Drop Squad: The Escape! Review

Do you love board games, but sick of the same thing over and over again? If so, you came to the right place! Check out my Drop Squad: The Escape! Review for an inside look to a brand new game on the market from Bush League Games.

Disclaimer: “Homework and Horseplay is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

what is “drop squad: the escape!”?

Drop Squad: The Escape! is a board game that is similar to Plinko from The Price Is Right. Players have to navigate their marbles through a series of pegs to their goal, but it’s not as simple as it sounds! Players have to first strategically play their cards to set up ramps before releasing their marbles. At any given time an opponent may block your ramp with one of their own or even use a pivot card to redirect ramps in their favor. The player with the most marbles in their goal at the end of the game wins.

This game is designed to be played by 2-4 players [Ages 5+].

what is included in “drop squad: the escape!”?

This game includes:

• 1 Game Board
• 30 Marbles
• 50 Playing Cards
• 32 Ramp Pieces (15 Red, 10 Yellow, 7 Blue)
• 5 Goals
• 20 Score Pegs
• 2 Game Board Kick Stands
• 1 Rule Book
• 1 Sticker Sheet

homework and horseplay’s final thoughts…

I am ashamed to admit this, but I generally do not care for board games. I find that they can be very repetitive or difficult to play with young or special needs children. Drop Squad: The Escape! is neither of these things! Jack, Julia, and I truly enjoy playing this game. I haven’t even bothered to put it away since it arrived because Jack asks to play it multiple times every day. 

The rule book is very thorough, yet easy to understand. I like that everything is color coded, so there is no need to memorize everything. Which is really important for my special needs son.

Since it only takes about 15-20 minutes to play the game we sneak in a few rounds throughout our homeschool day.

And if you have teenagers at home you know how rare it is for siblings to get along and actually enjoy something together!

I highly recommend this game! I know this is going to be a favorite in our house for a long time.

thank you for checking out my drop squad: the escape! review…

Do you want to purchase your own game? Drop Squad: The Escape! is available on Amazon for $59.99.

Looking for more reviews from Homework and Horseplay? You can find them all HERE.

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When Homeschooling is No Longer Enough

The beauty of homeschooling is being able to customize our children’s education to fit their needs, but what do you do when homeschooling is no longer enough?

you may be thinking that will never happen to you… 

I know I didn’t- despite doubting myself from time to time I have always believed that I could provide everything my children need in our homeschool, but recently that changed. I now have two high schoolers, and we live in a very small area. There is a decent sized homeschool community here, but not a lot of older children. Both of my teens are craving time with their peers, but joining sports teams or co-ops just isn’t enough any more. So now what?

it is time to let go of preconceived ideas!

Homeschooling doesn’t have to be an all or nothing mindset… Let that sink in for a moment.

I don’t know why, but I really struggled with this concept. I’m pretty sure my whole life revolves around homeschooling. My children love homeschooling too. At the end of every homeschool year we discuss their educational options, and just like in years past all three of my children asked to continue homeschooling for the 2019-2020 school year. But it is not just what and where they will be learning that matters when it comes to providing our children with a well rounded life. 

My teens need:

• to be accountable to someone other than me
• a more structured day (let’s face it- 3.5 hours of school work is not preparing them for real life at this point)
• to be exposed to all types of people not just homeschoolers 
• to make new friendships and spend time away from their siblings

At first I had no idea how to achieve this, but after a little research I realized just because we homeschool doesn’t mean we can’t take advantage of what the local public school has to offer. So after a lot of stressing (for nothing) and even more paperwork (for enrollment) we are now “hybrid homeschoolers“!

what does hybrid homeschooling look like?

Both Kenten and Julia will continue their core classes at home with me in the mornings, and then attend electives at the high school and Technical Education Center in the afternoons. Kenten is enrolled in Mechatronics and Advanced Fit, and Julia in Art I. They will also eat lunch at school every day. 

