Tight writing that doesn’t make me want to skim is always a plus. And this book was one of those. The use of historical material woven into the story was another aspect of this book that I liked. The fact that it was done seamlessly made the story flow. It made me want to learn more about the time period in Korea’s history that it’s referencing.

Summary

In A Crane Among Wolves, our main character is Iseul. She sets out from her village determined to reunite with her older sister who was taken by the King’s men. When taken, women are added to his very large collection of concubines. Iseul is resourceful, but headstrong with a passionate personality that sometimes gets her into trouble.

One such incident brings her into contact with the King’s favorite brother, Prince Daehyun, and they initially clash. It is only after they learn they have a common enemy that their animosity begins to lessen. They begin to work together to bring about a change that will help everyone they care about.

What I think

I liked the characters in this book. Sometimes I have to remind myself that as an adult, many of the annoying and dumb choices made by young characters are because of their age. While there is some of that in this book, it isn’t so often and so egregious that it’s distracting. And there aren’t so many characters that it’s hard to keep track of or confusing.

In addition to the main plot of getting her sister back, Iseul is involved in solving the mystery of who is killing supporters of the king. It keeps things interesting and encourages the reader to observe and pay attention to things along with Iseul. This keeps things moving, and while not entirely connected with their mission, it brings about character development in key ways.

I read through this book quickly because I was interested in the plot, it moved at a good pace, and it had enough mystery and twists to keep me guessing. The friendships that formed throughout the story were fun to read and made me like each character–even when there were surprises. The way the author incorporated true historical facts and made plausible reasons for them to have happened made me like it even more. It is an enjoyable YA book that is great for fans of light romance, Asian characters and political intrigue.

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I know, you’re probably thinking, “What in the world are these Who Was books she’s going on about, and why is she addicted to them?” Welllllll, the collection also includes What Was and Where Is and What is the Story Of books too. It is a series of over 250 books dedicated to the most important people, events and places in world history and culture, right up to present times.

What kinds of topics are there?

Some examples include “Who Was Cleopatra,” “What Was The Boston Tea Party,” and “Where Is Easter Island.” Plus a WHOLE lot more ranging in topics from scientists to artists to athletes to wonders of the world–all significant in understanding the world.

I’ve added several to our shelves this year, but I started my collection several years ago. I love them because they teach important things about the world in a way that’s easy for kids to understand.

Each book is solely focused on the topic at hand–though they do include extra information that is relevant to the time and place that helps explain the person or thing or place. For example, “What is the Constitution,” gives a brief history of what was happening at the time, and what led up to the creation of the Constitution. Then it talks about some of the men who wrote it and how it was ratified and became the law of the United States of America.

Who are they for?

Whenever there is a person or a topic I think my kids should know about, I have them read one of these books. Written at about a 2nd or 3rd grade level, depending on the child, they’re great to read together or alone. The print is pretty large, and there are lots of pictures. Each book is broken up into chapters and runs about 70-90 pages depending on the topic. And adult can read one in about an hour, maybe two.

As we study each home school unit, I gather all of the books pertaining to our unit and include them in our reading. For example, right now we’re studying space, so I’ve added these to our reading list:
Where is Our Solar System
Who is Neil Armstrong
Who is Sally Ride
Who is Galileo
What is NASA

When we did our American Government Unit, I included
What Was the Boston Tea Party
What Was the Declaration of Independence
What Was the Constitution
Who Was Thomas Jefferson
Who Was Alexander Hamilton
Who Was Benjamin Franklin
What is a Presidential Election
Who Was Martin Luther King Jr.
Who Was Rosa Parks
Who Was Harriet Tubman
What Was the Underground Railroad
What Was the March on Washington

Whew…that was A LOT!
The kids (and I) learned soooooo much! They really made the things we were learning in our lessons stand out, while giving all of our topics even more context.
I am not going to list all of the books we’re going to be reading during our Europe Unit, or the ones we read for North America, because that would be even longer, but you can check out the full list at the Who HQ.

And, like I said before, they aren’t just history books. They cover popular bands like The Rolling Stones, authors like J.K. Rowling and artists like Dr. Seuss.

If you want easy to read chapter books that cover important subjects in pop culture, history and geography, I can not recommend these books enough!

