What magical education product have you found or are looking for?

[DerbysKangaskhan]

Sometimes it's something amazingly simply that changes everything. For my DS1, it was finding small pencils (golf/Argos size) that transformed writing, and with DD1 I found a website where I could print off as much wide ruled dotted paper made helping her learn to write so much easier than the notepads of early writing paper I used for my DS1 (which were only available in one shop in town that was really out of my way and quite pricey).

DS1 currently has a keep interest in Geography, so currently looking for thorough books and games on various areas (particularly British geography,which he loves, but as I wasn't raised here so anything beyond our area I'm learning alongside him) but finding nothing yet that has really sparked. Also, most books on virtues are so patronisingly dull, I'm thinking of just going through their 'normal' books and making a list of good habits and bad habits represented in them for general discussions (DS1 likes to know why doing X is good or bad and I've found stories the best way of showing it and discussing it, but it's hard to find ones that are interesting).

So what magic have you found and what are looking for?

What a good idea for a thread.
One thing that has recently fascinated our 4 year old DD1 is a book called "A street journey through time" by Dr Anne Millard- very detailed illustrations of one street from Stone Age settlement to Victorian Times. It has been great for introducing the concept of time passing.

Re virtues- I imagine that the old classics are probably the best for that? They seem more inclined to moralise than some contemporary books, and I definitely remember learning a lot as a child from Enid Blyton, Chalet School and Anne of Green Gables etc.

Our Numicon is a godsend when the littleuns are doing their sums. Would like to find good history books that are not boring (they think horrible histories - or whatever it is - is rubbish).

I've found Usborne books generally are fantastic at explaining things in a really child-friendly way - the pocket science set are fab,as are the language ones. the girls love the 'see inside' series with flaps. I could go on...and on! At the moment we're reading the Usborne book of Greek myths. Fab! :)

We've only just started but.... am loving listening to a talking book with dd (12)

We are reading 'The Colour Purple' together just by sitting in the car with it on the stereo, or cleaning the kitchen with it on in the background.

It's unabridged and read by the author and I downloaded it from Audible under their introductory offer (£3.99 for one book each month the first three months).

Wish I'd remembered that the book has lots of quite graphic lesbian sex scenes in it though.

We're providing some context for the book by listening to Bessie Smith, talking about women's rights and the civil rights movement. We may even cook some grits and do a bit of quilting!

conors We have a similar problem with history and the Horrible History series. Not only does my oldest think it's rubbish, but my husband (who is trained as an Archaeological Scientist) has a strong dislike for it. We watched an episode once and he was going 'no, no, no' in the background. My DH is veeeery picky about history as you can imagine. Might make him write his own history books at this rate . We have used DK's Science book, which goes historically, and has all the right terms and great pictures. It's good for dipping in and out of, but we'll likely need a new history resource soon.

Thanks Derbys!

I'm so glad someone else picks holes in horrible histories.
My story books are a lovely way of livening up the stories of ordinary people through history. They don't pretend to be all fact so some of it takes a bit of correcting.

Our miracle cure was usbornes write your own story book. Which finally got my dd aged 7 to pick up a pencil voluntarily!!

Good thread am going to watch with interest.

We love Horrible Histories..it's funny, we sing the songs, see the stage show and have met the people. Hands off our Horrible Histories, stop picking on it

Muppet - I would actually happily watch/read it, unfortunately it's my DC that think it's naff!!!

Not related to history or geography, there are loads of free resources around on the internet that are quite nice to do with the DCs. www.genesareus.org has lots of educational and really interesting / heartfelt films about children and genetic disorders plus quite a fun animated film to explain really simply and clearly how genes work and what makes us different. I think they're for ages 4-11. They have free activities to download which go with each film as well, all of which are fun to do (and free, even better!)
For the younger DCs though we've also been using some of the free resources from www.twinkl.co.uk and have enjoyed those as well.

Thanks Bizzly. Those look great.

The 'A street through time' book is EXCELLENT. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It really clarifies the history of the last 2000 years of Britain in a way that even very young kids can understand.

My favourite resources are (dull and I'm sure you already all know of this one) the BBC key stage 1 games/videos and worksheets which link into the curriculum.

I also am a big fan of Usbourne and DK books. They always seem to be the best for any topic we study.

Starfall.com is free and excellent for pre and early readers.

oh and our other best resource (that we could not live without) is the library

Not magical but geological. Since you mention geology

Rockwatch.
www.rockwatch.org.uk/aboutus.html

Junior club Of geologists' association

DS is really enjoying Dancing Bears. It's a work book for children who have struggled with learning phonics. It's really really really achievable and manages to tell a story using only phonetic words! Every book he's ever come home with from school has had some words which just don't fit the pattern (English just isnt phonetic is it?!). This has been so beneficial for building his confidence in reading, introducing the tricky words gradually with lots of practise in between.

I have ordered that History book Wolvesdidit , it looks fab!

I've just ordered these:
www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Resources-Cuisenaire-Rods-Introductory/dp/B000FFWCOW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338666436&sr=8-1

and these:
www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Resources-Fraction-Tower-Equivalency/dp/B000296LSO/ref=sr_1_1?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1338666520&sr=1-1

Have heard lots of good things about them.
I've decided to go a bit autonomous with these resources and basically just give them to the kids to play with for a couple of weeks. I am curious to see what they come up with on their own before we do structured stuff with them. If anyone is interested, I'll report back!

I don't home ed (DD is only 6mo) but through teaching I can highly highly recommend the Aramazu books to any parent for teaching how to tell the time. They're excellent and look at time in a whole new way but that makes perfect sense. I think the website is Aramazu.com and I think there are excerpts from the books on there.