To me hybrid homeschooling is a good compromise. We all get what we want and need! This is definitely going to be a year of adjustments, but they are both very excited for this new adventure. 

so when homeschooling is no longer enough have the courage to let go (at least a little bit)…

Is it hard? Of course it is, but life is ever evolving! 

As I watched my son drive off to school yesterday I reminded myself that I homeschool because I want what is best for my children. And in this stage of life that means allowing them to spread their wings and explore other options. I know I have given them a good foundation, and with this new adventure we get the best of both worlds. We are both homeschoolers and public schoolers… And more importantly my teenagers are happy

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5 Pros & Cons of Homeschooling

Are you considering homeschooling? I know it can be a big decision, so check out my top 5 Pros & Cons of Homeschooling before getting started!

5 pros of homeschooling

1. your children can stay children longer.

You may be saying “what?” right about now, but when children go to public school they meet all kinds of new children. Sometimes these new children tell your children things like “Santa isn’t real” or something much worse… My 5 year old came home and asked me what a “bj” was (no I am not joking!).

2. sibling relationships will thrive.

Since your children will be spending a lot of time together they become more than just siblings. They form a special friendship, especially in the younger years. I am so thankful my children had this extra time to build their relationships up. Friends come and go, but siblings are forever

3. you can customize your child’s lessons to fit their needs and abilities.

My youngest son has special needs. Although he just completed his 6th grade year he is using materials from a bunch of different grade levels. He is very delayed in some areas and advanced in others. He also needs a quieter work space and time to move around. I can give all of that to him easily!

4. no spending hours every night doing homework.

When my two oldest children went to school they were away for 8+ hours a day, and then had to come home and do at least 2 hours of homeschool. They were only in Kindergarten and 2nd grade! That is just pure insanity to me. It only takes us 3-4 hours to complete all of our lessons for the day (and that includes any writing assignments and studying they may need to do).

5. making your own schedule.

This is a big one! When we started homeschooling my husband was still in the Air Force, and he worked 2nd shift more often that not. Which meant he was sleeping when my children had to leave for school, and he had to leave for work around 2 p.m. before Kenten and Julia got home from school. They did not get to see Ryan all week long, and missed him terribly. When we switched to homeschooling we had so much more time as a family together. 

I also like that we can take days off whenever we need. We homeschool year round, so we always get our 180 days (and then some) in. This year we took off two weeks for a spring break trip to South Carolina. It is so nice not having to check in with the school and worry about my children missing a ton of school work.

5 cons of homeschooling

1. homeschooling can be expensive.

I know there are a ton of free resources out there, but after trying to use as many free items as possible in our first few years I was burnt out. It takes a lot of extra time to find and prepare all of these materials. Plus, at least for me, it felt like we were missing big chunks of things because we were jumping around between materials all of the time. To make things simpler for myself I started buying our curriculum.

This year I spent around $1,200 on our school materials. Before you panic… I do NOT always spend this much! This year we invested in a few things that will be used by all of my children at some point and time. In two years I will not have to spend any money on curriculum because my younger children will use the materials I purchased for Kenten this year.

2. you are almost always with your children.

Ugh, I hate even saying this! But it is oh so true… Sometimes as a parent, especially a homeschool parent, you just need a break from your children. Your children are home with you every day when you homeschool. I love that, but there are days that I need to spend some time alone and decompress. Make sure to make time for yourself. You NEED it!

3. everyone has an opinion about you homeschooling.

Grow some tough skin because you will face homeschool critics. People will ask you (and your children) the most ridiculous questions and try to argue with you about it. Don’t let these people knock you down! You are homeschooling for a reason, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.

4. you will doubt yourself ALOT.

Even though I have been doing this for almost 9 years, I still doubt myself on a regular basis. Homeschooling is a big responsibility, and I want to make sure my children are getting everything they need. If you start doubting yourself take a deep breath & know you are not alone. Every homeschooler feels this way at some point in time. You got this! 

