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JumpStart 3D Virtual World

April 18, 2009 By

I’ve been buying JumpStart computer games for my boys since they were in preschool. I’ve always found the quality of the games and the amount of educational play combined with just plain fun to be well worth the purchase price. Now JumpStart games are available at the JumpStart 3D Virtual World website, with eye-popping graphics and fun characters!

Free registration on  JumpStart 3D Virtual World includes access to hundreds of adventure-based learning games, movies, songs and more.  Become a member, and you unlock hundreds of customizable games that teach over 60 essential skills in reading and writing, art, music, math, and critical thinking skills.  Aimed at ages 3-10, there is a game to appeal to most every child!

Right now you can save 20% off the regular monthly membership price and pay just $7.99 a month. Or, pay $74.99 for a full year and save 38%. When you think about how much it costs to buy workbooks, rent educational video games, and how much kids have to know just going into PRESCHOOL these days, $7.99 a month (the cost of ONE fast food meal) is an incredible deal.  (I’m not an affiliate for JumpStart 3D and this is not a paid post. They did give me a beta tester code so I could create an account and try out the site.)

Your character in the JumpStart 3D World is called a Jumpee. Jumpeez are guided by the host of JumpStart World,a dog named Frankie. He gives instructions for players to complete tasks as they play, sometimes just by moving their character around, sometimes by going into a Learning Center to play a learning game. This is a screenshot of the World Map:

jumpstart-world-map

At the completion of each learning game, the player earns coins or gems that can be used in other parts of the game to buy the supplies needed to complete a task. The jobs Frankie and other characters give players are designed to teach lessons about being helpful, trying new things, or other character-building traits.

There is so much to do in JumpStart 3D Virtual World! I really encourage you to check it out for yourself. Keep in mind that the free part of the site is only the introductory games, but you certainly don’t have to pay for membership to use the site. Also, the 3D graphics require a high-speed Internet connection and adequate memory. Take a look at the site with your child ages 3-10 and see how much fun it is!

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Orijinz-fun and educational card game

December 24, 2008 By

orijinz-box-front-web-smOrijinz is the fun card game that educates players on why we say the things we do! With 150 cards that each teach the definition and meaning of common words and phrases, it is literally hours of fun and learning.

I’ve been pulling out cards at random and reading them to the boys. Each card has a word Origin, the definition, and some have a “tidbit”, a fun fact about the word. To play the game, one person reads the origin and definition, and the other players try to guess the word. For example, a word whose origin is the Arabic meaning for “storehouse”, definition is a periodical that contains articles and stories, the word is magazine.

I’m planning to take Orijinz with us to visit my sister and brother-in-law, so we’ll have a group of boys ages 10,12, and 15, and four adults. It will be interesting to see how many words we will know. The game is only $14.95, and the “Buy” link on the site goes to a PayPal page. Unfortunately, purchases made now won’t be delivered until at least January 2nd, and for that I owe the sponsor an apology. I was hoping to have this posted by December 19th so there would be time for delivery by Christmas, but I didn’t make it.

If you are looking for a gift for someone who loves to read or learn about language, or a fun game to take to a party, please support my sponsor and pick up Orijinz!

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Looking for advice on homework and other education topics?

October 6, 2008 By

Parents, teachers and administrators looking for advice on homework, writing, test-taking and a variety of other education topics – click no further.

Education expert, Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., known around the nation as Dr. Rick, has launched DrRickBlog.com, a free online resource for parents and educators that offers tips and tools for students from pre-K to high school.

DrRickBlog.com features weekly topics surrounding the latest issues in education, as he shares thoughts, advice and creative ideas. In addition, Dr. Rick’s Blog invites visitors to post feedback and comments with their own views, helping to further the connection among educators and education-focused families throughout North America.

“There is such a wealth of educational information out there that it can be overwhelming,” said Dr. Rick. “According to Technorati, there are more than 112 million blogs on the Web. Yet, there doesn’t seem to be one place to find day-to-day tips to help with the shared responsibility of keeping students on track in their educational careers. My goal is to provide a one-stop source with ‘tricks of the trade’ that I’ve learned from helping parents, educators and students coast-to-coast.”

DrRickBlog.com will include current and relevant news articles, reference lists with additional resources and many other exciting sections as the site continues to expand. It will incorporate an inspirational, informative but light, fun and interactive tone, providing a supportive destination for parents and educators to visit all year long.

Dr. Rick has nearly forty years of experience in education, including his current national position as a senior vice president at Sylvan Learning. He began his career in Baltimore County, Md., working his way from a high school English teacher to an assistant superintendent for the school system’s department of curriculum and instruction. His advice has generated national attention through appearances on The Today Show, Paula Zahn NOW on CNN-TV and The Tom Joyner Morning Show, as well as numerous radio and national magazine interviews.

With a Master of Liberal Arts degree from The Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Rick also holds a Doctorate in English Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland. In addition, he is a member of the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development and the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award of Towson University’s College of Liberal Arts.

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