A Few Favourite Apps

I thought I'd share just a handful of our favourite apps today. These are mostly educational but I have thrown one in just for fun!

Educational Apps For Learning

Fitzroy Sounding Readers

We have used the in real life readers from Fitzroy Reading with all three of our kiddos, but we only recently grabbed our very first version of the Sounding Readers.

The app includes all stories from that particular level. In this case it is 1x - 10x. To put it quite simply they are just the actual readers in app form, with the added bonus that they have a speaker function. This is perfect for children that want to read independently or if you find yourself in an environment where headphones are needed.

Find the sounding readers in the app store.

Toy Physics App

This is a simple game of directing falling toys into the moving crates below.

However as you progress through the levels things become much more complicated and the player really needs a careful eye, a thinking brain and a steady hand to manoeuvre everything into place.

Find Toy Physics in the app store.

Gears App

Gears is a very simple game at first glance, but it really requires a tremendous amount of concentration and hand eye coordination. Which is why I have placed it in the educational apps section.

You simply move a ball along a series of planks and across various interconnecting rotating gears, but keep everything steady or your ball will be over the edge in an instant!

Beware you can become really quite frustrated with this game.

Find Gears in the app store.

Casey's Contraptions App

This is another app that is light on in Physics concepts. It is actually very similar to Toy Physics but the kids enjoy this also.

Apps For Fun

Fruit Ninja App

I really didn't get why the kids enjoyed this so much. After all it's kind of a do nothing type of game. The aim is to slice as quickly as you can through all the fruits that pop up on the screen.

If you slice groups of them together you get extra points.....but don't be slicing those bombs, ain't nobody want to slice a bomb!

Whilst waiting for a flight recently the kids were madly playing, battling each other for the top score, all engrossed in the game and laughing out loud.

I decided to join in on the fun and I suppose for the few minutes that I played I could see why they enjoy it, except I think I'd up with RSI if I played for too long.

Regardless this is a harmful game that the kids quite enjoy playing.

Find Fruit Ninja in the app store.

Looking for more apps, click on the image below to see what apps are loved and used by other Schoolhouse Crew Members.



Happy Homeschooling,
Kylie

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A Word For My Home Educating Year

I'm a planner by nature. I don't do well flying by the seat of my pants. I'm also a list writer, mountains and mountains of lists.

----- > Shopping lists
----- > Book lists
----- > Lesson plan idea lists
----- > Curriculum lists
----- > Resource lists
----- > Gift idea lists
----- > Travel plan lists
----- > Household lists

I can even make a list out of my lists. You name it, there's a list for that!

So whilst planning and the lists absolutely help, they can also suck the JOY out of my day, if I allow myself to get too wrapped up in them.

And there is my word of focus for our home educating year ahead ------> JOY

Now don't misunderstand, I don't expect every lesson, every activity or even every day to be all roses and buttercups but I do need to be actively aware of finding the joy in our days. I can easily slip into the ticking box mode syndrome, becoming more focused on my lists than on the moment at hand.

So in finding JOY I need to be more aware about where my mind runeths throughout the day. To be more at peace and joyful in the activity at hand.

To live in the moment.

To be more mindful.

To see and feel the JOY that surrounds me every where, every day, if only I allow myself to see it.

Do you choose a word as your focus for the year rather than writing lists of resolutions? I'd love to hear what yours is and why you chose it.

Happy Homeschooling,
Kylie

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Visit Our Worldwide Classroom's profile on Pinterest.   This post is linked to   Schoolhouse Review Crew Word Of The Year Our 4 Kiddos One Word Link Up Pea Of Sweetness Word For 2016    

Top Posts of 2015

I really enjoyed reading some of the top posts of 2015 that have been floating around the homeschool blogging world this past week or so.

I figured it would be fun to take a look back over my year here on the blog and see what you all were most interested.

I'm sharing my top 10 posts of 2015 and further below I will share the top 5 sponsored posts I shared in 2015.

Top Ten Posts From 

Our Worldwide Classroom In 2015

By far the most read post on the blog this year was the Big List Of ANZAC Day Ideas.

You all were obviously on the hunt for ANZAC Day helpers as the 2nd top post was my round up of picture books.

Every year the Letter To Santa paper is popular and this year was no exception.

This was a small series of two posts and something that had been on my heart for some time. Given the private messages and emails I received I'd say it has been on many of your hearts. If you missed it you can check out part 1 and part 2.

Number 5 on the list is my most recent post about our First Australians. This includes a free printable download also.

Everyone in the house thoroughly enjoyed working through the Knights lapbook. This was very well put together and easy to facilitate.

This was a labour of love and I am so happy that so many of you are enjoying it. Reflection, planning and setting attainable goals will hopefully help us all have a more radiant home educating year. The download link for this won't be up for much longer so if you'd like to take a look at it be sure to do so soon.

Right back at the beginning of the year we did a small stint on the brain and what actually goes on in there during the learning process.

Our Art Supply Caddy is still very much in use. It does need an empty and a clean out to start the new school year with. Having it here in the top ten has reminded me of that so I think I might get one of the kids to do that today sometime. The only small downside to this caddy is that because of the larger size I am yet to find a home for it when it isn't in use. It doesn't just slide into a bookshelf easily.

Wrapping up our top ten posts for 2015 and the always delightful Madeline. We took a closer look during our time spent on France and I still have a few posts that I am yet to finish off and get up on the blog.

Top Five Sponsored Posts From 

Our Worldwide Classroom In 2015

My detailed post showing you behind the scenes of SKWIRK and their Australian History areas of the website was our top sponsored post this year.

The very cool Clever diy craft boxes made it to the list and I can so see why. These really impressed me, with both the quality of the content and how it is all put together.

This was another fabulous product that we had the privilege of reviewing and sharing with you. If you haven't sorted something for your Geography studies for the year I highly recommend you take a look at The Adventurous Mailbox.

The range from RIC Publications made it to the list. They have such an extensive product line covering all subjects.

And finally in fifth position is the post sharing a Half Price SKWIRK subscription. Keep an eye out over there as they may offer something similar again at the start of the school year.

So that was fun. Did you miss anything throughout the year? Be sure to follow us with your favourite social media hang out so you don't miss a thing during 2016. Links can be found below.

Happy Homeschooling,
Kylie

Come on over and join me at

Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Google + 


Have you looked at my Pinterest Boards lately?


Visit Our Worldwide Classroom's profile on Pinterest.