5. your children will complain.

Homeschooling is not some magical world where your children will always be happy… They will complain about:

their school work
what you serve them for lunch
that their sibling breathed on them for the 10th time today (bahaha, but for real)

The list is really endless. Whether you homeschool or not children complain, and if you refer back to con #2 you are always with your children so the complaining will get to you sometimes.

thank you for checking out my 5 pros & cons to homeschooling…

And a special thank you to Charlotte @ My Little Home School for asking me to put together my Pros & Cons of Homeschooling. What are your Pros & Cons of Homeschooling?

 

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2019 Sunshine Blogger Award Nominee

I am very honored to announce that Tiffany from The Stoke Fam has nominated me for the 2019 Sunshine Blogger Award!

what is the sunshine blogger award?

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given by blogging peers to bloggers who are bringing positivity and creative content to the blogging world. For us, simply being nominated tells us that we are on the right path!

rules for the sunshine blogger award:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you in your blog post and link back to his/her blog.
• Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
• Nominate 11 new bloggers to receive the award and write them 11 questions.
• List these rules and display the sunshine blogger award logo in your post and on your blog.

 

So, without further ado, here are the questions Tiffany had for us:

what is your favorite outdoor activity?

I love gardening! I am not very good at it and the deer keep eating ALL of my blooms, but I absolutely love going out and taking care of my plants.

do you have a favorite vacation spot? why?

I do not have a favorite vacation spot… To be honest I have not done a lot of traveling other than back and forth from wherever my husband was stationed and Michigan to visit our families. I hope to do some more traveling now that my children are getting older, but we will have to wait and see what happens.

if you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

CHIPS– Definitely chips!  I should probably be embarrassed to admit it, but I am totally addicted to chips!

how extensive is your planning (for travel, homeschool, etc.)? do you plan in advance or wing it?

I am a planner… As in I start planning for the next homeschool year in January. At this point we have used our current curriculum long enough to know if it is a good fit or not, so I start making wishlists in Google Docs and obsessively research new materials until May when I start purchasing said materials.

what is your favorite way to unwind at the end of the day?

I love to light candles and snuggle up with a good book!

what would your dream day look like? no work allowed!

I am pretty simple… I would loved to just sit outside surrounded by my flowers, eating snacks, and reading all day!

who has had the most influence on you in your life?

I would have to say my husband, Ryan. He has encouraged me to be a better & stronger person, and not let my past dictate my present! I was only 17 years old when our first child was born, and Ryan has always done everything possible to give us a good life (even though it meant sacrificing his dreams).

what’s your favorite indulgence?

Buying beautiful bags… I am not much of a clothes shopper, but surround me with beautiful handbags and I can’t control myself! I try not to purchase too many, but my collection is slowly growing.

who has had the most significant impact on your blogging life (course, class, inspiration, etc.)?

Without a doubt Teresa from Living Life: Hour By Hour! I met Teresa by chance while both of our youngest children were attending speech & occupational therapy. Our families have so much in common, and we immediately connected. From day one she has always been so supportive of everything I do- including blogging!

what does your closet look like? is it remotely close to your dream closet?   

I don’t know if I have a dream closet… I see all these gorgeous spaces on social media and I drool over them, but in all reality I would never be able to fill one of them up. My wardrobe is pretty basic– casual dresses, cardigans, and leggings! I literally wear the same few things over and over.

However, I have to say my closet space is nice. It is a his & hers side by side closet that fills most of one of the walls in our master bedroom. The one area that is not closed in on that wall has built-in shelves that I store a few books and personal photos on.

I’m not going to show the inside of it because as I am writing this my husband is still sleeping, so I am just going to use an old photo (hence the Christmas decor). It is not a massive closet, but it is organized nicely with multiple bars, a dress section, and cubbies for shoes. The previous owners did a great job making the most of the space!

what is your biggest barrier to traveling?

