MathRider Provides a Fun Way to Learn Math!

About the Game 
Ride your horse on noble quests through the magical MathLands. MathRider combines fun game play with a highly sophisticated question engine that adapts to your child. The game propels your child to mastery of all four mathematical operations using numbers 0 to 12. Recommended for elementary / primary school children.


MathRider is designed to help elementary school kids practice and master addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

The software takes kids on various quests, all the while learning where they are at in the fundamental arithmetic skills.  It then hones in on what needs to be practiced, with rewards and animations that match their levels of mastery.

This has worked wonders with quite a few kids, who, having rescued the princess, suddenly realized that they were now "masters of addition" or whatever operation they were playing.

Have your child master addition, subtraction, multiplication and division all for the cost of less than 1 hour professional private tuition!

• You will know when your child has completely mastered an operation. And more importantly, your child will know it, too!
• This is the fastest way to mastery of all four math operations. The artificial intelligence rehearses what is needed most, at a rate that is tailored to each player.
• The game recognizes and rewards improvement, not just perfection. This builds confidence and propels children naturally towards complete mastery.
• Noble quests exemplify positive values such as family, caring, honesty and kindness.

My Take on the Game
My oldest daughter is in Kindergarten and she loves to learn and to challenge herself. So when I heard about this program I had to try it out. The program is both fun, educational and entertaining and I can say that she got a kick out the game itself. We first tried some of the practice rounds to get the hang of the game. For a younger child, I will say that it does take a little time to get used to the speed in which you must be able to provide the answers to the questions, so we had to start on an easier level than we had initially tried.

Once she got the hang of it she was off. This is not to say that you still did not have to concentrate and focus on the math problems, which you did, but it did provide you with the answers if you missed them. I particularly liked the fact that as you get into the game you are on a quest and the better you do in each part of the quest, the more you can achieve. Thus, you are part of the story that is unfolding right in front of your eyes.

Overall, a great game and one that I can see will be a staple in our homes for a while, as I can truly see the educational benefit of the repetition that the game provides, and I know it will only assist to strengthen Diva-J's math skills.



This post was written for Family Review Network and Math Rider who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest review.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Music is Key to Summer Enrichment - The Ocarina can help!

STL Ocarina is offering two summer enrichment packages:

The Art of Ocarina for Young Children: This method book is specially designed for children and those of who are young at heart. Through ten step-by-step lessons, you can learn how to read music and how to play songs on your six-hole ocarina. No prior musical knowledge is required. A demonstration CD is included so you can play along with us! This book also includes: 10 Step-by-step lessons; Colorful fingering chart; Over 30 well known songs; Tips on how to practice each song; and a free 6-hole plastic ocarina. SRP: $30 Available at http://stlocarina.com/method3.html

The Art of Ocarina for Older Kids (ages 10+): This method book is designed to help older children learn to play the ocarina. No prior musical knowledge is required. In addition to presenting various rhythms and the fingerings for the notes, our lessons provide instruction on how to read standard musical notation on the ocarina. The repertoire chapter includes 12 famous songs with detailed information on how to practice each song. A demonstration CD of all the songs in the book is provided to help you learn to play beautifully. This method book includes: 12 Step-by-Step lessons; How to play each note; Tips on how to practice; Breathing techniques; How to play various rhythms; How to play in different keys; Scales and exercises for daily practice; Over 50 well known songs; and a demonstration CD. Also included in this custom package is a 12-hole Plastic Tenor Ocarina in C Major. SRP: $39. Available at http://www.stlocarina.com

History of The Ocarina
The ocarina is an ancient instrument. The first known ocarina-like instrument appear about 12000 years ago. The ocarina’s origins can be traced back to many different cultures. In South and Central America, the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas all developed and performed on clay ocarinas which were often shaped like birds or animals. Ocarinas shaped like birds and animals could also be found in India as early as 5000 BC. China had its own form of ocarina called a Xun which was more rounded and egg-like in shape.

Early History - 16th - 19th Centuries
The ocarina eventually made its way to Europe. In 1527, Cortes sent a group of Aztec dancers and musicians back to Emperor Charles V to perform at the royal court. The performance was well received and the Aztecs were sent to perform at various exhibitions throughout Europe. According to legend, a baker in Rome saw such a performance and was so impressed with the ocarina that he decided to make his own. (Bakers at that time often would make small pottery objects in their ovens to use up the leftover ashes.) It was nicknamed “ocarina” meaning “little goose.” It soon became a novelty item, but with its limited number of notes, it was little more than a toy. This all changed in the late 19th century when Guiseppe Donati, a young baker and musician, invented the submarine/sweet potato shaped ocarina which included accurate pitch and an extended range of notes. The ocarina could now be used for western art music. Various sizes were made which enabled ocarina players to form ensembles. One such ocarina ensemble is the famed Gruppo Ocarinistico Budriese which is still actively performing today.

20th Century
During the first and second World Wars, servicemen often were provided with a pocket-sized ocarina to boost moral. As a result, the ocarina gained popularity in America as well as in Europe. However, due to rising interest in the recorder, the ocarina soon became unknown to the general public. With the release of the popular video game “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” in the 1990s, the ocarina has reached a new level of popularity in America and Europe. The ocarina has also gained recognition in Asia, particularly in Japan, thanks to the efforts of ocarina master Sojiro. He has released several recordings and continues to perform internationally.


