ABC Mouse--heard of it?

After hearing the commercials for ABCMouse  about 100 times I decided to visit the webpage awhile back. I didn't sign up for the program, but I gave them my email and proceeded to get tons of emails offering huge savings, etc. Well a couple days ago the girls were bored and driving me crazy, and I saw that I had an email offer for more than 50% off---amounting to barely $40 for an entire year subscription to the site...so I said sure and signed up.

SERIOUSLY AMAZING! My girls are addicted and absolutely love it. And I am really impressed with it so far! In case you have no idea what it is, basically it's an online learning program. You can choose the level to start at (from age 2 all the way through kindergarten) and there are thousands and thousands (and thousands!) of activities that relate to reading, math, art, geography, science, etc. etc. If you follow your "learning path" they lay everything out in a really great sequence....or you can hop around and pick activities too. It's also great practice for computer skills---I know my girls were used to using a phone or whatever, but not actually using a computer and mouse.

I started Brielle at the toddler level and Raya at the pre-k level. (***These are actually a little easy for them, but I wanted them to get used to using the computer and navigating the program. Some of the lessons are more challenging then others, and I figure Raya could stand to benefit for letter sound review anyways. I can change her level at any time.) As you complete learning activities you earn tickets that you collect to then "buy" prizes. You can decorate your avatar, your room, buy things for your class pet gerbil, your fish, or even buy your own pets (both girls have bought a bunny so far :-)

Anyways, it may not be a good fit for everyone, but my girls are highly motivated by the system and have played a couple hours each day since we started...I have to make them stop! Raya is old enough that after one day of sitting with her she can now navigate the program by herself and it frees me up to get stuff done around the house while she is still learning.

If you're curious, here are some screenshots of Raya's stuff---to give you a better idea of what all there is!

(Click the photos to enlarge them)

This is the home page overview. In the bottom right you can see Brielle purple girl avatar as well....you can have up to 3 kids per account. Raya has been "shopping" for her avatar girl a lot...today she "bought" the pink dress and glasses for her lol

Here is the classroom. You can see Raya's progress on the right...the school bus moves up towards the school as she completes lessons. There are many lessons to complete before she finished the pre-k series! You can click around in the classroom and open up tons more activites

This is what one lesson on the learning path looks like. She's on lesson 9, and lesson 9 happens to be on primary colors. She clicks all the various activities shown then and earns tickets for doing each one. Then when she completes them all the lesson is done and she earns a prize of her choice, plus a bunch more tickets. 

Raya's room...you can see she bought a fancy bed, stuffed unicorn, xmas lights, etc. :-P

Raya's gerbil "fluffy"....you can buy pieces of the cage to continuously build it bigger 

The pet bunny she bought today. She has to earn tickets to then buy food for it etc.

And example activity....pre-k sight words. Click on a sight word and there are different activities to teach you that sight word! There are also tons and tons of books on this program, and they all read aloud to you too, since Raya can't read yet.

Tons of printables!

An example of "shopping" ....some dolls to buy with your tickets.

Anyways, there is way too much to explain with one blog post, but if anyone is interested in more info just ask and I will try to answer! You can also do a free month trial as well I think. Since I had such a cheap offer emailed to me I just bought it without the trial, but that's an option if you aren't sure.

(And no, I wasn't paid or asked in any way to do this review....just thought I'd share since my girls really love it!)