Fun-Schooling Journal ages 3 to 7

By  Sarah Janisse Brown

My five year old was very excited when I bought him his own journal. He started it right away. This journal is geared toward children ages 3 to 7 but my 8 year old daughter also enjoys doing it. I often find her doing it in her spare time. Over the next couple months I plan to do several reviews of different books from this same author. 

First, I came across Dyslexia Games (The Thinking Tree) a couple years back, when my 12 year old daughter was having  a difficult time learning to read and even recognizing numbers. Her younger sister was getting ahead of her. I began to research Dyslexia and found out that I myself have some form of it. I ordered the Dyslexia Games Series A and B in e-book format. I used those with her and her sister for a few months. It seemed to be working. She was able to recognize differences she couldn't before. She was able to concentrate. I was very excited. She began reading and gaining confidence.

Well, to be honest, we sat the Dyslexia games aside for a while and went about homeschooling. I then decided we needed so changes in our home school. Things were feeling out of wack. So, I started praying and talking to God about what I would like for our home school. I have a love for books and I really would like to share that love with my children. All they want to do is play video games. So anyways, I buy books as I come across them load my shelves until they are overflowing and all they do is sit there and collect dust. While we go about follow curriculum X. Curriculum X is great, it's just not what I am looking for. So, some how I find my way back to Dyslexia Games face book page and low and behold they are asking for moms to review their new journals. I am thrilled to say I was chosen as one. 

Now, my five year old is just now learning his sounds for letters, he is still in the pre-reading stage. I am taking a very gentle approach with him. After the nightmare I went through with my darling 12 year old, I have learned to follow their lead. They let me know when they are ready. 

Back to the journal, sorry! This Fun Journal is just that...FUN! Ans best of all we get to use all those books I had been buying and collecting the past few years. You start off by letting your child draw four things they want to learn about. Then you get books on those topics and go from there. 

My little guy said he wanted to learn about:

1. Coloring in the lines

2. The Moon

3. Spaceships

4. Spelling

What is great about #1 is the journal is full of awesome pictures to color and he now uses his "special markers" to color in the lines. Before it was I hate coloring, I don't want to do this, this is boring. Now though, since he decided he wanted to learn this he takes his time and does a great job.

We went to the library and found loads of books on the moon and spaceships and read them together. It sparked interesting discussions. Spelling we haven't worked on much but the door is there. 

So, yes these journals may seem like basic bare bones to some. But they are meant to be used as a starting point. You add the books, activities and discussions. For my family it has been an answer to prayer. The children get to learn more about things that interest them and we are finally reading the books I have so longed to read with them.  We are having fun while learning and creating awesome memories together. 

Keep a look out for more reviews on these great books. 

Here are some links:

Dyslexia Games Page

Dyslexia Games Face Book Page

Sarah's Amazon Page

Biography

Sarah Janisse Brown is an pen & ink artist, dyslexia specialist, world traveler, pancake flipper, potty trainer, happy wife and a homeschooling mother of ten. The Brown family started The Thinking Tree Publishing Company in 2009 and they publish outside-the-box curriculum and dyslexia therapy books. They focus on the needs of active and creative children who learn differently.

Sarah began creating unique activity books in 2008 to help her own dyslexic children to learn to read, write and spell. Her goal is to encourage creativity and help each child to develop their talents, skills and abilities. Learn more about her unique homeschooling methods in her small book "How to Homeschool".

Sarah's most popular activity books are her beautiful "Homeschooling Curriculum Journals". Moms love the books because they help the children to become more independent in their learning while using FREE library books as the core of their curriculum. Kids love the books because they are fun and interesting. The books use the Open Dyslexic font, so they are easy for all children to read, even dyslexics. The books include many right-brain activities to help children to remember without memorizing. Most activities are based on the concepts of "Delight Directed Learning" and "Organized Unschooling" - Sarah calls it Fun-Schooling. Sarah has also been able to assist over 10,000 children in overcoming reading problems through her Dyslexia Games Therapy.

As a writer, Sarah's stories have appeared in Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Above Rubies Magazine, Countryside Magazine, Mother Earth News, as well as several small newspapers. Sarah and her husband Joshua met at Calvary Chapel in Cincinnati, Ohio when they were young teens and were married under a bright blue Indiana sky seven years later. The first baby was born ten months later. He was so cute they decided to have nine more. After several years of competing in the rat race, and adding a new baby to the family every year or two, the couple decided to pack up the kids and follow their childhood dreams. So in 2012 the family opted out of the American Dream, sold everything (or gave it away, because most of it was junk that came from yard sales and thrift shops) and moved to Europe. Josh sold his computer service business and Sarah resigned from her seat on the Fortville Town Council, where she had been serving as vice president. To survive they started selling
workbooks for Dyslexic children online. You can read more about Sarah's family in the book "Windows to Our World".

Joshua and Sarah are the developers of creative curriculum and therapy for children with Dyslexia, Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD. They have a heart to help children who struggle with schooling, like Sarah once did, as well as their own dyslexic daughters. Their online business - www.DyslexiaGames.com, allows them freedom to live and work anywhere on earth... with an internet connection. Recently the family appeared on the reality show House Hunters International, when they moved from Fortville, Indiana to Veneto, Italy. Back in Indiana the Browns were known for the unruly urban homestead, complete with goats and ducks, that they created in their own backyard on Main Street.

The Browns now enjoy a life full of love, adventure, sailing, serving and learning wherever they may go. The family now travels the globe together and enjoy a life of mission work, fun-schooling, and travel. They have missed many trains, planes and buses, but they never miss out on the things that matter like love and laughter! As of 2015 they are serving in Eastern Europe as missionaries.

In her free time, she fills her journals with poetry and prayers, paints murals and mindlessly says "yes" to every child that asks to keep a stray kitten.

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