My biggest barrier to traveling is myself! I am a homebody, and I don’t like sleeping other places. I have a lot of anxieties about being away from home for too long, and always end up wanting to cut our trips short!

now for my nominees for the 2019 sunshine blogger award…

→1. Teresa from Living Life: Hour By Hour

→2.Amanda from Joyful Wife Life

→3.Charlotte from My Little Homeschool

→4. Lori from 3 Giggly Girls at Home

→5. MaryAnne from Mama Smiles

→6. Amanda from Raising da Vinci

→7. Ingrid from Mommy & Mia Homeschool Chronicles

→8. KT from Lit Mama Homeschool

→9. Pam from Pam Gann

→10. Lisa from A Rup Life

→11. Nicola from The World is Their Classroom

questions for my nominees:

• What is your reason for homeschooling?
• What is one thing you have no problem splurging on?
• How old were you when you had your first child? 
• What are your top 3 homeschool must-haves?
• Why did your start blogging? Any tips for new bloggers?
• How do you practice self care?
• What is your favorite book series?
• What type of homeschool philosophy or approach do you follow? (Charlotte Mason, Classical, Montessori, etc.)
• How long have you been homeschooling? 
• What is one piece of advice you would give to a newbie homeschooler?
• What schedule (traditional, year round, loop, etc.) do you follow for your homeschool? Why?

thank you again to tiffany for making me a 2019 sunshine blogger award nominee!

I am very honored to be included in your 11 nominations. You have no idea how much this means to me

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My Engraved Wood Watch & Giveaway

Are you looking for a new watch? Then you came to the right place. Check out my JORD Engraved Wood Watch Review & Giveaway for your chance to win!

a little about jord

JORD  (pronounced YODE)  is a Norse word meaning “Earth”. Established in 2013,  JORD creates watches and accessories that are inspired by nature and designed with a modern lifestyle in mind. Although they are best known for their use of wood, JORD recently started including stone and marble elements in their designs.

the cassia

The Cassia is styled with Scandinavian design in mind. The vintage-inspired, Roman concave dial shimmers in the light and features feminine lines. The Cassia Collection is priced at $199/each, and includes 4 designs:

→Ebony & Sable
→Walnut & Vintage Rose
→Olive & Aegean Blue
→Zebrawood & Ivory

Although all 4 watches are beautiful, I chose the Walnut & Vintage Rose design. I love the little pop of pink it adds to my daily style!

homework and horseplay’s jord engraved wood watch review final thoughts…

I have been wearing my watch for a few days now, and I just love it. It is very comfortable and lightweight (which I was not expecting since it is a wood watch). JORD offers a number of customization options such as personalized engraving & professional sizing. These added touches make for a perfect gift to a loved one.

I had both the wood box and the back of my watch engraved with H&H as a little memento of my journey here on Homework and Horseplay. Never in a million years did I think that my blog would bring so many opportunities into my life. A very special thank you to JORD for sending me this beautiful watch!

thank you for checking out my jord engraved wood watch review…

Want to win $100 toward your own JORD Wood Watch? Enter the GIVEAWAY HERE!

Disclaimer: The winner will receive a $100 gift code toward the purchase of any JORD watch by email in a month (after the contest has concluded). All other entrants will also receive an email with a 10% off gift code.

Wooden Wrist Watch

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7th Grade Curriculum Picks | 2019-2020

Do you have an almost 7th grader? I do, and today I am sharing my 7th Grade Homeschool Curriculum Picks | 2019-2020. Check out the books we will be working through below!

Disclaimer: “Homework and Horseplay is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

History

Jack will be studying both American and World History this year with the Big Fat Notebook series.

• Everything You Need to Ace World History in One Big Fat Notebook
• Everything You Need to Ace American History in One Big Fat Notebook

Julia read these last year during her 8th grade year. I am so impressed with all the information that the author fit into such small books! In addition to these books I will add in a few novel from the library that fit with the time periods we are studying. 

