OT: Just for fun, how would you spend $200

[alihuyoung]

A relative has just expressed interest in giving the kids some money "for their education" instead of birthday and Christmas gifts this year. Um, YES PLEASE. I'm guessing, based on previous years, that it will be around $200. Sooooo....how would you spend it?? We already have a full year of curriculum waiting for us to open in January (MP1 and MP2) and most of the read alouds needed for MP2 Enrichment. We do actually have a colleague making a run to the States in January, so I can actually order books/educational materials and have them brought over! Here are my first ideas:

1. Beautiful Feet's Early American History Pack. I know MP covers history, I don't doubt it in the least, but the BF books (and guide) just look so fun!
2. MP2 Supplemental Science and Enrichment Set. We own basically none of these, but we do have a very small English library in town that should have something on each topic.
3. Some of these gorgeous wooden manipulatives https://www.etsy.com/listing/5393914..._home_active_3 The calendar, wooden letters and numbers, geometry cards, tracing boards....be still my heart.
4. A bunch of posters and field guides for the school room like this https://www.papersource.com/item/Cav.../10001474.html
5. Board games.

Ok, I'll stop. Your turn! Help me out here. I purposefully keep my head down and ears closed when others mention awesome curriculum or resources because I don't want to be tempted. But today...tempt me!

[Jen (formerly) in Japan]

Re: OT: Just for fun, how would you spend $200

Literature is always my top choice, followed by something high quality that you are conspicuously missing.

Re: Literature... BF is nice, although my true love is either Bookshark or Sonlight (same company with a few twists). BF has the D'Aularies books for beauty, but the BS/SL books are more delight-filled.


Re: missing. Do you have a high quality opportunity for art or music? For elementary I adore Atelier and Themes to Remember. Atelier is "messy art" taught by a professional art teacher, and Themes is a classical music program with snips of classical music set to memorable ditties. Even today my adult kids can instantly recognize classical music pieces, know who wrote it, and when, by a few bars (we do also listen to the full pieces, but the Themes program is wonderful for quick recognition and his highly enjoyable).


https://artsattack.com/atelier/index

http://www.singnlearn.com/Item/themes1



Have fun spending your windfall!




Jen

[klwalukas]

Re: OT: Just for fun, how would you spend $200

If I had everything else I needed, then I would use it for a membership to a Children's museum, Science museum, and/or Art museum!

[alihuyoung]

Re: OT: Just for fun, how would you spend $200

klwalukas- An Art Museum would be awesome!

Jen in Japan - Atelier and Themes are both great options! Both things that we are missing here and that I had never seen before.

How to decide??

[Nerdmom]

Re: OT: Just for fun, how would you spend $200

I bought the Themes based on this thread - looking forward to it!

[Jen (formerly) in Japan]

Re: OT: Just for fun, how would you spend $200

klwalukas- An Art Museum would be awesome!

Jen in Japan - Atelier and Themes are both great options! Both things that we are missing here and that I had never seen before.

How to decide??

Even though I am 90% MP in everything we do, I do add Themes and Atelier. I'd rank both in my Top 10 Homeschooling Products of All Time.


Decisions are always tough. Themes to Remember Vol 1 is relatively inexpensive. Purchase only the Vol 1 book which is "good enough" to get all the goodness from. You can skip any additional materials that might be also available. I taught from Vol 1 only with great success, before any other extension materials were produced.

As for Atelier... your visitor might be able to bring the high quality art supplies (hard to ship internationally, as I too well know), then you might be able to save up for the online version of Atelier over time, adding it in the spring when you are looking to freshen up the school year. Or, are you on the Asian calendar of April 1st new school year? Either way, now that Atelier is available to stream, your decision can be deferred until you can add it in, while ensuring that high quality art supplies are available when you are ready.


That leaves the way open to spend a bit on my first love: books.




Jen

[Colomama]

Re: OT: Just for fun, how would you spend $200

Agreeing with Atelier.

I would skip posters for sure and field guides possibly (you could find that info online with birdcalls just a click away).

Beautiful Feet is pretty, bUT meh. I'd spend money on MP science and enrichment before I bought BF.

[alihuyoung]

Re: OT: Just for fun, how would you spend $200

Even though I am 90% MP in everything we do, I do add Themes and Atelier. I'd rank both in my Top 10 Homeschooling Products of All Time.


Decisions are always tough. Themes to Remember Vol 1 is relatively inexpensive. Purchase only the Vol 1 book which is "good enough" to get all the goodness from. You can skip any additional materials that might be also available. I taught from Vol 1 only with great success, before any other extension materials were produced.

As for Atelier... your visitor might be able to bring the high quality art supplies (hard to ship internationally, as I too well know), then you might be able to save up for the online version of Atelier over time, adding it in the spring when you are looking to freshen up the school year. Or, are you on the Asian calendar of April 1st new school year? Either way, now that Atelier is available to stream, your decision can be deferred until you can add it in, while ensuring that high quality art supplies are available when you are ready.


That leaves the way open to spend a bit on my first love: books.




Jen

Are you kidding me, 2 top ten recommendations from a veteran homeschooling mama?! Done and done. I knew you guys wouldn't disappoint. Thank you!

[Anita]

Re: OT: Just for fun, how would you spend $200

I bought the Themes based on this thread - looking forward to it!

RIGHT?!

Jen! Huge thank you. I’m a gigantic music fan, singer and musician but I STINK at classical. You may have just saved my hide.

[Jen (formerly) in Japan]

Re: OT: Just for fun, how would you spend $200

Happy to help. We don't actively discuss other curricula much here (MP is so kind to allow us to chat away), but sometimes, a thread like this helps add a nice enrichment which is worth the time.

I have used Themes in several ways. I either do a theme-a-week, starting with the words version of the song, playing it three times per day during one of our active brain breaks between harder subjects, then moving toward the no-words version by the end of the week, OR I pair the theme with a particular artist, using the theme to springboard to the whole body of work. I own both Vols 1 and 2 which allow for some variety. Since the Themes books have classical and opera, that nicely mixes up the offerings in a school year.


When Spring by Vivaldi comes on at dinner time, my kids immediately launch into, "Springtime's the best time of year! All the snow and ice disappear! This music is by Vivaldi...."





Jen