Monday, November 16, 2020

History Unboxed: Hands On History Curriculum that Kids Love!

 *DISCLOSURE* Thank you to History Unboxed for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 


As homeschoolers, we are always looking for great curriculum that keeps the kiddos engaged and interested in learning.  From our experience, hands on is always better...my kiddos tend to be tactile learners and absorb a lot more of the lesson if they are doing more than just reading or listening to a lecture.  We were super excited to get to try out History Unboxed, an engaging and super educational curriculum-in-a-box that covers some of the most exciting time periods and cultures in history!  The pictures you see in this post are of the box we got to review, Anglo-Saxons.  The contents of our box give you an idea of what other History Unboxed kits may include.


History Unboxed allows you to immerse your kiddos in history by offering perfectly curated lessons that bring the cultures, peoples, and eras of human history to life right in your home! Your children will benefit from hands-on activities that bring the lessons to life and in our experience, they will retain the knowledge longer from these types of lessons.


Each kit can be catered to three different age groups so that the activities can keep your students engaged in activities that are age specific, challenging but not impossible and most of all fun!  


Each box contains everything you need to complete the crafts, plus pages of instructional material to help teach the lessons from the time period explored.  These materials can be read by the student or by the teacher.  We took turns reading the written material, because I find that seems to help the information stick better than when the material is read aloud by only me.


 Each box contains:
An age-specific coloring sheet
1-2 (very!) high quality crafts
A sticker for your timeline
2-3 items of additional enrichment material

History Unboxed currently has three timelines to explore, Ancient History, The Middle Ages and American History, with tons of kits to teach about so many of the most fascinating parts of history!

Take a look inside our box:

The first craft, an embroidery kit featuring a Bayeux Tapestry pattern, embroidery hoop, 5 colors of floss, needles, and stitch instructions


Craft number 2, a jewelry kit including glass beads, stone beads, paint pen, sealant, clasp, beading wire, crimping beads and pliers


A color booklet with an illustrated excerpt from Beowulf



4 Anglo-Saxon god trading cards


A coloring sheet featuring the Anglo Saxons


An 8 page full color magazine about the Anglo Saxons??including art, articles, book lists, and teaching resources and a sticker to add to your History Unboxed timeline poster (sold separately)






Each section teaches a lesson that coordinates with a craft, project or reading selection.  Super easy to read and understand and full of additional resources that can be found online to dive deeper into certain topics.  History Unboxed offers additional sibling packs for many of the items as you can see in the pictures.  We have two kiddos, so they each got their own complete craft kits, trading cards and coloring sheets.  The sibling packs are offered at a small additional charge.

We really enjoyed our History Unboxed kit.  I love that it includes everything we need to open and go.  It also teaches about things that wouldn't have been covered in our textbook-based curriculum.  The kiddos enjoyed learning the practical skills of stitching and jewelry making which are both skills that can be useful for them in the future.  All in all, History Unboxed is probably been our favorite history curriculum to date and we've tried quite a few!  If you have tactile learners and are looking for a curriculum that will get them excited about history and engaged in their lessons, check out History Unboxed!



Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Saturday, November 14, 2020

#HolidayGiftGuide - Mexican Spiced Hot Cocoa from Crave!

 *DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Crave for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Today, we have another idea for gifts of comfy cozy...Hot Cocoa pods from Crave!


One of our favorite hot cocoa flavors is Mexican Spiced.  If you've never had Mexican hot chocolate before, you are missing out!  It is loaded with all of that cocoa flavor you would expect and a healthy dose of cinnamon and red chiles to spice things up.  It is absolutely amazing...the perfect pairing to warm you up on those cold winter days!


As with all of the other Crave cocoas and coffees, this creamy, decadent flavor is packed into recyclable pods that are compatible with many pod-style brewers.

We really enjoyed this creamy delicious hot cocoa from Crave, the perfect way to get that warm, fuzzy feeling all winter long! 




Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Thursday, November 12, 2020

#HolidayGiftGuide : Oversized Foam Backrest Pillow from Therapedic

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Therapedic for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

I love giving gifts of comfort during the holiday season and Therapedic has a wonderful selection of products that fit the bill.  Today's gift feature is the  Therapedic® Oversized Foam Backrest Pillow:


This pillow would make a great gift for him or her, no matter the age of the recipient!  If they like to be comfortable in a sitting up position on a bed (and who doesn't!) this pillow is sure to be a hit!  It is covered in a super soft and silky micro-mink material and feels super luxurious.


This oversized backrest offers you head, neck and back superior support while you sit back and read, work or watch TV from the comfort of your bed.  It even features a nifty remote control or cell phone pocket:


There is a handle on the top of the back of the pillow that makes it easy to move from one spot to another allowing for extra comfort in any room of the house.  


Give the give of comfy cozy this holiday season!  With Therapedic products, you can't go wrong☺






Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Save 20% at MANSCAPED!

 


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SAVE 20% Automatically - Go to https://www.manscaped.com/gifting and automatically receive 20% off all orders

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Support Artists with Beautiful Gifts from NOVICA + Giveaway!

 *DISCLOSURE* Thank you to NOVICA for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

NOVICA is your one-stop shop for gorgeous handmade gifts by super talented artists.  NOVICA gathers up the best crafters from all over the world and features them in their online site.  The site is easy to navigate and full of exceptional handmade goods


This year, one of our favorite gift ideas from NOVICA is this set of " Fiesta Azul" Hand Blown Blue Stemless Wine Glasses


They are beautifully and skillfully made.


Each glass is one-of-a-kind and absolutely gorgeous!



The have a really nice heft to them and fit the hand nicely.  These glasses are lovely for using for wine or as rocks or juice glasses.  Super pretty!


Each gift comes with a back story on the NOVICA website to connect you with the artist.  It includes info on where they are from, what they create and the story behind your item.  These  glasses are crafted by Jorge Elias Martinez in Tonala, Mexico. He uses recycled bottles as his base material, melting and then hand-blowing the glasses into the desired shape.  Pretty cool stuff! 

NOVICA puts the Safe and Secure sticker on their packages these days to let you know that your gifts are safe and clean.


To help you stay safe during this crazy time of cold, flu and virus, check out some of the beautiful handmade face masks available at NOVICA.  They have tons to choose from in a huge variety of colors, prints and styles.


Enter to win a $50 gift code to NOVICA!

Monday, November 2, 2020

Fall Books for Kids and Teens from Pavilion Children's Books!

 *DISCLOSURE* Thank you to the Pavilion Children's Books for providing product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

Today we are sharing some new fall releases that are perfect for kids of all ages.  Check out a few of our latest additions to our classroom bookshelves:

Build a Skyscraper by Paul Farrell

Ages 3-5

Glass, concrete, windows, walls, roofs, and more—create your own metropolitan masterpiece. Build a Skyscraper is the second in a new series of graphic-designed cards that turn the image of a skyscraper into a work of art.

This pack contains 64 cards (4 x 2¾ inches) in a variety of graphic designs and bold, eye-catching colors. Clever paper engineering allows you to slot the cards together, building up and out in whichever way you like! Also included is a short 8-page booklet, with descriptions of the key elements of a skyscraper and suggestions of how to build your masterpiece. You can go traditional or get abstract and construct your own crazy high-rise!

Educational, creative, mindful, and fun for the whole family. The sky’s the limit!

David Roberts' Delightfully Different Fairy Tales


Ages 3-6

The fabulous illustrator David Roberts has joined forces with his author sister, Lynn, to produce a humorous, stylish and empowering retelling of three classic fairy tales -- Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel -- in David Roberts' Delightfully Different Fairy Tales 

A treasury of fairy tales with a difference – feminist, spunky and set in different decades of the 20th century, with funky clothes and recognizable settings.