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I love to gather my kids up on the couch with blankets and hot cocoa and dive into a good story; well, at least I did when they were younger. But, once kids age past picture books, but aren’t yet old enough for teen or adult fare, it seems there aren’t a whole lot of options unless you’re into Goosebumps…which my 7 year old is not.

That’s why I was super excited to stumble upon the Witches of Orkney series by Alane Adams. This is a prequel series for fans of Legends of Orkney. It’s about witches, obviously, can get you into the spirit of the season, and is perfect for middle-grade kids between 7-12. Younger kids will probably need to be read to, but older kids could tackle it on their own.

Ok, so what’s it about? Well, I’m glad you asked.

The first book is The Blue Witch. It introduces us to Abigail, an orphaned witchling, (young witch) who is starting her first year at Tarkana Witch Academy.

She wants to be a great witch, but she faces bullies and struggles to find friends. An even bigger problem–she’s going to fail out of school if her magic powers don’t show up soon.

In her quest to fit in, things don’t always go as planned, and she isn’t immune to influences that do not have her best interests at heart.

You can listen to/watch the author read the entire book, chapter by chapter, on her YouTube channel. It’s a fun way for kids to listen and each video auto plays into the next.

Book 2, The Rubicus Prophecy picks up where the first book leaves off.

Abigail is starting her 2nd year at Tarkana academy, taking her classes, trying to resist an evil spell book that wants her to use it, and learning about the famed Rubicus Prophecy–about the chosen one who will break the God Odin’s curse over the witches–as it becomes the talk of the school.

Once a mysterious ship arrives, she and her friend Hugo are swept up in a mystery quest searching for a missing object with a by from the ship. Then she learns she must stop the Rubicus Prophecy or everyone she cares about could be destroyed.

Book 3 is Witch Wars, and it’s brand new!

Since the end of the Rubicus Prophecy things have not been going well for Abigail. After throwing off the balance of powers between the witches, Gods and regular humans, she is determined to fix it before war erupts and destroys them all.

With the help of friends, she’ll have to outwit foes who are trying to stop her. But, the outcome is far from certain. Will Abigail and Hugo be able to turn things around and bring peace?

What I like about this series it that it’s a pretty easy and quick read for middle-grade readers. It’s a fun one to read aloud too. The books are full of suspense that isn’t too scary, but lends enough sorcery, witches and magic to make it fit right in with October fun.

Abigail is a nice girl who struggles following her heart when witches are “supposed” to be mean and hard hearted. It’s great for lessons on friendship, being yourself, overcoming challenges and learning a bit about Norse mythology too.

My daughter and I really enjoyed the Witches of Orkney series. The stories are a bit simple and not very in depth; and the world isn’t fleshed out fully, but they’re fun and there is always something happening.

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I’ll start out by saying I’ve never been opposed to homeschooling (other than maybe when I was younger, not a parent and very uninformed). We made the decision pretty early in the summer, before our local district came out with its back-to-school plan. I even considered it for my 12-year-old son and my 7-year-old daughter even before all of this craziness started.

However, this brings me to my first lesson:

Old habits die hard

I have always loved school. All the subjects (well, except for calculus). All the books. All the things. Traditional school and I were made for each other. I’m a sit in your desk, fill out the worksheet, do your assignment and turn it in kind of person. So naturally, I always planned to put my kids in traditional school.

Over the past decade, however, my ideas about education, learning and school have evolved quite a bit. I know that traditional school isn’t always best. There are many avenues to education and for fostering a love of learning. Especially for kids with learning differences like mine–ADHD and gifted.

I’ve seen how my son struggled when he was thrust into middle school without the organizational, focus and other skills necessary to navigate multiple subjects and teachers well. But, my brain automatically wants to go the traditional route. It gets frustrated that he isn’t able to “do it the same way as me.” Ugh, and then I feel guilty because his brain is doing the best it can. We don’t have to sit in desks. There doesn’t have to be exactly scheduled class times. We don’t have to have “assignments.”

The old habit of how “school” is supposed to look and work is a hard one to shake, but one that I am working on every day.

Magic and the Mundane Can Coexist

You know how sometimes you think of something and picture it in your mind, but then the reality of it is so vastly different that you have no idea how you even thought they were related?

Like how you probably thought parenting would always be awesome, with lots of snuggles and story time and your child would never behave the way that other child is…. But as I’m sure you know by now, that vision is perhaps a tiny sliver of reality.

