Steps4Kids to Write Modern Manuscript Review & Giveaway

I have 2 little ones in school this year and a lot of my summer practice for school included writing for both of them. I was introduced to the video Steps4Kids to Write Modern Manuscript dvd recently and was excited to check it out!  My 6 year old has been really improving with her reading and writing and has come a long way in the last year. I figured this video would help her to continue in the right direction!

Considered one of the "Top Videos for Students" by Booklist Online (August 2011), the Steps4Kids to Write Modern Manuscript DVD provides instructional help to those teaching children how to print using the D'Nealian® or similar italicized pre-cursive printing approach.

With approximately 90 minutes of instructional help, this award winning penmanship DVD shows how to write both upper and lowercase letters using video modeling and inviting audio instruction.  Each demonstration is preceded by a colorful graphic that shows the letter, introduces the letter's sound and sight words to help viewers develop reading skills.  Letter are taught in groupings that share common letter strokes.  Drawing breaks are interspersed after the groupings to reinforce letter strokes by showing how to draw using select letters.  Look2Write™ game breaks are also used whereby the viewer is shown words and asked to identify the word spoken by the narrator to reinforce reading of the words.

This dvd helps to make learning to write fun and exciting! My 4 year old is writing her name and working on other words and remembering the letters! We have enjoyed using this great dvd as an educational tool in our home! My friend even asked me to use it with her 4 year old as he has shown an interest in learning to write.  Learning to read and write at an early age in an invaluable tool. You are more likely to do well in school and understand what you are reading! The dvd helps to make this possible!

This is a sample of:

I find the D'Nealian style of writing easy to learn and read! Children learn this well and writing is improved! Check out this great dvd for only

You can win a copy of this dvd for your child!! Enter via Rafflecopter: (Sponsored by Tomoson.com)



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.                 

Tips for de-cluttering and organizing toys in your kids' playroom!!!

With three kids things can get kind of messy around my house! Nothing is more frustrating (not to mention painful!!) than stepping or tripping on a toy somebody left out! And having clutter all over the house isn't only dangerous, but it just stresses me out!  We finally established a "playroom" for all their toys that was separate from their bedroom. That way we can keep the mess contained to one area and they are free to play as they like.  Keeping that room clean and organized is important for safety, so here are some of my tips to help de-clutter and organize your playroom!!:

1-Have lots of boxes, bins and toy chests on hand! The more places you have for storage the less that will be on the floor.  And while it may seem that bigger is better, in this case it isn't. I prefer longer, shallower boxes so that the toys are more visible and they can see what they want to get out.

2-Use clear boxes for easy view!  I prefer clear boxes so you can see what is inside without having to empty the whole box.  Keep them stacked up on a shelf if possible!

2-Keep games and puzzles in a closet out of reach of little ones, where they can be taken out when ready to use.  Keeping them stacked up on a shelf allows you to see what you have and keeps little pieces off of the floor. Nothing is more frustrating then trying to play a game only to find some of the pieces are missing.

3-Use boxes with lids to organize toys by type. AND DON'T LET THE KIDS OPEN MORE THAN ONE AT A TIME!!!  Organize toys by categories such as Barbies, Hot Wheels, dress up, etc. and only allow them to play with one set after the first set has been cleaned up and put away. If your children want to play with different things, make each child responsible for the things he or she plays with.

4-Do a clean sweep every few months, checking the toys for broken or worn out pieces.  If it can't be cleaned or is broken, toss it. Most of our kids get PLENTY of toys from relatives, birthdays, holidays etc., so there is no need to keep EVERY single toy! Get your kids involved so they can help you narrow it down! Remind them that to get new toys we have to get rid of some of the old stuff! And if it is still usable, donate to your local Goodwill or other thrift store!

5-Clean the room daily. Make it a routine before bedtime to clean up the room! Make it fun-sing the clean up song or make it a race to see who can clean fastest!

6-Take some toys out of rotation for a while and store them away. Then after 3 months switch them out with other toys. The toys will seem fresh and new and there won't be so many toys everywhere.