This special collection includes a 1950s sci-fi nerd Sleeping Beauty who pricks her finger on a record player, in a story populated entirely with women and girls (no princes needed here!), a 1970s Rapunzel who lives in a tower block and whose friend plays in a rock band, a 1920s Cinderella with flapper girls, a fashion-conscious fairy godmother, and a night in an art deco ballroom.

These are all deliciously, delightfully different takes on the fairy tales we all know in a gorgeous hardback gift book with lots of period detail—it will be treasured for years to come.

The Three Wishes by Alan Snow

Ages 4-8

From the creator of The Boxtrolls comes a haunting, beautifully told, and stunningly illustrated Santa Claus origin story: The Three Wishes by Alan Snow.

A young boy is herding his family’s reindeer when the boy is drawn into a mysterious cave. The cave is the holder of eternal summer, looked after by three strange characters: a wooden creature, a bird, and a fish. Once entered, the cave cannot be left without time in the outside world standing still. In his sadness at not being able to leave, the boy is granted three wishes and chooses freedom, happiness, and time. He is told that they will all be granted—eventually.

After the first year of working hard in the summer cave, the boy is allowed to see his family in the outside world. Time stands still as he visits his parents, and he leaves gifts behind to show that he has visited. As the years go by, this annual visit continues, and he begins to call on not only his parents but more and more other families…and Christmas traditions, as we know them, start to be created.

A new Christmas classic to read again and again, beautifully written and illustrated by Alan Snow, author of Here be Monsters!, the novel behind the Academy-nominated 2014 film The Boxtrolls.

Challenge Everything: An Extinction Rebellion Youth Guide to Saving the Planet by Blue Sanford


Ages 12-17

Challenge Everything: An Extinction Rebellion Youth Guide to Saving the Planet by Blue Sandford is a timely new book from a teenage environmental activist who has been called the "British Greta Thunberg" and named one of "the UK’s most impressive young activists" by The Times.

Time is running out to prevent ecological collapse. The main concern of many young people is climate change and how to combat it, and Challenge Everything offers them a purpose–what to do, when to do it and why to do it. This manifesto is the only official handbook from Extinction Rebellion Youth -- a global movement of hundreds of thousands of passionate activists from all walks of life, including splinter groups for young people, like XR Youth, XR Families and XR Kids -- and will help you to change your life and the world for the better.

Written by Blue Sandford, the 17-year-old coordinator of Extinction Rebellion Youth London who has left school to dedicate her life to preventing climate change, this book will ask you to challenge everything–challenge government (protest and take peaceful action where necessary), challenge business (decide who you want to support, decide who you want to boycott), and above all to challenge yourself–how can you change your life to make a difference.

Filled with stories, essays, slogans and inspiring illustrations, this book will cover consuming, actioning, boycotting, campaigning, striking, questioning, rewilding and reconnecting with our planet. It will help the reader to change their mindset, become independent, question everything, and challenge themselves.


Whether you have little readers or older readers, Pavilion Children's Books has some really great books this fall!  Get kiddos excited about reading and learning with these fun titles! 



Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

ABCD Diaries' Holiday Gift Guide 2020

 ***This post will remain at the top of our home page until Dec 31st.  To read our newest articles scroll down.  Happy Holidays!***


It's the most wonderful time of the year! We are gathering our favorite gift ideas and entertaining goodies and will be putting the whole list here for easy reference.  As we find these awesome goodies, we'll be adding them to this post along with pictures and a link to our review of the product.  This listing will be updated daily, so check back often to learn about hot, new gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list!

Have a product you'd like featured in our gift guide?  Contact me at christinbanda (at) yahoo (dot) com

Therapedic Oversized Foam Backrest Pillow




oNecklace Jewelry


Deep Flavors by Kenneth M. Horwitz


Retro Toys from PlayMonster


Petmate Toys and Treats


Candlewick Press Holiday Books


Cicada Socks


TCM Movie Books


Home Chef


Beautiful Accessories from Nomad


Sweet Creations Textured Bakeware from GoodCook

Review 
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EveryWare Storage Containers from GoodCook

Review
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Scented Accessories from Scenties


EcoLips Lip Balms and Scrubs