In our digital age many kids are using technology, but are not required to learn proper keyboarding technique. My daughters started typing instruction beginning in 1st grade. We were excited to try the one year subscription of UltraKey Online Family Subscription from Bytes of Learning. This is our first experience with an online based program and I really liked it!    One aspect I appreciated was the initial instruction for how to actually sit at the the computer with proper posture and hand positioning. My daughters hear me talk about this a lot as the posture for keyboarding is similar for playing the piano. I’m their piano teacher so I try to make certain they have proper positioning. It was excellent to have this same information given in the video and the little animation was very helpful.  

 Rose completed our previous typing instruction program and was excited to have something to continue her instruction. You see this is a much smaller keyboard which attaches to a tablet. These are new for our girls. They all enjoy typing this way and while the smaller keyboard is not to my liking, it is actually a benefit to their smaller hands. I gave Rose the option to use the bigger computer and keyboard, but she said she wanted to get used to this because she knew she would be using it for school assignments. This is the beauty of using an online typing program. They can easily switch between computer keyboards if needed and had the option to improve their typing skills on the keyboard they are currently using most often. 

Beth asked if she had to use a table as the video instructed because her favorite place to work is in the living room. I told her she still had to use good posture, so she quickly found a box to use lift her feet and rested the tablet on her lap for typing. She was really excited to see how well she did on the assessment. Both Rose and Beth completed a sort of “pre-test” in order to set their goals. This is excellent if your students have some typing experience. You also have the option to change the goals at anytime.  One of the things I like about the program is the ease of checking everyone’s progress. There is a wonderful family management section where pdf reports can be downloaded. They are very user friendly and you can quickly assess how your students are doing. 

The cool thing about a program like this is the application in other areas. Rose has been completing her writing assignments on her tablet using a cloud document system. I’m noticing marked improvement in her speed as she completes these assignments. 
If you are looking for an online typing program this is an excellent option. It is easy to use and check. You may even want to give it a try to improve your typing!  Don’t forget to check out what my Crewmates have to say!

  I’m super excited to share this review with you! We were introduced to Heirloom Audio Productions last year and my daughters were jumping up and down when Wulf the Saxon arrived in the mail! More than once I was asked if we could listen during our meal-time. How can I not agree when I know we will all love it so much!    Isn’t this cover art gorgeous?!? One of my piano students saw our CD set laying on the kitchen table and immediately wanted to know what this was and if he could listen to it. The old saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” is not applicable! I assure you the story is just as intriguing as the cover indicates.
The dramatized retelling of this classic G.A. Henty tale takes place in the mid-way through the 11th century. It’s a period of history I have not studied much until my oldest daughter spent extensive time learning about last year. This tale focuses on England and the beginnings of the fight for the throne. My oldest daughter really enjoyed it. My younger two not as much. I think the extent of the battles and wars didn’t interest them as much and some of it was a little too intense for my youngest especially. This would lead me to say while there is nothing in any way objectionable with regard to content, it is intense. I think it wise to listen alongside a more sensitive child.
 Rose is 12 and while she is not really thinking about relationships we have been having more and more conversations about marriage and seeking God in this matter. I absolutely adored the love story in this title and the way in which it was presented. At a time when arranged marriages were the normal, especially for the wealthy families, to marry for love was unimaginable. We take this for granted in our society and in all honesty take love for granted. I appreciated how this story showed what real love should be and the struggle it must have been for those in this society to actually marry for these reasons. The marriage which has been arranged for Wulf is not one he wishes. Instead he wishes to marry another girl for love. 

Don’t worry if you have boys though, it’s not all  about love! There are battles, shipwrecks, lords, dukes, and more action and adventure than you could imagine. Rose told me she likes that it is a true story, but not a history book. She loves audio dramas because they are a more interesting way to learn about history. Boys and girls alike will love this tale!     Live the Adventure Club is an excellent way to build your library of Heirloom Audio stories! In addition to the CDs you will have access to digital copies of the stories, soundtracks (my favorite!), and a study-guide resource to use alongside the tales as you listen. As I said before this is a fabulous way to learn history and the study guides will provide even more resources and historical context for your learning including discussion questions, vocabulary, word puzzles, and more. Not only is all of this available for the new tales you purchase, you also have access to an active community of like-minded parents in the forum, videos, movie reviews, old-time radio recordings, and more.  Don’t forget to take a look at what my Crewmates have to say!