Homeschool Review Crew Favorites for 2018

I can't believe 2019 is almost over. Here it is, December 1st, and I get to share with you our favorite Homeschool Review Crew products from the past year. I actually still have one review that will be posting next week, as there was a last minute review. We were so blessed to have received so many wonderful products this year. All in all, it came to 40 wonderful products we will have reviewed for the Schoolhouse Review Crew in 2018. And here I thought I had reviewed less products than last year. Imagine my surprise when I looked back and discovered I only reviewed 36 products in 2017.

While this year has almost come to a close, I received some wonderful news a couple of days ago. I have been accepted back for the 2019 Crew Year! I'm so excited! I can't wait to see what I get to share with you next year.

We had one last Crew responsibility to fulfill before our end-of-year break. It was time to vote for our favorite Crew items, this is known as The Blue Ribbon Awards. As always, this was quite the difficult task as there were 66 different vendors this year. We loved SO MANY of the products we received.

Below you will find the winners in all of the many categories. If we reviewed the product that won, the link will lead to my review. If we didn't review that product, the link will direct you to the Schoolhouse Review Crew anchor post.

Favorite Reading Curriculum – Reading Eggs
Favorite Writing Curriculum – Memoria Press
Favorite Grammar Program – GrammarPlanet
Favorite Vocabulary Resource - Roman Roads Media
Favorite Penmanship Program – Cursive Logic
Favorite Literature Curriculum – Home School Navigator

Out of these Language Arts product winners, we used four of them. Last year Reading Eggs won but we hadn't used it, this year we had, and Harold just loved it. We actually didn't use a writing curriculum this year, though we did use the Memoria Press products during that review period. Amelia was using their New American Cursive, which is what we voted for in the "Favorite Penmanship Program" category.  Tabitha and Amelia both used GrammarPlanet, and we are actually still using it. I did vote for that. As for Favorite Vocabulary Resource, we did use Picta Dicta from Roman Roads Media, but I didn't vote for it as favorite vocabulary resource. Instead I voted for MaxScholar. And we did use Home School Navigator, which we did enjoy; however, I had voted for Branch Out World as our favorite literature curriculum.

Favorite History Curriculum – Drive Thru History Adventures
Favorite History Supplement – Home School in the Woods: A La Carte Projects
Favorite Science Curriculum – Apologia: Anatomy
Favorite Math Curriculum – Whizz Education

History/Social Studies, Science, and Math wrap up the rest of the "core" curriculum categories. Out of the four winners above, we used two of them, though I only voted for one in that specific category. The children weren't old enough for us to use Drive Thru History Adventures, but I have to say, it looks amazing, and with as many awards as it won, I wish we had had a chance to use it. Now, I did vote for Home School in the Woods: A La Carte Projects. However, I voted for them in the Favorite History Curriculum category. We really did enjoy the Ancient Egypt timeline and Tomb Dash! game we used while reviewing Ancient Egypt. For Favorite History Supplement, I had voted for Heirloom Audio Productions: St. Bartholomew's Eve. We didn't review Apologia: Anatomy, so I couldn't vote for that. For science I voted for Northwest Treasures. We really enjoyed their Dinosaurs and the Bible course. As for Favorite Math Curriculum, we did vote for Whizz Education. That has become our math curriculum for this school year.

Favorite Foreign Language Program – Roman Roads
Favorite Fine Arts Program – ARTistic Pursuits
Favorite Elective Curriculum – Code for Teens
Favorite Christian Education Curriculum – Bible Study Guide for All Ages
Favorite Christian Education Supplement – Planet 316

Out of all the elective resources above, we reviewed two of them, though I only voted for one in that specific category. The children have all enjoyed using Picta Dicta from Roman Roads Media. See, I didn't really consider it a "vocabulary" resource, even though it won in that category above. For us, it was a foreign language program, and we are enjoying it immensely. It is perfect for our year of learning about Ancient Rome. As for Fine Arts Programs, we did not review ARTistic Pursuits. It was actually quite difficult for me to choose a product for this category. The children loved the Starry Night pictures we made from Kidzaw, but Tabitha also has been enjoying learning to play guitar with Guitar360. I ended up voting for Kidzaw, only because all the children were able to use it. For us, Kid's Email won hands down for Favorite Elective. They really have enjoyed being able to email friends and family. We did not review Bible Study Guide for All Ages, though I did review their Bible Book Summary Cards for the Single Review Crew a year and a half ago. Those reviews go on the Old Schoolhouse Magazine website. 

