Now I'm Reading! ~fun way to teach reading (Review & Giveaway)

Being a home school mom, I try and keep my eyes open for great products that will be fun, educational, and inspiring. I love creative products that spark my kid's interests. I was recently sent the Now I'm Reading! Plays from Innovative Kids to review, and I love these sets! These sets are designed to help children learn to read, in a fun and playful way. I got the play set: Three Little Pigs. My kids love this story, and they are really excited to act out the story with facial masks and all...not only is it fun, they are learning, too!
The Level 1, Now I'm Reading!, Three Little Pigs (the play) set includes: a Storybook, 5 easy-to-read scripts including: Pig in Blue, Pig in Yellow, Pig in Red, the Big Bad Wolf, and the Narrator~~ Plus, the masks to go with the booklet. It is great to have the storybook, to introduce the story to the kids. Some children may not be familiar with the stories, so I found this to be a great way for them to know it. Reading the story a few times a day, will help them learn the story very well. I like that my son is in Kindergarten this year, and is showing signs of wanting to learn to read. I like to point out the words to him as I am reading.
After the kids get to know the story really well, you can show them the masks, and they can play the parts of the story out with their imagination. It is fun to see what they remember from the story that you shared with them. I think this is great for comprehension. With looking through their scripts, as they play the part of their character, they start to recognize words, and begin learning to read.

Caleb loves the wolf mask, and being the Big Bad Wolf. The pictures and words in each book is big, and really easy to read. Next to each reading part, there is a picture of the character who needs to read it. Each person only reads a sentence, so it is easy to read along and follow. Each booklet has 15 pages, and tells the complete story. The character that you are, or are playing, is in a white highlight, so you know when it is your turn. On the back inside cover, your character that you played tells you a nice compliment.

I love this set, and I am happy to have it apart of my home school curriculum! I recommend this to everyone, especially home educators! The Now I'm Reading Plays are great for family game night, and story times with friends over, as well.

The books are written by Nora Gaydos, and the Illustration is by Barbara Vagnozzi.

The Now I'm Reading! Plays are developed and designed from the creative team at innovativeKids.

From innovativeKids website:
innovativeKids creates award-winning books designed for everyday play and extraordinary learning, from birth to age 12 and beyond. More than just books, innovativeKids titles are also games, puzzles, and toys—because having fun is the best way to learn, and more fun means more learning. Our products inspire the potential in children around the world by encouraging a lifelong love of reading and learning. innovativeKids® books are distributed throughout the world, with co-editions published in a host of languages and countries.

***ENTER TO WIN!!!***
This contest is open to bloggers, and non-bloggers of the United States, and will end on November 20th.

To enter, visit innovativeKids.com and find another product that your kids would love (other than the Now I'm Reading Series). Then, comment on it. For an extra entry, like innovativeKids on Facebook, Nora Gaydos on Facebook, or you could subscribe to Gaydos' blog. To get credit for the extra entries, just make sure you leave a comment on the facebook pages/blog that you heard about them on my blog.

**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, follow Sassyfrazz on twitter and/or become a fan on facebook, and/or visit everyday and comment on another one of my blog posts (leave a comment letting me know what you commented on). Visit Trivial Pursuit on Facebook, "like" them, and comment that you are entering my contest to win @sassyfrazz.blogspot.com. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

I will contact the winner by e-mail and they will have 3 days to claim their prize, and at that time...if no response, I will have the option to pick a new winner.

This review was provided from innovativeKids.com. They have provided me with a Now I'm Reading! Plays to review and information to share with my readers. I am sponsored to offer a giveaways for my readers through this review. I was given the product for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Rock ‘N Learn! : Phonics DVD's 1 &2 (Review & giveaway)

I am home schooling my Kindergartner and my Pre-school aged children this year. It can be a challenge home schooling when 3 of the kids are ages 5 and under. I was very thankful to review for Rock 'N Learn! I really like the DVD's that they sent me. Teaching phonics, sounds of letters, spelling, etc. can be a challenge ~ and a big job! Rock 'N Learn has put together great DVD's that teaches these concepts so great! I was very impressed with these videos.

Rock 'N Learn starts off with teaching the vowels: a,e,i, o, u and sometimes y. Learning the vowels, consonants, and other parts of speech are taught in the Rock 'N Learn DVD's by fun, and catchy worded songs. My kids had a great time dancing and singing along to the songs. (All the while they are learning). The video also has sounding out words, and with this, the video shows the letter, the word, the mouth movements, and a picture. I really like how Rock 'N Learn put this together. Kids get a visual of the letter, picture and word (for the visual learner)
and they can watch how the mouth forms the word, which can help kids work on their pronunciation. Some kids really learn well by watching the mouth move with the words/sounds/letters. Check out this video clip of my kids watching the Rock N' Learn video:


I know that these videos will be very helpful with teaching phonics, and introducing reading to my kids. I think these videos are very educational and very helpful. I recommend these videos!
Rock 'N Learn Phonics (volume 1) has short sounds, consonants, blends & diagraphs, word families, silent e, and read-along stories. The DVD is approximately 70 minutes long. You can also visit free-phonics-worksheets.com for printable resources to go with the phonics programs from Rock N' Learn, as well.
Rock 'N Learn Phonics (volume 2) has long vowels, vowel combinations, syllables, ending sounds, silent consonants, and read-along stories.

