (part 1 printables, part 2 printables, and an answer key).

How we used Times Tales?
We were given the download (digital) version to try out. It is recommended to wait one week between each video lesson. After downloading the videos and the accompanying pdf's, my daughter then started. I had her watch part 1 for two days in a row. The next days she spent working on the printables. The printables include a crossword puzzle,  practice test, test, flashcards, and a cube game.  Each day she did something different. One day she worked on the crossword puzzle, the next she did a practice test. At the end of the week she took the test and did a great job. After waiting the recommended week off, she then watched the part 2 video for a couple of days in a row and worked on the printables the rest of the week. I watched along with her the first time on each video, just so I could get an idea of how the program worked.

What we thought about Times Tales:
At first my daughter didn't believe that this was going to work. She watched the video anyway, and when she started working on the printables, she realized that she actually remembered her multiplication facts. These videos and worksheets have helped her tremendously! She is more confident with her multiplication than she was before. She told me that she will definitely want to review the videos every few months to make sure she can remember her facts. I was amazed at how quickly she learned her multiplication facts. It has been a struggle for her, but now she has confidence. I look forward to re-using this in the future with not only my older daughter, but also my youngest daughter.

Be sure to check out The Trigger Memory Co. Facebook page.

Woodlawn ~ FishFlix.com Review

My children and I love to watch movies. We probably watch a movie at least five times a week. I like to use them during our school time for not only educational purposes, but also for fun when we need a break from paper work. We recently were given the opportunity to review a movie from FishFlix.com. From the list we were given, my boys wanted me to ask for the movie Woodlawn. We had heard of the movie but had not yet seen it. They love football and I knew this is one they would enjoy.

About the Woodlawn DVD:
This true story takes place in Birmingham, Alabama in 1973. During this time, many of the schools in the south went through an integration process. Woodlawn High School being one of them. Tony Nathan and several other students began school at Woodlawn after the desegregation. Racial tensions were high and there was a lot of riots. There was one thing that could bring everyone together and that was football. Tony Nathan was able to try out for the football team. He made the football team and became one of the star players. Chaplain Hank Erwin came to Coach Tandy and asked if he could talk to the players on the football team. He told them of his own life and how he had made the decision to follow Christ. In a turn of events, many of the football players turned their life over to God. After accepting Christ, the players wanted to have an impact on their coach and community. They did this by putting their prejudices aside and trying to get along with everyone. This was also a great year for the Woodlawn High School football team as everyone expected them to lose. They ended up with and 8-2 record and always remembered to put Christ first in all they do. After high school, Tony Nathan went to Alabama where he helped win a national championship in 1978. he then played for nine seasons with the Miami Dolphins in the NFL.

What we thought about the Woodlawn DVD:
After watching the movie, my youngest son said, "That was such a great movie." I agree. It was a great movie. One of the lines that stuck with me was when the coach asked the assistant if he was really all in. Meaning, was he really all in for Christ. We just completed a series at my church about being "All In."  Even though, I am not much into football, I enjoyed the message this movie portrayed.

About FishFlix.com:
FishFlix.com is a company that was started over a decade ago. It started when Dr. Sakirgil, a Turkish Christian, became involved in the making of a Christian movie, Apostle Paul and the Earliest Churches. Dr. Sakirgil immigrated to America and started selling Christian movies on the internet and FishFlix.com was born. It is now based in Mora, Minnesota. They work to glorify God by providing amazing customer service, great prices, and a great variety of movies.


A giveaway:
FishFlix.com is offering a prize package worth over $80. They are giving away five movies when you sign up to be on their email list. You can enter the giveaway HERE.

Grapevine Studies ~ Review

Finding a Bible curriculum that is fun and engaging is sometimes a difficult task. I had heard of Grapevine Studies in the past, but never used their product. I wasn't sure it would be fun for my older three kids. So when the opportunity came up to review Grapevine Studies, I chose to go with something my five year old daughter might like. Little did I know how much of an impact it would have on her. I chose to review New Testament Overview Part 1 (Beginner: John to the Apostles). I received the physical product of both the student book and the teacher book.

What is Grapevine Studies?

Grapevine Studies is a method that is used to engage the student by helping them to remember the stories through a stick figure drawing. This method "sticks" with the child as they hear or read the story, draw the story, and review the story. They can learn and retain so much by this method.

What is New Testament 1: Beginner John to the Apostles?

This study takes a preschooler or kindergartner through the New Testament. The story is chronologically presented from John's birth to the beginning of Jesus' ministry.  You are able to choose how to do the Bible study, either weekly or daily. The lessons are short and only take about 15 minutes each day to present. The supplies needed for the student are student book, Bible, and colored pencils. The supplies needed for the teacher are the teacher book, Bible, Bible dictionary, and dry erase board and markers.

How we used the books:
We received the physical books from Grapevine Studies. The books came already hole punched which I was surprised when I saw that. It helped make it easier to add to a notebook. I did the lessons three times a week with my (just turned) five year old. I didn't know if she would be able to do the drawings by herself, but they are simple stick drawings and she has done a great job so far. I sit beside her and let her look at the teacher copy. Each time we did the lesson, I would read the Bible passage for the day to my daughter. We then discussed the story and the people who were in it. Next, my daughter would draw the figures into the student book. And lastly, we reviewed the lesson for the day. It is fun, short, and simple. And my daughter is remembering each person when we do the reviews from the day before.

So, want to know what we think about Grapevine Studies?
My daughter and I give this Bible curriculum five stars! We love it! My daughter loves it and looks forward to Bible class each time. She has learned and retained so much through these lessons. I will continue on with Grapevine studies and will order some of them for my older children as well.

Wrap-up:
We reviewed the physical copies of the student book ($12.50) and the teacher book ($22.50). The physical copy of the student book is for one child only. If you have more than one child you want to use this curriculum with, they offer a family ebook that can be used for more than one child in your own family.

Be sure to read what other crew members thought about Grapevine Studies by clicking on the image below. There are different levels of different products that were reviewed.








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