MUSLENRBAC........UNSCRAMBLE! Did ya get it?!

I love word games! Scrabble, Apples to Apples, Boggle, Password(that dates me doesn’t it!LOL).....
I love crosswords, word searches, word jumbles in the newspaper.
Not only does it keep your brain on track and in constant learning mode but it can be switched around and worked into your homeschool curriculum!
BONUS!
Think of the possibilities, spelling words, keywords, vocab words, etc. all put into game form..... your kids wouldn’t know what hit them!
We play many games here because if you do it correctly, games are educational! There are word games as mentioned above, math games like Yahtzee, geography games like Monopoly(there are MANY versions out there), etc.
So... it is safe to say that I love to use my kids spelling words and do word scrambles or unscrambles! We also play games where they have a word and then have to create as many words out of that word as possible! There are many online versions of this but you can also put pen to paper and sometimes this will drill those spelling words into the brain better than anything else!
Since we have started word games such as unscramble for their vocabulary and spelling words..... their spelling has greatly improved as well as their retention for spelling words correctly! Rarely does Mom have to double check their work or help them spell a word!
Gotta love things that do double duty!
You can do this for kids just starting out spelling and use it all the way through adulthood! Just by increasing the toughness of the words!
It also makes for easy games to pack for car trips!
Imagine the possibilities!!!!!!
*Insert evil laugh here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

math...MATH.......M-A-T-H! Next school year prep already!

And while the school year is winding down for us(2 weeks left!) I am already thinking ahead to August and our new school year 2011-2012! I imagine teachers in public school do the same thing as homeschooling parents. I am constantly checking out curriculum's, sites, ideas, forums, blogs, etc. for input on anything that might be a better help for my boys! Always planning ahead, so that when I turn around twice and the new school year is due to start.... I am reasonably ready!LOL
Math is always a big subject in this house, because despite having 2 opposite Math kids(1 loves it, 1 HATES it)... Math and Math vocabulary is something that is in use in our world constantly!
So finding programs that work for an upcoming 8th grader and a 9th grader who really needs to work on his algebra skills..... is a challenge! One I like and relish, because I love my computer time and I love a good challenge!
I have favorite folders on my computer filled with all sorts of sites I have found! Now comes the challenge, checking each one out in depth, comparing prices, reading reviews and then deciding which one will work best for my boys! And since it is a challenging year with 1 in middle school and 1 starting high school..... we may end up with 2 different programs or bouncing back and forth between several so that they get the best of Math available for each individual!
So, are you getting ready for the next school year already.... despite that you are just ending this one?! Or am I the only kooky one?!LOL