The Rock 'N Learn videos are so great for a resource to teach your kids the basics to letters, sounds, and reading readiness. The DVD's have catchy songs and my kids love them.

Check out Rock 'N Learn's Facebook page.

***ENTER TO WIN***
This contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers of the United States & Canada, and the contest is open until midnight October 23rd, 2010. To enter, go to the Rock 'n Learn website and check out what they have to offer. Comment here about what you found out and sounded interesting to you.

**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or become a fan on facebook, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment about something you found helpful for teaching phonics/reading to your kids. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

This review was provided from Rock 'N Learn. They have provided me with 2 Phonics DVD's to review and information to share with my readers. I am sponsored to offer a giveaway for my readers through this review (same 2 DVD's for one winner). I was given the product for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Enter to win a New Book from Phenix & Phenix publishing! (Review and 3 giveaways!)

“I’m Up in a Tree” – My kids and I enjoyed this imaginative story about a little boy who climbed up in a tree, and now cannot get down. Meeting new characters who give their own advice on how he should get down, the little boy must make a big decision. Will he listen to the little cat, or the bird who flies out, or will he wait for his Dad to come to his rescue? The kids and I really enjoyed the rhyming story line, especially my preschooler, because he is totally into rhyming right now.

Mark Alden Johnson’s “I’m Up in a Tree” (Bridgeway Books, January 2010) is a fun way to teach kids early to resist peer pressure and make their own choices. (List Price: $14.95; Reading level: Ages 4-8; Hardcover: 32 pages; Publisher: Bridgeway Books (January 19, 2010); Language: English)
About the Author:

Mark Alden Johnson has been a writer at heart since a very young age. Even as a kid, he would invent imaginative stories and proudly present them to his parents – and anyone else he could find. Johnson started writing children’s stories just for his kids and their friends when they were young, but after he published his first book, Little Fish Lou (Outskirts Press), he knew writing was a passion he wanted to pursue. A native of northern Nevada, Johnson attended West Nevada College, where he took a wide variety of courses. Currently, he works for a local utility company in Dayton, Nev., where he lives with his wife and three kids.

“Feeding Penny Pig” – This is a cute story about a grandmother Mimi trying to find the perfect gift to give her grand daughter, Laney. With the choice of a lonely piggy bank, Laney is thrilled to have a new pet to "feed" coins to. Laney is given daily chores from her parents with the reward of payment, so she can feed the hungry Penny Pig. “Feeding Penny Pig” (Mimi’s Funhouse LLC, November 2009), teaches Laney responsibility and the value of earning and saving money, and also that working can be fun! (List Price: $14.95; Reading level: Ages 9-12; Hardcover: 32 pages; Publisher: Mimi’s Funhouse LLC (November 22, 2009); Language: English)

About the Author:
Jeannine Fox, or “Mimi” as her granddaughters call her, is a Certified Financial Planner and Certified Public Accountant. She has been practicing financial planning in the Houston area since 1981. Fox is the branch manager of The Planning Team in Houston and a branch manager and investment advisor representative of NEXT Financial Group, Inc. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in business from the University of Alabama and an MBA with concentrations in finance and accounting from the University of Houston. Fox has also been a featured guest on a variety of radio and television shows, and a contributor for The Money Paper, Southwest Airline’s Spirit magazine, Financial Planner magazine, Senior Spirit and USA Today. She currently lives in Magnolia, Texas, where she enjoys spending time with her family.

“How Lil’ Eddie Learns to Read” – This is a great book to introduce reading to your preschooler/kindergartner. There are sections in this book: "Help for parents" which give helpful information on how to work with your kids to help them learn to read.

“How Lil’ Eddie Learns to Read” (Synergy Books, February 2010), is Rima H. Corral's newest children's book. She introduces readers to a little boy named Eddie who receives a book on his third birthday. Inspired by this gift, Eddie decides he wants to learn to read. The book follows Lil’ Eddie and his family as they help him learn to read through books, games and a neighborhood reading club. Corral hopes this book will encourage parents to help their kids learn reading skills before entering kindergarten (List Price: $18.95; Reading level: Ages 9-12; Hardcover: 48 pages; Publisher: Synergy Books (February 2, 2010); Language: English)
About the Author:
Rima H. Corral is a beloved entertainer, as well as creator and producer of the Houston PBS children’s television program, Rima, Fuego and the Children, which airs nationwide. With degrees in music and general education, Rima has more than twenty-five years of experience as an early childhood educator. This is her first children’s book.

Enter to win!!

Phenix & Phenix has offerend to sponsor a giveaway! There will be three winners.

This contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers of the United States. Contest is open until March 23, 2010. To enter, leave a comment about which book you would like to win. Please list your first choice with each comment.**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or become a fan on facebook, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment about another children's book you enjoy with your kids. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

This post was written for Phenix & Phenix Publishing who provided the three books for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary books.