As I homeschool this year I am constantly fighting between my vision and my desire for my kids to be “prepared” for the future and college. The old habit of what my kids “need” to be learning and doing is strong. It is a constant back and forth. But I also want them to have fun, learn at their own pace, have time to explore, discover and get an education akin to the fun, magical one Julie Bogart talks about in her book The Brave Learner (This book changed my life!)

What I’ve learned is that they can coexist. Every moment doesn’t have to be magical and serious learning can also be fun. There is room for a math workbook and an impromptu poetry jam over lunch.

Education is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

I have a wonderful character trait that causes me to get so excited about things that I want them ALL RIGHT NOW! (It’s great, I promise, lol) Like, I want to travel to all the places; I want to read all the books; I want teach them all the things…immediately.

It gets a little intense, until I remind myself to take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember that as with most things in life, there’s time. We can’t (nor should we) cover everything we’re interested in all at once. The unit study curriculum we have from Gather Round Homeschool has such fun, awesome units that we’re so excited about. It is designed so we could finish one per month–but when I actually read through the lessons I realized there was SO much to talk about with each subject I’ve had to pause and reassess my timeline so that we’re not rushing through everything just to finish.

Deep breath. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and we can push some units back to next year if we need to. See…progress.

Feeling Inadequate Is Normal

I have read a lot blog posts, books and websites about homeschooling in the past few months. One thing that experienced homeschooling families always say is a feeling of inadequacy; not doing enough; being behind; not doing the things you should be doing are all perfectly normal.

They’ve felt them too, and they continue to feel them, even though they’ve homeschooled several children into successful adulthood.

I know a lot of parents are feeling overwhelmed with the prospect of teaching their children this year. It’s a completely natural response to feel your skills are insufficient when something unexpected is thrust upon you. But, it does bring me much needed confidence, strength and hope that it seems to be a universal feeling. I’m not alone. I’m not going to mess up my kids. They’ll learn what they need to and be perfectly fine going into future years of schooling, whether its a home or back in traditional school.

And, on days when I’m feeling way out of my depth, I turn the learning over to some of our favorite educational resources get the job done.

I know that as this school year goes on, we’ll get into a better rhythm and routine. I’ll know more about what they need and how to make their education meaningful and fun. But as it stands, we’re only a month in and I feel like I’ve received quite the education already.

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But, searching through all of the books was time consuming and with a toddler/preschooler, you know they don’t have much attention span. That’s why I compiled this list of books about the ocean for preschoolers, so that you save your time and just pick up some awesome books. You’ll also likely build life-long memories about the sea and the amazing creatures in it.

The Big Book of the Blue
If you have a little one who loves this ocean, this book is amazing! The illustrations are well done, with lots of color. While staying age appropriate, it also gives lots of really cool facts about the ocean and the animals that live there.

Somewhere in the Ocean by Jennifer Ward. A counting book of different sea animal mothers and their babies.

Simple and fun to look at, this is a great beginning book about the ocean and its animals.

I’ll Follow the Moon by Stephanie Lisa Tara, is a book about sea turtles finding their way from their nests into the ocean. It was inspired by a night when the author saw hundreds of sea turtles crossing the beach in the moonlight outside her home in Florida. The illustrations are adorable and the repetition is perfect for little ones.

If I Were a Whale by Shelley Gill, is rhyming board book describing different types of whales with easy to understand facts like where they live and what they eat. Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers alike.

One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies is another cute book about sea turtles making their way to the ocean. Written both in easy to read and understand prose and smaller text that gives more “facts” about sea turtles, this book blends fiction and non-fiction beautifully.

A Swim through the Sea by Kristin Pratt-Serafini is an alphabet book for parents and children. Each letter represents a different sea creature, with an alliterative description led by a cute seahorse.

Save the Ocean by Bethany Stahl is a fictional, easy to follow story with pretty illustrations. It teaches kids about the need to save the ocean through recycling and conservation.

Flying Deep: Climb Inside Deep-Sea Submersible Alvin by Michelle Cusolito lets readers experience a day in the life of an Alvin pilot. You’ll join scientists at the seafloor to collect samples and conduct research. Alvin is a robot/submarine that can travel deep into the water to discover things there. It also explains how Alvin works, describes the author’s research, and includes a glossary and further reading list.

