Math Sprint - The Mental Math Game from Byron's Games: A TOS Crew Review

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way

Math Sprint - The Mental Math Game from Byron's Games

Math Sprint - The Mental Math Game from Byron's Games is our new favorite way to practice math facts!

This easy-to-learn, award-winning game is great for ages 7 and up for 2-8 players.  The game comes with:

• 92 addition and subtraction cards
• 106 multiplication and division cards
• 30 wild cards 
• An dry erase pen with blank cards to make your own questions
• 30 challenge cards

This game is very flexible, so even players at different levels can play together.  The basic goal is to answer mental math questions as you move your player around the track.  You get to customize the types of questions each player will answer, or have them race against each other to see who answers first (our favorite way to play).  Correct answers move the player along the track.

The board is a sturdy racetrack with 8 lanes. 100, 200 and 400 meter sections are marked so you can determine the length of play.  Along the race, there are sections with activities to complete to get you out of your seat, like jogging in place or doing torso twists.

The playing pieces are colored "runners" - each with a snappy name and hobby that make picking one more fun!

"Coach Tip" cards are included that highlight helpful math tips. 

 

My testers like to compete against each other to see who can answer fastest.  However, I love that this game lets the "coach" customize to their student's level, or pinpoint which facts need work.  

Another great feature is that multiple ages can play together, making it a great family game night addition.

Paul Halmos says, "The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics."  I couldn't agree more!  And, making it a fun competition gets my whole family involved.

We found Math Sprint - The Mental Math Game a great way to master those math facts, and have fun doing it!

Be sure to check this one out!

Find Byron's Games on Social Media:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/byronsgames
Instagram: https://instagram.com/byronsgames
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqc5skcLby7XPMPubub8CRw

Hashtags:  #familygamenight #kidinventors #gamesforkids #byronsgames #exploreyourworld #mathgames #homeschoolgames #mathsprint #learnandexplore

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Fun Family Chess from Brain Blox: A TOS Crew Review

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Fun Family Chess from Brain Blox

We are enjoying  our new game Fun Family Chess from Brain Blox, Learning to play the "game of kings" has never been so easy!

Designed for ages 5 and up, Fun Family Chess is a color-coded, learn as you play game.  It comes in a sturdy, well-designed wooden box and includes:

• Folding Wooden Chess Board
• 32 Wooden Chess Pieces in a Soft Pouch
• Full Color Chess Book
• 2 Reference Cards
• Chess Cube

The game is designed for 2 players, but you could easily turn this into a family game by creating teams to play. 

There are 2 ways of playing.  Regular chess, and Fun Family Chess.  Check out this video to see:

The main difference is the "chess cube" - a handy die that gives the player color coded instructions for how to move each piece.  What a simple, yet effective tool!  The reference card provides a color-coded map to use while playing.  I'm pretty sure they designed these with me in mind...  

One of the things we loved about this game was all the easy to follow instructions and helpful Youtube videos - some of us learn better by watching!  From learning how to set up the board and play, to detailed instructions on how to move each piece the videos made it easy for even my beginner players.  The videos are well-done, and funny too.

The quality of this set really stands out as well.  The board, doubles as a wooden storage case is designed to stand up to real family use.  I hate games that can't take the wear and tear of real play, don't you?  The chess pieces are wood, with velvet bags to store them in.  

With 8 children, we have a wide variety of skill levels when it comes to playing games. Fun Family Chess made it easy for my younger children to learn and develop the confidence to play with some of their older siblings. 

There's another fun bonus too - you get a Free 2 month gold membership to ChessKid.com - so you can continue developing your chess skills in a fun, safe online environment.

Brain Blox is a family-owned company with the mission "to empower families to be more conscious & intentional with one another... through meaningful play"  I couldn't agree more!
 Check out  Fun Family Chess on Amazon here - this would make a great Christmas gift!

Find Brain Blox on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mybrainblox
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brainblox
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpUttakNtthj_haX8LwRlwA

Hashtags:  #hsreviews #FunFamilyChess

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Á La Carte products from Home School in the Woods: A TOS Crew Reveiw

Á La Carte products from Home School in the Woods

History that makes learning fun is the most memorable lesson, and the Á La Carte products from Home School in the Woods make the learning stick.

We were able to choose 2 items from the huge list of Á La Carte products to supplement our history studies.  We choose Mercenary Madness! File Folder Game and Journey Through the Middle Ages File Folder Game because we love a good competition.

The Á La Carte products are organized by historical era, and also by product type.  You can choose from Ancient history, world history, early America, 19th century America, 20-21st Century America and Bible Times.  Projects types include: Timelines, File folder projects or games, 3-dimensional projects, games, lapbooks & lapbook projects, notebooking projects and newspapers

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The products are downloadable and printable PDF files.  Easy-to-follow instructions help guide you in the printing process.  All you need is a file folder, some cardstock, a scissors, and glue!  Once assembled, the games are flat and easy to store, with minimal pieces to keep track of :-)

We choose two file folder games - I love teaching and reviewing with games.  Anytime  we can add some fun competition, it doesn't feel like learning.  We have been studying the Middle Ages this year, so the era fit perfectly to use as review.  Both games are very easy to learn, and the main focus is reviewing facts from that particular era.    Once printed, it was easy to cut out and color to personalize, it helps to have a paper cutter handy!

