Crayola Experience

LeapFrog Magic Adventures Globe

This Magic Adventures Globe is amazing!! The globe is 10" and spins. The built in 2.7" LCD screen has over 600 BBC, 5+ hours of custom videos so that children can explore countries from around the world. Your child simply uses the stylus and taps anywhere on the globe to trigger videos. They then can watch videos about the country they have chosen. Children learn about fascinating facts about each country while watching videos. The video screen is very clear and crisp. The sound quality is good. There are game features built into the globe. The first is a quiz show where questions are asked and the child has to find the place on the globe that is being talked about. The second is another game called Around the World. The goal is for your child to circle the globe in 20 days or less. This goes country to country and the child has to find the next country that is being talked about via clues. They are told what country to go to and they have to find that country on the globe. A third game is, Where in the World. Clues are given and the child has to figure out where they are going. There is a geology setting. On the globe there are little black triangles and your child can tap those triangles to learn more about geological features in those areas. You can download additional expansion packs from the App Center. These expansion packs cover topics such as dinosaurs, food, art, music, mythology, inventions, and pioneers. This globe is incredible. The intended age for this globe is 5-7 years of age. My daughter is 11-year-old and she really enjoyed playing with this globe. I would definitely say that the age range goes well beyond the intended. The globe requires 4 AA batteries. LeapFrog Magic Adventures Globe is a wonderful learning tool. I would definitely recommend this globe. My daughter has really enjoyed playing with it. It makes learning fun!

Disclaimer ~ I received this product in exchange for my honest review. 

God's Mail ~ A Review

God's Mail Vol. 3 is from the website God's Mail. The verse welcoming those to their site is from Job 32:8 which states, "But it is the spirit of man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives his understanding." The author, Ron Hardin, started writing poems in 1983. According to the God's Mail, it is hoped that Ron's poems provide instruction, correction, encouragement, and comfort to its readers. All of the poems stem from Ron's own personal life experiences and his walk with the Lord. It states, "He has been through every experience that he writes about with the exception of a few, which God gives him prophetic insight."

I spent a quite awhile sifting through the pages of God's Mail Vol. 3. For the most part I love most everything I review. On the rare occasion that I do not, I really try to find positive things to say about every product. I found a lot of his poetry to be a bit dark. Some of the poems were upbeat and joyful. He talks about God, but tends to frequently bring out the wrath of God. I personally feel he misses the point of depicting God as our Father and Comforter. In my opinion, his poems tend to have readers rely more on the messenger rather than on the truth of the Bible. Quite honestly, I would be hard pressed to completely read this whole book. An example of what I am talking about, on page 163, there is a poem entitled, Say When,

Only a fool would repeat the same mistakes over and over again

Because Good give us the wisdom to stop and when to say when

For the hardening of the heart of a child of God is not done by His Hand

It's caused by our lack of obedience to Him and the weakness to take a stand

For the enemy will bring in lust, greed and jealousy just to name a few 

Then rebellion formed from sin will set like cement with you

Allowing your spirit and soul by Satan's hand to be wrung 

As you create your won fortress of misery, discontent and dung

This is how I interpret this poem. The first sentence tells the reader that only fools make mistakes, over and over. I can tell you that I make mistakes over and over. We are by nature, sinful and make mistakes over and over. As a believer, saved by grace, through faith, by the blood of Jesus, I can assure you that, God does not see me as a fool.

  The second line tells the reader that God always gives us wisdom to stop making mistakes. God does give us wisdom. One would hope that as we get older, we would have have obtained wisdom. Wisdom does not always give us the ability to stop making mistakes.

   The third line, tells the reader that the heart of a child of God can be hardened. If you are truly a child of God, your will not be hardened because you are following God and trying your utmost to live in God's will.

   Does the third stanza suggest that the enemy will camp in the heart of a believer and set like cement?  I think, not. If someone does not believe in God and the principles that God has set forth for our lives, then, yes, Satan has a strong foothold. As a believer, we struggle with sin every day but that does not mean that sin has a cement hold in our lives. 

The fourth stanza tells the reader that apparently, all people create our own misery, discontent and dung. Yes, we are all responsible for our own actions. This does not mean that we are always responsible for the things that go wrong in our lives. Some circumstances, beyond our control, create misery in our lives. As an example, if some random thug aims his gun at my house and kills someone in my household, I would no doubt be quite miserable. Having given that example, did I create my own misery? I think, not. 

    There are several more stanzas in this poem but I will not continue to critique each and every line and stanza.

With everything that I have said, I will say that what one person does not like another may find absolutely uplifting and a great fit for their family. I would definitely encourage you to read what other Crew members have had to say about God's Mail and check out the website for yourself. Everyone's faith beliefs greatly differ. After reviewing God's Mail I found Ron's Biblical thinking to differ in opinion from mine. Click the link below.

To read more reviews click here.

Khan Mosaics ~ A TimberDoodle Review

My kiddos had so much fun assembling Khan Mosaics. These vividly colored mosaic tiger and gorilla images use triangular foam, self-adhesive pieces to create life like animal images. Your child simply peel and stick. This art-by-numbers kit is a part of Timberdoodle's, 2019 4th Grade Curriculum Kit. The recommended age is 8-14. 

My kiddos love crafts. They were very excited when they saw this come in the mail. I was glad that two images were included in the package because both of my children were wanted to do it. The directions were very easy to follow. Both of my daughters completed their mosaic in under an hour. 

Directions guide your child step-by-step in placement of the pieces.

My 13-year-old daughter worked on the tiger. 

You need to be kind of careful when placing the large triangles as one 

is a right triangle and the other is an isosceles triangle. The fit will not match but

if your child is not paying really close attention they may accidentally mess these

up especially as the picture fills up more. 

If for some reason you have to peel up a foam piece because you placed it in the wrong spot 

the pieces peel up very easily. The piece may loose some of its stick 

if you need to place it back down in another spot. There are extra pieces given for 

"oops" mistakes. 

Here is the finished Thoughtful Tiger. 

My 11-year-old daughter worked on the gorilla. 

Here is the finished Grumpy Gorilla. 

Here are the tiger and the gorilla side by side. 

The thick decorative backboards are 8 1/4" x 8 1/4". DJECO has many other really cute mosaic sets available that you can order. I know what will be on my holiday list this year. These would make great gifts this holiday season!