Favorite Preschool Product – Starfall Education Foundation
Favorite Elementary Product – Branch Out World
Favorite Middle School Product – The Critical Thinking Co.
Favorite High School Product – The Master and His Apprentices
Favorite Parent Product – Great Waters Press

Of the above resources, we reviewed four of them. We did use Starfall; however, as I didn't use it as a preschool product, but as a supplement for early elementary grades, I didn't vote for it in that category. In fact, I didn't get to vote in that category because I don't have any preschoolers anymore. I have to say, I am glad Starfall won, as the older girls did use it when they were preschoolers and I have always been impressed with the program. As for Favorite Elementary Product, I did vote for Branch Out World, and I was thrilled that it won. We loved our Paddington Bear unit study! When it comes to Favorite Middle School Product, I voted for GrammarPlanet again. However, I will say, Tabitha really did enjoy using the Critical Thinking Detective book. As for the High School category, I don't have any high school students yet (phew), so I didn't vote in this category. That said, we did use The Master and His Apprentices. It was quite a bit over the children's heads, but we will continue using it as we make our way through history. I did not review the book from Great Waters Press. For my favorite product, I voted for Math Essentials.  

The Resource I Didn’t Know I Needed –  Lisa Tanner Writing
Best Online Resource – Drive Thru History Adventures
Best e-Product – Home School in the Woods
Favorite Book or Novel – YWAM
Favorite Audiobook or Audio Drama – Heirloom Audio Productions: Wulf the Saxon

Out of the above resources, we only reviewed one of them. I didn't review Lisa Tanner Writing. For the best resource I didn't know I needed, I went with the resource I didn't realize the kids needed. I voted for Kid's Email in this category as well. Originally I wasn't going to ask to review it. But I changed my mind, and am so glad I did, as the children enjoyed it so much and got great benefits from it. For Best Online Resource, I voted for Reading Eggs. And for Best e-Product, I voted for Planet316. We did review Home School in the Woods again later in the year, this time reviewing the Ancient Greece Timeline. I just hadn't voted for it. For Favorite book, I voted for Forensic Faith for Kids from David C Cook. And for Favorite Audio Drama we voted for St. Bartholomew's Eve from Heirloom Audio Productions. Wulf the Saxon is actually the one adventure we have NOT reviewed from Heirloom Audio.

And for the all-around favorites, a drum roll please...

Kids’ Choice went to – Reading Eggs
Teens’ Choice went to – Drive Thru History Adventures
And the All Around Crew Favorite went to – Drive Thru History Adventures

Each of the children got to vote for their favorite product in the Kids' Choice category. Of course, we didn't have anyone to vote in the Teens' Choice yet. And I got to vote too.

I would like to take a moment to highlight my children's all around favorites. 

Harold loved using Reading Eggs and, yes, he did vote for it. So glad to see it won!

It was no surprise to me when Hannah picked Picta Dicta from Roman Roads Media. During the review I remember hearing her from the other room exclaiming, "I love Picta Dicta!" In fact, I shared it on Facebook.

Amelia also didn't surprise me by voting for Kid's Email. I sure wish they had won an award. Kid's Email is a wonderful product for allowing your children to reach out to friends and family in a safe way. 

I wasn't quite sure what Tabitha would vote for, but wasn't surprised when she chose Guitar 360.

As for me, I voted for Branch Out World. It really was one of my favorite things we reviewed this year.

Don't forget to check out the Homeschool Review Crew blog to see what my fellow Crew Mates have to share about their favorites.