Hooray for Fish by Lucy Cousins is one of my favorite books about the ocean for preschoolers. It’s very simple and perfect for toddlers, but my seven year old still loves it too. The illustrations are fun a whimsical and the rhyming and poetic writing will keep them engaged.

The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson is a beautiful rhyming book about a snail in search of adventure. He finds a whale who takes him on one and they become friends. But when the whale is in danger, will the tiny snail be able to help?

Manfish: A story of Jacques Cousteau by Jennifer Berne, is an easy to understand, large text story about Jacques Cousteau. The illustrations are fun and the story about the famous oceanographer is engaging, even for little ones.

Down, Down, Down, a Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Steve Jenkins, has beautiful illustrations. Plus, this simple word story about creatures of the deep will keep young children fascinated by the interesting facts they learn.

With this list of books about the ocean for preschoolers, your little one is sure to satisfy their love of the ocean and sea animals. And they’re a beautiful addition to your home library too!

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Well, with some intention and thought, creating a home library on a budget that everyone in your home can enjoy can be fun, not break the bank and leave you some walking room too.

Why is a home library important?

Keeping good books around is a vital part of encouraging kids to read. The better stocked your library, the more likely they are to pick them up and want to read them. The more they want to read them, the better readers they’ll be. They are the stories that help them fall asleep, and the books they reach for at story time. But it isn’t just the quantity of books–the quality of the books matters too.

Our home libraries are usually a combination of books we enjoy, books that show off what we aspire to be, and books that project what we want others to think about us as well. Building it can also reflect who you are at a given time, what your interests are and what phase of life you’re in.

When you get the right books in your library, they can become the books you treasure and go back to again and again.

Knowing your why

Simon Sinek is famous for helping entrepreneurs discover why they are in business and why they exist. It helps you figure out what you’re doing and move forward.

Well, the same can be said for your home library. These are a few questions you can ask yourself:
Why do you want one?
Why are you building it?
Who is it for?
What purpose will it serve?

The answers don’t need to be too deep. There isn’t a department of home libraries giving out permits or licenses. This is your thing, and it can be whatever you want, for whatever reasons you want. But, having an idea of what you do want, will help you not go crazy and buy everything you see just because it’s there.

My library of books has been a work in progress for most of my life. I’ve always loved books and had a large collection. But, when I left home for college I left most of them behind, as many people do. Then my parents moved, and most of them were “lost.” So, I’ve spent the majority of my adult life building my collection back up, adding favorites and finding new ones.

I want to have a home library filled with books from my childhood and teen years that I want my kids to read too. Maybe to pass on to them or my grandchildren some day. I want to be able to pick up a book at any time and be reasonably sure I’ll like it. It is for me and my family–perhaps my kids even more than myself–because I want them to love reading and have a varied collection.

See, not too difficult or deep. Once you know why you’re building a library, it’s easier to know what to add and be more selective about the books you’re choosing. This helps you save money by not wasting it on books you’re unlikely to enjoy.

Choosing books for your home library

When building my library, now I often go for quality over quantity. But, that has not always been the case. When my kids were little we were reading so many stories all of the time that I would often pick up anything that looked interesting or thought they may like just to give us more variety. Especially inexpensive ones. My goal was to have as many books as possible.

But, now my goal is to be a bit more careful in choosing and think about what my kids and I will enjoy rather than just adding a book because it was $2. Which is fine, because libraries aren’t stagnant. They should be constantly changing and growing depending on what stage of life you’re in, what the purpose of your library is, and what your current needs are.

When it comes to choosing books for your library, go back to your purpose and what types of books you like.

Are you a fan of mysteries? Of fiction, non-fiction, classics or romance? Do you want a large, varied collection, or a smaller more specialized one? All of these choices are up to you and what you want because your library is yours!

How to build a library on a budget

So, now you know what kind of books you want, and why you want to go about creating a home library. But, how do you do it without breaking the bank?

There are lots ways to go about it, but I’ll talk about just a few.

Remember when I said up there that I used to get LOTS of kids books? That was mostly through Scholastic Book Clubs. They have such great deals on books that it can be hard NOT to go crazy and get everything. Just remember your why. (Which, if it is to have as many books as possible, go as crazy as you want!) They’re a great budget-friendly option!

The books I am most likely to get are classics, award winners and popular series for my kids. That way I know they’ll be good quality, and they’re books I really want my kids to read. We are currently getting a monthly subscription box of books that I, and my girls LOVE, which helps us diversify and get books we wouldn’t normally find for ourselves too–but can return if they aren’t something we want to keep.