Our first one is Mercenary Madness! File Folder Game  - This is a game designed for 2-4 players in grades 3rd-8th. 

 Players are mercenaries hired by their king in order to protect them.  Each player races along their own path through the battelfield by answering questions about the Renaissance and Reformation. 

 Each correctly answered question earns a florin.  Spoils and Spoilers along the path increase your chances of earning more florins.  Arrive safely back at the castle and count your florins!  The one with the most florins wins.

My testers loved this game!  My testers range in age from 3rd - 7th grade.  Since some had studied this time period, they did a bit better. But, the questions vary in difficulty and detail, so even my younger testers had fun.  The game is fairly short, but you could play as long as you wanted to because there are numerous question cards.  The only downside...cutting out all those tiny florins!

Our other game was called - Journey Through the Middle Ages File Folder Game.  This game is for 2-6 players, grades 3rd-9th.  In this game, you are a pilgrim on a journey through Europe during the Middle Ages. 

You move along spaces by answering questions from this era.  At each castle, you collect colored cards and once a pilgrim has collected one from each region, they win.  

The questions cover a wide variety of topics with a theme of the Middle Ages.  Questions about food, clothing, famous people, customs and more.  

The board is a map, so you get to work on basic geography too.  They are learning so much, but having fun along the journey!

I LOVE how these simple games have made reviewing history facts much more entertaining.  My testers like them so much, they have played them over and over!    They are extremely budget-friendly, and easy to assemble.

I was scrolling through all the great options and spotted a few I added to my wishlist...  Projects like Martin Luther's 95 Theses File Folder Project , Newspapers like The Medieval Times Newspaper, and this amazing looking hands on creation  -  The Penny Rug Notebook/3D Project

We have been long-time fans of Home School in the Woods for learning history.  The Á La Carte projects let you pick and choose.  Everyone on the Crew got to choose their own products, so be sure to check them all out!

Find Home School in the Woods on Social Media:

• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolinthewoods
• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/HSintheWoods    Tag:   @HSintheWoods   
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hsinthewoods/         
• Google+:  https://plus.google.com/b/109711152019235885312/109711152019235885312/posts   
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrKq6iLty2fpB6R6ZpcUb8A   

Hashtags:#hsreviews, #hsitwalacarteprojects

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Unauthorized from Chara Games: A TOS Crew Review

Unauthorized from Chara Games

There is nothing better than a game we can ALL play!  We have been enjoying learning a new game called Unauthorized from Chara Games.  This fun game is designed for 6-12 players.  The age on the box is 12+, but we played with ages 8 to 17, and everyone enjoyed it.

The game is designed to take 30 minutes.  It consists of 4 rounds.  I love that this game is easy to learn, and easy to play.  Having some serious board/card gamers around here... not all games are this family friendly!

The game is very high quality - with a sturdy box to hold everything.  The game contains the following items:

• Rule Book
• Role Cards
• Dealer Reference Card
• Player Reference Card
• Experience Cards

It's a role play game in which your goal is to grow the underground church, or to try to stop the underground church.  I love the focus from Chara Games on producing well-designed, high quality games that encourage Christian values and discussions in respectful ways.  We've reviewed another game from them - Commissioned, you can read about it here.

The game begins with each player getting a Role Card.  Each Role Card has a special "power" printed on the card that allows the player to make a unique move during their turn.  This is the role play portion of the game, and makes the play lively!

. We played with 7 players our first game - so we had one Pastor and one Police while the rest of us were "undecideds".

The Rule Book is very easy to understand, and all the rules and process of play is very clearly explained.   In addition, the game includes cards to leave on the table that have the card actions and player choices outlined.  This was so valuable playing with a variety of ages and abilities.  Everyone could easily refer back to them when it was their turn.

The Experience Cards determine a player's loyalty - Red for the State, Green for the Church.  The winner is decided by which card color is the majority at the end of the game.  The cards have different "experiences" like persecution, intolerance, indoctrination or curious about the faith, disillusioned with the state, and encounter spiritual truth.  There are also "wild cards" that the player gets to use as they wish for their loyalty.

Each of the 4 rounds has players passing cards to each other.  This changes everyone's hand, and potential loyalties.  You must begin play being loyal to the color with the greatest number of cards in your hand, and you can't change - unless instructed to (we did have a minor meltdown from a young player that didn't want to be part of the State :-)  Guess we're teaching them well!)   The game is both individual and cooperative. The end goal is for a majority to be loyal to the church, and have at least one player not in prison (the special power of the police)

Each round allows a player to also choose an action to complete - use their power, speak to a neighbor, seek parole (if they have been imprisoned) or a Public Execution (only the police can do this, and only once in the game).   

Poor girl was executed....  But-the Church prevailed!

We really enjoyed the game, and it has quickly become a family go-to.  It's nice that you can play with more players, especially in a family our size.  But this would also be great for your small group to play together.  It really encourages great discussions about the "experiences" of being a Christian in a very non-threatening way.  You definitely want to check it out!

 You can check out a brief video to see how to play:

Find Chara Games on Social Media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharaGames/ 
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CharaGames/ @Charagames   

Hashtags: #hsreviews , #ChristianBoardGames, #StrategyGames


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