7-Get rid of toys that your child has outgrown.  If it is a special bear or something sentimental, store it somewhere.  Too many toys=too much clutter

8-If your child doesn't have their own playroom, organize their room so one half is for sleeping and the other is for play. This keeps it organized and neat.

9-Encourage your kids to help you organize the playroom. Ask them what would make it easier to find their stuff and play, and organize based on their needs.

10-Lead by example!! You have to start a clean up routine and help your kids learn to be clean! You can't expect them to keep a clean space if you don't!! Teaching your kids early on that a clean house is a happy house will be an invaluable tool as they grow older! If they see you cleaning they will be more likely to want to get involved, and will learn this good habit early on!!

So there you have it-10 tips to keep your playroom clean and organized!! Share your tips below to let me know how YOU keep it cleaned up!!!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Bike Glow Safety Light Review + 25% Off Code!

Biking is a fun activity to do with your family! Unfortunately as fall arrives the nights get darker sooner. That usually means less time to ride outside, as it becomes hard for drivers to see you. But with the new Bike Glow Safety Light, you can extend your biking hours and enjoy the last few nights before it gets too cold!!  This great product works great for kids and even adult bikes, and is bright enough to be visible as you ride! It helps keep you safe and allows you to ride even after the sun goes down!!

The BikeGlow™ Safety Light provides 360 degree biking visibility. Running on 2-AA batteries, the BikeGlow™ frame light is a 10' waterproof light tube that securely attaches to your bike's frame. It features three lighting modes: Steady, Slow Flash, Fast Flash. So whether cars are behind you, in front of you, or coming from the side, you remain highly visible and much safer!

The light was pretty quick and easy to install! I was impressed with the brightness! We have a bike route right by the house, where no cars are allowed, so we didn't have to worry about traffic.  But my daughter was super excited to have a light on her bike! Not only does it help with safety-but its just SOOOO cool to look at! ☺  I prefer the flashing setting because it seems to be more attention grabbing but it is great no matter which setting you use.

The lights are available in blue, green, aqua, pink, purple, red, white and yellow! We got the green one but I would love to get sets for the whole family ( I want pink of course!! )  so we can enjoy biking together without having to worry about rushing home before its dark!   The lights cost $24.95 each, so they are a bit spendy, but luckily Bike Glow is offering my readers 25% off! Simply use code: FRUGALFAMILY at check out!

Check out bikeglow.com today and learn more about this great product! Also check them out on Facebook and let them know Frugal Family Fun sent you!!

I was not compensated for this post.  I was given a sample of the product to review on my blog. I was not obligated to give a positive review.

Big Book Of How Review

I have a very curious little 6 year old on my hands! She is constantly asking questions to learn more about the world around her!! I try my best to answer them all, but mom only knows so much!!! I often turn to books or good ol' Google to help find the answers I don't know! I like to find educational books that are interesting but still teach you something!! A recent find of mine was "The Big Book Of How", from Time Home Entertainment!  This great books answers questions on a HUGE range of topics, all in words kids can understand! It makes learning fun!!  

The 192-page book, packed with vivid illustrations and comprehensive reporting, helps kids ages 8 and up discover the answers to questions such as: How does a chameleon change colors? How was Mount Rushmore built? How to stay safe during an earthquake? How do you build a spaghetti bridge? How do diamonds form? How does an iceberg form? How do astronauts train for a space mission? How does a lock work? How does popcorn pop? Detailed explanations, more than 200 colorful photos and diagrams, and over 20 “How to” activities help to educate and engage young readers.

My daughter thought this was about the coolest thing on earth!! When I gave it to her we spent about a half an hour browsing the pages and reading the ones that caught her eye. Some of our favorites included learning about tornadoes, Mount Rushmore, and all sorts of animals! The photos are great and everything is explained really well! I love that they broke the book into chapters by topic, so you can check out specific things like sports, natural disasters and more!  The book is an endless source of great knowledge!!

The book is available now for $19.95-and even less if you shop around!!  It is recommend for ages 8 and up, but my 6 year old really enjoyed it! She can read but still needed just a little help with the bigger words.  This book is a must have for any child who loves to learn!!   Check it out today!!

I was not compensated for this post. I was given a copy of the book to review on my blog. I was not obligated to give a positive review.

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