For myself, I rarely buy a book that I’m unsure of. I’ve either read it before, or I’ve read a sample and was intrigued by the story, or I’ve read a book by the same author and can reasonably assume I’ll like their other books too. I do pick up classic works that I haven’t read, but want in my collection because I feel like they should be there. I’ve gone through several of them during the past six months, so I’m happy I had them.

It isn’t very often that I buy a book at full price either. I love discount and second hand book sellers. They keep great books in circulation, and I get to add more books that I really want to my library for a great price.

Also, you don’t have to get everything at once either. Sometimes I forget this little fact and want sooooooo many. That’s why I keep a list in the notes app on my phone. I can search for books I want and add them when I have a bit extra in my book budget that month.

Finding Space for Your Books

Once you’re creating your library, space is definitely a factor. Even when you’re careful, adding too many books can be a problem if you have a small area. Having many different places for books can help with this. A bookcase in multiple rooms, shelves on the walls, or even in a basket.

And if they really are getting too unmanageable, it could be time for a book culling. Go through your books and pull out any that you just really don’t want anymore. Maybe you read it and didn’t love it. Or can’t even remember why or where you got it in the first place. Donating your books to the library or a charity is a great option. Or selling them to a secondhand book store can be even better.

As you create your home library, just remember the two most important things to think about are why you want a library at home and the types of books you want in it. With the answers to these questions in mind, you’ll be able to create an awesome home library over time that you and your family will love.

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There’s just something about middle grade fiction that speaks to so many emotions. To the challenges and the process of growing up that make them essential reading.

I’ve also found that the character and plot development is often superior to many young adult and adult fiction books. Maybe it’s because they have to catch and keep a young person’s attention and so there has to be a real plot and interesting characters right away. Or maybe because they have to write more simply and straightforwardly than books for older people. Whatever the reason, I come away from my middle grade reads feeling satisfied. Like I learned something, gained valuable insights, or just had fun reading in a way that I often don’t with “grown up” books.

What makes must read middle grade book?

Obviously taste is subjective, and what one person loves another person could really, um, not. But, when books win awards for outstanding children’s literature, there’s usually a pretty good reason! Now, not all of these fall into that category, but many do.

A book is a must read if it has important life lessons that can help you grow and become a better person. The characters develop and change as the story goes along; and you as the reader grow and change along with them. The story often helps you as the reader look at the world from a different perspective.

All of these books are on this list because I feel they have these qualities. So, here are some of my must read middle grade books, in no particular order:

Witch of Blackbird Pond

Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare, is one of my all-time favorite books. Speare is known for her historical fiction, and this one won the Newbery Medal in 1959.

It begins in 1687 and tells the story of Kit Tyler, an English girl born and raised in Barbados. She is the wealthy granddaughter of a prominent plantation owner. Kit travels to Puritan Connecticut to live with an aunt she’s never met and finds she doesn’t fit in with the very different way of life. She ends up meeting an old woman, who also doesn’t fit in, and they become friends. Will Kit learn to be more like her cousins, will she ever fit in? Prejudices and superstitions threaten from all sides.

I love it because it shows the strength of character Kit has. And that even though your beliefs may differ from someone else, judgments, prejudices and treating people badly just because they’re different is not ok.

Wrinkle in Time

Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle is the first book in a fantasy/sci-fi series that won the Newbery Medal in 1963.

It tells the story of Meg Murray and how she travels through space and time along with her little brother and friend to save her dad, who is a scientist, and has disappeared. They are helped by a neighbor who turns out to be a supernatural being. They travel to other planets and meet fantastic creatures on their journey.

It a fun story, full of challenges, surprises and requires a lot of emotional growth from Meg.

Maniac Magee

Maniac Magee, by Jerry Spinelli has been one of my favorites since I was about 12. It won the Newbery Medal in 1991.

This book covers themes of racism, inequality and how we have the power to come together as a community. It tells the story of Jeffrey, “Maniac” Magee who is an orphan boy looking for home when he stumbles upon the town of Two Mills, which is racially segregated east and west. He has a special talent for athleticism and being helpful to people, and becomes a local legend.