Language Arts

In case you didn’t know, Jack is on the spectrum and suffers with developmental/intellectual delays. For the past 7+ years we have been trying to get him on the road to being an independent reader. So with that said, our main focus for language arts this year is to continue to build up Jack’s reading and writing skills. He will be using the following programs: AAR 1, AAR 2, AAS 1, and AAS 2.

*AAR= All About Reading
*AAS= All About Spelling

He is almost done with AAR 1, and I am hoping we will be able to complete the other levels listed above by next summer. He will complete a lesson every day from either AAR or AAS, and then twice a week I will read 1 chapter from Everything You Need to Ace English Language Arts in One Big Fat Notebook.

We are also working our way through the Harry Potter series. We are on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix currently, so we will definitely need to pick a new series for read aloud time for the second half of the year. I am leaning towards The Giver Quartet.

 

Science

Jack will continue the Big Fat Notebook series in science. I will read 1 chapter a week aloud to him. The rest of the week we will read one of the Horrible Science books.

• Everything You Need to Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook
• Horrible Science

 

We read Horrible Histories and Horrible Geography last year, and I was so excited when I see there was a science version of these series. Hopefully they will be just as good!

Math

Math is another area that Jack has been struggling in. Last year we had to set aside his TT lessons a number of times, and work on math drills. I think he has finally mastered multiplication and division after all the extra practice.

My goal is for Jack to complete Teaching Textbooks 2.0 Math 5 and then hopefully be move onto Math 6 later this year. 

Electives

I am still a little uncertain as far as Jack’s electives goes, but I am looking into ordering him a Little Passports USA Edition subscription for a geography elective. Have you tried this subscription box out yet? I am really interested, but still looking around at our options. 

Thank you for checking out my 7th Grade Curriculum Picks | 2019-2020…

What is your 7th grader using for the 2019-2020 homeschool year? I love seeing what everyone is using, so feel free to share the details in the comments below!

Curious what my 9th and 11th graders will be using this year? {Coming Soon} Check out all the details below ↓

9th Grade Curriculum Picks | 2019-2020

11th Grade Curriculum Picks | 2019-2020

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Project Genius Light | EEME Review

Are you looking for a S.T.E.M. subscription box for your child? Check out my Project Genius Light | EEME Review to see if this is the right one for you!

what is project genius light?

Project Genius Light is the first project your child will receive with this EEME subscription. EEME makes “not-so-easy” hands-on project kits and online lessons to teach kids electronics. With EEME’s monthly project curriculum your child will learn about resistors, LED’s, transistors with real electronic components. Each kit comes with everything you need!

what ages is project genius light | eeme for?

The monthly EEME projects are for children ages 7-12.

how does project genius light work?

At the beginning of the project you will make sure your kit has everything you need to get started. There is a short video to walk you through this.

Once you confirm that you have everything you need, it is time to get to work! The lesson plans include a number of lessons, hands-on activities, and pop quizzes.

After assembling his Baseboard, Jack learned how to build a LED circuit and light up his LED bulb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

homework and horseplay’s final thoughts…

Jack absolutely loved receiving his very own subscription box! He has been asking for a few months for me to order him one, so when EEME reached out to me I jumped at the opportunity. EEME’s creator,  Jack (my Jack thought it was cool that they share the same name), has been fantastic to work with. Our kit shipped the very next day, and only took a few days to arrive.

I absolutely love that these S.T.E.M. projects include video lessons online. My son struggles with reading and is a visual learner, so being able to watch each step on the computer is very beneficial. I also like that you split the lessons up over a number of days if you want to. Between lessons you will receive prompts asking if you want to “Keep Going” or not. 

After you complete all of the lessons you will go through a summary of the lessons and get a personalized “Certificate of Completion”. Jack can’t wait to get his next subscription box!

thank you for checking out my project genius light | eeme review…

If you are interested in ordering your own Project Genius Light kit take 25% off your first month subscription with the code STEM1770 [exp. 6/12/19].

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