My littlest boys were beyond excited when the Learning Palette games from Learning Wrap ups arrived for review. We actually got to review a ton of stuff and all four of my youngest children ended up enjoying the contents of that box. They don’t get review products very often and this one looked beautiful and amazing from the get-go.
First, we reviewed the 2nd Grade Math Learning Palette 1 Base Center Kit ($71.99) with Caleb (age 8). This level was all review for him (which surprised me!), but I knew he and I would be able to figure out how the palette’s work more easily without the twins involved — so we started with that.
Once I understood the process (and it really is super easy, it looks way more intimidating than it is) the twins and I played with the Kindergarten Reading 1 Base Center Kit ($61.99). Both of these products were a big hit. In fact, when Grandma arrived this week my twins (age 5) started begging to play what they called “that round phonics game” over and over. She had no idea what they were talking about, but they were excited to show her!
Also included in our box, we found the Learning Wrap up Math Intro Kit w/o CDs ($44.99) plus 10 Days to Multiplication Mastery ($4.99) and 10 Steps to Addition Mastery ($4.99), the Learning Wrap up Vocabulary Intro Kit ($35.99) and Joshua’s absolute favorite LearningPalette.com. If your child only needs to study multiplication you can purchase 10 Days to Multiplication Mastery Wrap up and Book Combo for $12.99 and the same is true if your child only needs to study addition, you can purchase 10 Steps to Addition Mastery Wrap up and Book Combo for $12.99.
Let’s talk about the Learning Palettes first, since they were the cause of the most excitement in my house. These round games are like fancy board games for learning the basic skills of math and reading. Each game set included 40 cards, and each card had a different solution. Using colored disks and the puzzles on each card, we were able to correctly solve the cards and then check our work by flipping the card over. I was worried when I got this out with the twins that they wouldn’t be able to figure out what I was trying to explain, but they got it immediately.
We’ve actually had Learning Wrap ups in the past and my oldest daughter fondly remembers playing with them in the car and solving them. they look like giant keys, and each key in the set has a different set of problems which you solve by wrapping a string from side to side on the key. By flipping over the key, you can see the raised area showing the solution. If the raised area is visible once you have solved the problems, you’ve solved them incorrectly and need to find your mistake. All four of my children were able to solve some of the Learning Wrap ups.
Anna (age 10) loved them immediately and had fun solving the one for simple fractions. She was having so much fun that Caleb and the twins had to get in on it. Today, I was informed that the Learning Wrap ups needed to come with us on our cross-country move because they are fun to play with. So yeah, the kids like them. The part I like is that they are self-correcting and everyone is getting practice. in key areas. The two books included in the sets we got (10 Steps to Addition Mastery and 10 Days to Multiplication Maastery) were extension ideas to use the Wrap Ups and cement the facts. They are printed on newsprint and were my least favorite part of the kits.
LearningPalette.com turned out to be Joshua’s favorite (age 5). He loves any learning game he can play online, and the fact he asked me no less than five times to play “that math game” on the computer today is a testimony to just how much he loves this one. LearningPalette.com is actually very cool because it is just like the physical games, only on the computer you have access to all of the card sets. I was worried when I realized that the Kindergarten level did not have audio instructions, but because it is played exactly as we play the physical game Joshua and Peter did not need verbal instructions. They just played. And because we have a full year subscription, they can keep on going past the cards we have in our sets. LearningPalette.com is $59.99 for up to 5 users. Additionally the company is offering a 20% discount when using the coupon code of HOMESCHOOL.
My Bottom Line: We are having so much fun playing with all of the products included in our very sweet box from Learning Wrap ups, and we love them so much we are thinking about asking for more card sets and wrap up sets for our coming school year. This is one of our most favorite review products ever. Yes, math and phonics practice can be fun.
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