What does an Ocarina Sound Like


My Take On The Ocarina

Growing up, I was very musical in nature, I played Trumpet as well as was a vocal singer, so I read music and know how to play musical instruments. Ocarina gave me the opportunity with this review to try out two (a 6 hole & 12 hole Ocarina) of their Ocarina's along with the Beginners Guide to the Ocarina and the Beginners Guide to the Ocarina For Kids.

I found each of the ocarinas to be very different from one another in terms of how they sounded and how you played them. The hardest part that I found in playing one of these ocarinas was learning the different note finger positions and being able to move my fingers in the right places at the right time. The guides though help the beginner to take a step-by-step approach to learning the finger positions to make you start sounding like a pro in no time. I decided to give these ocarina's (the 6 hole at first) to Diva-J to start working with her on learning the instrument. If you know Diva-J, you know she is not the most patient, so I expected her to simply start blowing all over the place and not take direction. Surprisingly, I was impressed to see that she did do that at first, but then I sat down and talked to her and slowly she took to the direction step-by-step. So I am hopeful that through the summer we can work on this and practice and see what happens, maybe she will become as good as the woman you year above someday.

Overall, I would say that if you are looking for a unique musical instrument or if you want your children to experience and appreciate an instrument that has been around for a very long time, take a look at purchasing an Ocarina for yourself.

If you are looking to purchase an Ocarina, you can find a myriad of different types of ocarinas at: http://stlocarina.com/

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

Clever Kids Accessories That Double As Entertainment

I was recently given the opportunity to try out a fun new product with my eldest, Diva-J. The Wallaroo Hat Company’s Art Hat offers kids a practical wearable, washable, crushable hat that your child can design.
Every Art Hat kit contains an adjustable white microfiber bucket hat with contrasting color under the 2 ¼” brim, six nontoxic fabric paints and a paint brush.

The hat itself comes in a small unassuming package that makes you wonder what you have received, but once you unpack everything, you will soon notice that there is a lot of fun in store for your budding artist.

When I showed Diva-J what we were going to do, she was quite excited! One of the nice things about the Art Hat is that it comes with all of the supplies that you will need to complete your project, including hat, paint & brushes. The contrasting colors that the hat comes in allows a little diva to truly stand out and her artwork makes it even more the case. I also like the fact that the hat itself can be mashed up in a billion different ways and it still remains wearable. As any of you with kids know, this is a must!

The Art Hat gives children a way to express themselves in their own creativity and then share with the world their talents. While our hat is currently under construction, I know that when it is done that Diva-J will wear it with pride.

Outside of the Arthat, I spent some time looking at the other products that they offer, and was excited to see that they have some very cool men's hats. I particularly liked the Hobart Hat in Beige & Navy. Not only does this hat have protection to the extent of UPF 50+, but it also is sturdy and I can tell it would last a long time! So maybe some day I will be able to get myself a hat such as this to protect my ever thining hair!
There are many other hats such as this that are very diverse in nature. I am sure that you will be able to find something that interests you or someone in your family!

So if you are looking for a hat that stands out and pushes your child to practice their creativity, this is a great product for you and your family.

For more information about the Wallaroo art hat or other hats and accessories, visit http://www.wallaroohats.com/.

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"Kooky" USB: A fun way to brighten your day!

I was asked recently to try out a new product from EMTEC, called a "Kooky" and are based off the popular character pens known as "Kooky Klickers". As the company states: This product is a

They are the fashionable alternative to standard USB drives and are perfect for teens to use to save their important documents. The colorful handheld devices have fun faces and crazy hair that make them easy to find in the depths of kid’s backpacks. The drives are available in 2GB capacities for $14.99.

Upon receiving the USB, I immediately noticed the similarity of the Kooky Klicker as Diva-J had been given one of these in the past and she loved it (mostly because it was pink and had crazy hair). The USB that they sent me coincidentally also was pink and had crazy hair on the top. I could see immediately that the company was right in saying that this USB would not easily get lost.

EMTEC states that:

Each Kooky Klicker collectible pen is uniquely named and numbered, and collections are released in limited edition “Krews.” With millions of Kooky Klickers sold since they hit the market in 2002, the Kooky Klickers were recently recognized as one of the “Ten Hottest Toys at Retail” by industry trade publication Toy Book. Kooky USB Drives, which share the unique personalities that has made this brand so popular, are an ideal storage solution for stylish technology users. Kooky USB Drives are currently available at over 1,200 Office Depot retail locations throughout the United States.

In trying out the Kooky, I found it very easy to use and though Diva-J (my eldest) is not yet old enough to have a need for one of these, I showed it to her none-the-less and as before, she thought it was funny as well as cool. She also asked if she could keep it. I explained to her that we would save it for her for a little while until she was a bit older and needed such an item. Knowing the Diva that she is, the company did a good job in sending the Kooky that they did.

I will also put in a plug here for the fun nature of the product. I think these USB's are just the thing that one needs on a bad day to turn the frown upside down (as we sometimes say to the Divas). The zaney, wacky nature of the characters, bring a smile to one's face whenever you see it.

I would completely recommend the kooky for all of you out there who have school age kids who are starting to need to save pictures, documents or the like. With the 2 GB capacity on the Kooky it will not get filled up too quickly and should not get lost in the milieu of materials that pile up in their backpacks as well, as this thing truly stands out.


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