We received two DVDs from Math Tutor DVD:

Young Minds Numbers & Counting will be a favorite in our house for years to come. I turned it on for my 5 year old to view and my 16-month old just happened to be in the room. She was riveted! They both enjoy the classical music and beautiful images. I love the child’s voice that narrates – it reminds me of Linus from the Peanuts cartoons. 🙂

Here are some things your child will learn:

– Recognize the numbers 1-10.
– Associate the number with physical objects.
– Count from 1-10.
– Animal names and sounds.
– Fruits and Vegetables.
– Names of colors.
– Names of machines such as cars, airplanes, etc.

There is one photo of a group of people in bathing suits. It wasn’t anything very revealing, but I know it might be an issue for some of my readers – just wanted to let you know.

The Basic Math Word Problem Tutor DVD is 8 hours of instruction for grades 1-7. Each word problem is worked out step-by-step by a knowledgeable instructor.

Here is the info found on the two discs:

Disc 1
Section 1: Adding Whole Numbers
Section 2: Subtracting Whole Numbers
Section 3: Multiplying Whole Numbers
Section 4: Dividing Whole Numbers
Section 5: Adding Decimals
Section 6: Subtracting Decimals
Section 7: Multiplying Decimals
Section 8: Dividing Decimals

Disc 2
Section 9: Adding Fractions
Section 10: Subtracting Fractions
Section 11: Multiplying Fractions
Section 12: Dividing Fractions
Section 13: Percents, Part 1
Section 14: Percents, Part 2
Section 15: Ratio and Proportion

The instructor has a very calm, gentle way of teaching (although we all agreed it was sometimes too wordy). He takes your students through each little step of the word problem and shows them how to solve it. This is also a great tool for you as a teacher. You can watch the lesson and learn how to teach your child to work out the problem.

The Nitty Gritty:

• Young Minds Numbers & Counting $24.99
• Basic Math Word Problem Tutor  $26.99

Value: These products are worth their cost considering the many years of use you can get out of them.

See what my TOS Crew Mates have to say about Math Tutor DVDs!

I received two free DVDs for the purpose of writing an honest review. No other compensation was given.

“Can we please do my music lesson now?”, is what I heard the entire time we were reviewing Kinderbach. And I have to admit that I enjoyed it as much as my 5 year old did.

Kinderbach offers preschool piano lessons through a clever format along the lines of Blues Clues. Your child will learn note reading, rhythm, singing and composition. There are several printables that go along with each lesson to help your child with things like distinguishing high & low sounds, and how to locate keys on the piano.

You do not have to own a full size piano to use these lessons. We used an inexpensive keyboard that my kids have had for years. I was really impressed with how each session taught something valuable in a fun, easy way that my daughter could retain.

You can watch a video and sign up for a free online trial HERE.

The Nitty Gritty:

• year membership $95.88 annual or $19.99 monthly
• DVD & CD packages $40.45 each
• day pass $5.95

Value: The cost is the only thing I’m not crazy about. The annual price is a good deal when broken down monthly, but most people don’t have a chunk of money that big. I am considering purchasing a day pass maybe once a month for Sassyfrass & letting her spend the day on it – the lessons are short & several sessions could be done in a day. This is a quality product, however, and you get what you pay for! It also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.

See what my TOS Crew Mates have to say about Kinderbach!

I was given a free trial membership for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was given.

Next in the long of math products to review is factsfirst, from the publishers of Saxon Math. Factsfirst is an online math program to help students master addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Each child starts by creating a character – similar to creating a Mii, for you Wii owners. Two facts are introduced in each lesson as the student works towards mastering the problems. 5 minutes of arcade time is rewarded after each section is completed.

The Math Fact Matrix makes it very easy to see what your child has been working on, and where they need improvement.

My kids love this program! They actually ask to use it. They are very motivated to do the timed drills in order to play the games, but they enjoy the lessons as much as they do the games. I like that it works for all of our kids. The older ones use it to really nail down their multiplication & division skills. The younger use it to reinforce what they are currently learning.

You can try a demo HERE

The Nitty Gritty:

• $49.99 for a 1-year subscription, which provides access for 4 students

Value: This is a great value for our family.  My 4 students range from 1st grade to 7th, and they have all enjoyed this. $12.50 per student for a year is a deal for a good program that everyone loves.

See what my TOS Crew Mates are saying about factsfirst!

I received a free 90-day membership for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was given.

The math programs just keep rolling in! We tried out a 2-week subscription to  MathScore, which can be used as a supplemental or full curriculum. It covers 1st grade through Algebra I.

MathScore is a basic, no-frills site with a very comprehensive list of topics. Each topic has a mini lesson, sample problems, and timed online worksheet drills. One of the best features is that it increases the difficulty of the problems if the student has mastered a concept, and it gives additional help in areas where the student is struggling.

I was very impressed by the content, but my kids were not very eager to use it. They like all the bells & whistles. I think this site is perfect for a child who is distracted or frustrated by busy sites. I would encourage you to take advantage of the free trial to see how it works for your child.

The Nitty Gritty:

• First child: $14.95/month (however, the 1st child is only $9.95 for the first 2 months)
  
• Second child: $5/month
• Each addition: $3.95/month

Value: This is a quality site, worth the money if it works for your child. I really appreciate the big discount for more than one child.

See what my TOS Crew Mates are saying about MathScore!

I received a free 2-week membership for the purpose of writing this review. No other compensation was given.