I love this book because instead of the main character really changing and growing a lot, its the others around him that he has a positive affect on. By being himself, and being ignorant of the tensions that divide his adopted town, he draws others together.

Wonder

Wonder, by R.J. Palacio is about a 10 year old boy with severe facial deformities who is entering school for the first time in 5th grade because his parents want him to experience the world and find a place in it outside his loving home. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell real friends from fake, to stand up for others in the face of bullies and to see people for who they are on the inside.

I love this book because it changed my heart and couldn’t wait for my kids to read it. It is filled with wit, wisdom and character-building precepts courtesy of English teacher Mr. Browne, that I think is a beautiful way for children–and adults–to find compassion for others.

Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1978 and is a beautiful tribute to friendship and growing up.

It’s about 2 unlikely friends who create a secret magical–to them–place in the woods near their homes. Here they can play and rule in their land of Terabithia. Some of the book deals with bullying and understanding that people have stories that we often don’t know about, but should treat them kindly anyway.

SPOILER ALERT FOR PARENTS: Near the end of the book, one of the children dies in an accident and the other characters deal with their grief and guilt.

I love this book and recommend my children to read it because of the themes that it deals with and life lessons that the characters learn. From dealing with class differences, having compassion for others, and friendship, this story stays with you for a long time.

Tuck Everlasting

Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt is consistently on lists of the top chapter books for children and has won several awards.

It tells the story of a wealthy girl in a small town at the turn of the 20th century. She is bored with her life, stuck behind the fence of her house and always made to act like a lady. One day she sneaks out to the woods across the road and sees a teenage boy drinking from a spring. She wants some water, but he insists she not drink it, and she isn’t happy about it. Finally he has to tell her why not–because it will give her eternal life.

The story is about immortality and how it may not be as great as it seems. It’s also about friendship and doing the right thing and what it means to be alive.

I love this book because of the simple, yet complex theme that it tackles and does so in such a concise and interesting way. It’s a short book, with prose that is easy to follow, but the story is engrossing and well done.

The Little Prince

Originally written in French by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince is a very short story with profound meaning about living life in the best way possible.

The story is told by a narrator, an aviator crash landed in the Sahara Desert. He’s trying to repair his plane when he meets “the little prince.”

The little prince has come from a tiny little planet where he lived alone with a beautiful rose. He decided to visit other planets to see if there was somewhere he might like better because he felt the rose wasn’t treating him well.

The book then describes the other planets and what he finds there, finally arriving on Earth and meeting the narrator. It’s largely a commentary on childhood versus adulthood and what makes life beautiful.

I love it because it’s simple, yet vague and can seem complicated at times. There’s symbolism and great life lessons to be taken from it.

The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry rivals Witch of Blackbird Pond in my favorites. Winner of the Newbery Medal in 1994 and is often read in middle school English classes.

It tells the story of a boy named Jonas as he approaches his 12th birthday in his Utopian community. Everything is planned out and organized to give citizens the best outcome.

After Jonas is given a unique job and learns from The Giver he begins to see his community isn’t all he thought.

I love this book because it is both exciting trying to discover what’s really wrong in this society. It’s also terrifying once you discover what is happening. It also shows you what can happen when one person is willing to stand up for what he believes in.

There are 3 other books in the series, Gathering Blue, Messenger, and The Son that follow the characters that Lowry wrote several years later that I highly recommend.

This list is by no means complete, but these must read middle grade books are a great place to start! What are your favorite middle-grade reads? Tell me in the comments below!

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I talk in detail about the Kiwi Co line of subscription boxes in this post and a bit on our Educational Resources page, but this post is all about the Eureka Crate specifically and why we’re fans of it in our house.

What is the Eureka Crate?

I guess we should start with the most important question. What exactly is the Eureka Crate? It is a monthly subscription box sent to your door with a STEM related project inside that gives teens (and adults) a hands-on lesson in the design process and uses engineering skills to make things that solve real-world problems.

As the most advanced of the Kiwi Co lines, it’s meant for ages 14 and up, or kids with more advanced skills. Especially those who have experience with the Tinker Crate which is for 9-16 year olds.

Eureka Crate challenges brains, builds skills and encourages creativity.

What are the projects like?

Each month a different project of varying difficulty arrives in the mail. They vary between fun and more practical projects.

This is a 2-in-1 lantern that we actually used when the kids camped in the backyard.

This fun table tennis robot lets you practice your ping pong skills in a small space–without a partner.

He’s also made a desk lamp, a table fan and a lock box.

What comes in the box?

All boxes come with the pieces needed for the project, and a few spares.

There’s also the instruction book that gives step by step instructions with pictures.

Near the back of the book there is more about what went into the design, and how to take the skills even further.

Who is the Eureka Crate for?

This particular line is for teenagers and up because the projects are more involved and complicated than those in the Tinker Crate. It’s officially for ages 14+, though we have it for my 12 year old. But, he did have the Tinker Crate for a year and wanted something a little more advanced. He sometimes feels that the Eureka Crate projects are a bit too complicated/hard though.

The Eureka Crate is appropriate if your child is really advanced in engineering and building, has used the Tinker Crate line for a while, or is of the “appropriate” age.

How much does it cost?

The Eureka Crate, like all the others, is a subscription with a few options. There is monthly, which costs $29.95. If you get a 3 month subscription it’s $28.95/month. For 6 months the price drops to $26.95/month and the best value is the 12 month subscription at $24.95/month.

We opt for the 12 month subscription because I know we’ll want it that long anyway, and I like the nearly $200 in savings over the monthly price. We give it as a gift for a birthday or Christmas. We’ve also had grandparents contribute because they know we prefer quality activities over a quantity of toys.

Final thoughts on Eureka Crate

If your teenager is into building things, likes engineering, science or math, this box is a great option. It will help them learn more about those things, and give them practical applications–without you having to come up with ideas or find supplies all the time.

Here’s the final project:

The post Eureka Crate: Stem Engineering and Design Subscription Box appeared first on Vibrant Mom Society.

There are so many options when it comes to teaching our kids. Learning at home is where the greatest amount of time is spent. But sometimes it can seem like a burden, because we aren’t sure just what to do. Or how to do it. Or even have the energy to spend time planning and gathering materials and making it happen.

That’s why subscription boxes can be such a game changer. When you choose the right one, it can save you time and energy, plus help you teach your kids a little better.

Why Subscription Boxes For Kids

In general, a subscription box is sent monthly to your house and includes something for your kids to do. The point is to have something regular for kids to look forward to. It’s something for them to do, and often to learn and practice something they’re interested in too.

I was not an easy or early convert to this concept. But then I changed the way I thought about it, and now we get several different subscriptions for my kids–it’s one of my favorite things.

Finding the right one

The key to finding good educational subscription boxes for your kids is knowing what they’re into, and finding one that meets your criteria. It should be both fun for your child and keep them engaged and learning like you want.

There are sooooooo many options for most interests you can think of, for any age range–from babies to teenagers. Here are some of the categories your kids may like and what I recommend for each one.

For cooking I recommend Raddish Kids. It go into a whole lot of detail about it in this post, and even more in this one. I like it because it’s easy enough for kids to follow, especially because it uses pictures for its recipe cards. There is a monthly theme that’s often to do with cuisine from a different country, but sometimes follows the time of year–this month was all about lunchtime. And it comes with a high-quality utensil or cooking device to use with one of the recipes.

For reading and books we LOVE our Literati box. I did a lot of searching before deciding on this one, and am so glad that I did. All of the details about it can be found in this post, but basically you get 5 books each month that you can choose to keep or send back. The pricing is the same or cheaper than Amazon, so you know you’re getting a great price too. They’re all based around a theme like friendship or space or adventure. They come with a beautiful art print and little extra goodie (like a book mark, friendship bracelet, cootie catcher game, etc.) to keep. I like this one because the base price is a whole lot lower than other options, and I get a variety to choose from.

For all-around variety and value nothing beats KiwiCo and their line of crates. All the details about them are here in this post. They have different options for babies all the way up to teenagers, focusing on STEAM–science, technology, engineering, art and math. And you can switch between crates at any time. My son has tried the Tinker Crate and Eureka crate (for engineering) and my daughter will be getting the Kiwi crate.

For science we’ve used the Young Scientist’s Club based on the Magic School Bus and my kids love it. Everything you need to complete experiments is in the kit (except water) and there are 6-7 experiments to complete each month.

Kids have many more interests than these, so check our some more options at Crate Joy.

Making it cost effective

I was not on board the subscription train for a long time because I thought they were just expensive and not worth it. I thought I could find the materials and put things together myself for a whole lot less. Which may be true in some cases, but a subscription saves you so. much. time. And energy. And mental space. Because they’re put together by people who do this full time. Especially the ones I listed above.

But, to make it have the most value, you need to look at what you get and what you want them to get out of it carefully. The reason I chose Raddish Kids was because after looking at the other options (and there are many) I liked that it checked off my criteria. The emphasis on building skills and not just making things; the way it was presented; and what was included both in the box and online– dietary substitutions, and additional recipes.

Same thing for Literati–the base price is only $9.95, so it’s not such a large monthly investment. I also get several books for the same price as many other boxes that only include 1 book plus extra goodies we don’t need. My goal is building our library, not adding to our clutter.

Another way to make it cost effective is buying the full year subscription all at once. It’s almost always cheaper on a per box basis that way.

We then give them as birthday and Christmas presents. They’re gifts that keep on giving throughout the year instead of ending up in the corner after a few weeks.

Or, view the price as class or camp you may sign your child up for. You’re spending the same amount of money, but just for a different thing.

How to use your subscription box

The beauty of having something fun and engaging for your kids to look forward to is that you’re in charge of how and when they can do their box.

Want to reserve them for rainy days? Cool.

Want to let them open it up and start on their project as soon as it lands on the front porch? That’s cool too.

If you’re homeschooling or remote learning this fall, add it to their curriculum. It will give them a little something extra fun to do and learn.

The point is, there’s no wrong way to use your educational subscription boxes with your kids. The important thing is them learning and have fun–and you having the time, mental space and energy to use for things other than keeping your kids entertained all. the. time.

The post Educational Subscription Boxes for Kids appeared first on Vibrant Mom Society.

(I want to make clear that yes, I know that in the grand scheme of things, canceling a trip is not a big deal. But, it’s still disappointing.)

We are all a bit bummed, so we decided to make a virtual trip instead. And where else would we start but with the food? Because eating our way through a country is one of the best ways to get a feel for its culture.

Seriously, a lot of times whenever we go on a trip, trying local food is 90% of what we do, and bring back with us if we can.

Spain is one of the largest countries in Europe and has several different regions known for different things. Some for wine and grapes, some for beaches, others for ham so soft and tender it practically melts in your mouth.

To make our virtual food trip both authentic, and simple enough to actually make, we decided to use our Spain box from Raddish Kids. I talk about a lot in this post, but basically it’s an awesome themed box that arrives monthly full of delicious recipes, culinary quizzes, a high-quality cooking tool to be used for one of the month’s recipes, (like a spatula, tongs, masher, whisk, measuring cups, etc.) and some extras to help you learn more about the theme. I love that it helps me have fun while cooking with my kids.

Inside our Spain box the recipes were for Tapas, Spanish Paella and Churros. Tapas are small plates, like appetizers, meant to be finger foods. These were such a hit in our house we’ll definitely be making them again:

Dates wrapped in Bacon, Roasted potatoes and Pan con tomate (bread with tomato) They were all sooo good, and my kids loved them.

While this paella isn’t the most authentic version (there aren’t shellfish, thank goodness) it is pretty close, and definitely kid friendly. Those people at Raddish really do know what they’re doing.

And for dessert we used our included piping bag and made churros with chocolate sauce. I loved that my daughter could help and learned how to use a piping bag to make these .

Oh. my. goodness. They’re delicious! Ours are even gluten free and they turned out perfectly. The combo of the cinnamon sugar, and the chocolate is simply divine.

While eating I quizzed the kids about the different regions in Spain and what they’re famous for, and they colored them in on the included map. (Valencia for oranges!) We also practiced some basic Spanish words and phrases that were included. Since B and K already know them all because they’ve had Spanish for years, they taught them to C who hasn’t. It was fun watching them practice together.

We love all of our Raddish Kids cooking boxes because they make cooking together so fun and easy. The recipes are always delicious, and often more simplified and kid friendly than some strictly “authentic” versions of food. (Like with the Paella not having shellfish or their French Nicoise salad that doesn’t have tuna or green beans. But, I like these versions better myself, so I’m not complaining!)

We especially adore the boxes dedicated to a specific country because we love eating foods from around the world. This box was especially appreciated since it helped us feel a little better about not being able to be there in person–and everyone gobbled everything up too!

The post Cooking with Kids: A Trip to Spain appeared first on Vibrant Mom Society.