Ooh, I didn't realize there was one! We have the Math Secrets book and she has picked up quite a bit of 'fun' from it. He was the first to introduce her to the idea that once she had memorized all her basic squares, cubes, square roots, cube roots, she could use them to find much larger ones:) I think he also spurred her fascination with primes... I should also say that I don't have any need to just keep moving forward linearly on a traditional math path. I just feel like her joy with mayh is something to foster and encourage. I just can't justify making her use anything (at this point) that would stifle that. Yes, I do have her practice more problems in some areas than she would like but on a 'you have to be a hard worker' idea rather than a 'you must do x number of problems' deal.

Ooh, fun:) The ridiculous number of math books, textbooks, supplements, and games around here is a bit out of control, lol. However, I haven't collected nearly so many upper level materials so this will be fun:) Off the top of my head: Life of Fred Pre-Algebra, Algebra, and the Biology one Jacobs Math: A Human Endeavor Foerster's Algebra book Algebra for Dummies Pizzazz Algebra materials Saxon Algebra 1/2 and 1 I just ordered the AOPS Number Theory book as she really has fun with that sort of thing. I have no idea how it will work. No way could she actually take the class. She is severe ADHD and her recent PANDAS diagnosis has involved lots of OCD/strange tics. When she is reading or doing math it is the only time she is not a ball of noise and motion:) and even then, neither activity is quiet or stationary!

Oh! See, that is what I get for posting late at night:) We definitely will finish SM...but this is what she means by 'review.' We somehow have just 'played' with math that there isn't anything new that I can see. She is wanting 'something new.' I would imagine we will finish the final Key to books in the next month or so as well. We also do the SM mental math and challenging word problems, although these are a separate session. In our house math gets (by request) two hour long sessions. One is independent (where she works through things like SM) and one is with me for any new material or questions. This is when she is wanting new material. I have been venturing down the road of chemistry and physics applications of late, and that seems to catch her attention:) I absolutely agree that she must finish them:)

Lol, somehow I managed to post the original before I finished it:) I should also say that we do plan to go through L of F prealgebra...but she has always done L of F as an extra supplement and doesn't seem to see it as 'her real math.' I am not quite sure how that happened:)

We started back to school in the middle of this week...and Alex (newly 6!) accused me of keeping her from math by only doing 'review.' It is true that I have been giving her review problems as part of her independent work plan, and I have been busy with baby Max. The truth is, I am not quite sure where to go with her! She constantly surpasses and short-circuits my plans, and has completed mid December what I had hoped would last for her Kindy year. She has gone through: SM 4B and part of 5. LofF elementary/middle series and Fractions. BA 3A-3D, 4A. Key to Fractions (4 books), Key to Percents (2 books), and Key to Decimals (2 books), Hands on Equations, and random other supplements.The problem is that when she is interested in something we do it on the side-and somehow I am always caught off guard when we move to the next book and discover she already has been doing the work. She thinks she should move into algebra../ I am not completely opposed to this as she has done the first couple of books in the Key to Algebra series, and there are no issues. But I also want something to stretch her imagination/problem solving while still balancing her often very immature mindset. Today I pulled out the Jacobs Math: A Human Endeavor, and it occurred to me maybe I could squeeze a few months out of it. There are so many cool topics, it might be a chance to take what she knows and play with it. Has anybody done anything similar and used it as kind of a bridge or challenge year?is this doable, or am I looking in the wrong direction? Any other ideas completely welcome as well...

There are a range of Montessori style geo apps that are perfect for that age range. My dd started on many of them by Montessorium. I wouldn't say they are the most fun apps, lol, but are sweet and effective.

Lots of great ones mentioned...but for your particular kiddo I would recommend Sum Swamp. Alex loved it at that age. Very basic addition/subtraction, and a bit of even/odd identification. Also, basic card games like go fish and RS math's version Go to the Dump where you make pairs that equal 10 (big friends). For tiny hands, a tip: we took two plastic lids like those from round butter containers. Turn them back to back and insert a metal brad through the center. Now you have a card holder that even the littlest hands can manage:)

Chex is my go-to in various forms as it is fairly easy to adapt:) http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/gluten-free-chex-school-fuel/42a9f550-6d8f-4b18-b433-a994745cc174

National Geographic Geography Bee produces a good apps that Alex likes. There are several levels, including a 'masters'. It is called GeoBee. Eta: the name of the app:) http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/apps/

I don't have a 10 yo, but totally agree that it will depend on the kid and what they have been exposed to. We tried to take my somewhat sensitive dd6 (but in crazy, asynchronistic ways) to see it while on vacation. I erroneously assumed that since she could research,request, and tour the Holocaust museum that the movie would be fine... 15 minutes in she was crying and left the theater because they were shooting at each other. Since that is pretty much what Star Wars is, there was no point in staying😊 Of course, this is the kid who sobbed hysterically at age 4 because Cinderella lost her beautiful shoe😳

I ordered ours from ThinkGeek:)

Have you seen the Rummy Roots card games? You can play it at an entry level as a Go-Fish style game where you match the root with its meaning. My dd6 has learned many, many roots and this game has been very helpful to her:)

Oh no. I am so sorry, it does come across as horrible:( He may have had an awesome, amazingly kind and loving sentiment that he hoped to express...but, yeah. Hugs:(

Yay! This year was a lovely year! Dd (brand new six) loved Lego kits, American Girl, more microscope slides, a big box of preserved specimens for dissection, Leonardo Da Vinci building kits, and new climbing shoes. Baby enjoyed his stacking cups, and a M&D set of blocks in a pull toy...and enjoyed the wrapping paper even more:) Biggest hit was the scavenger hunt to find one last present-a box of books about Washington, DC, and plane tickets in 2 days time:)

Well, our Christmas Eve tradition is to go rock climbing, does that count? This year I say outside at the crag calming the baby in a tank top, slathering sun screen on his baby skin so he wouldn't burn! Very strange.. I gave hubby new volumes and campus rungs for our garage climbing wall/cave so he and dd spent the morning rearranging our wall!

HUGE disappointment for dd6: (pun intended!) I had taken her to the dollar store and gave her money to shop for whatever she wanted. I stayed up front and let her have at it:) she has been so incredibly excited, waiting for me to open it. She tried to give me clues every day. I opened it this morning to find the most ginormous black bra, lol!!! Best present EVER. Hubby and I had tears:) She was so disappointed that it didn't fit...but hey! Got in a math lesson when she said she should have calculated the 'volume!'

If I was doing all the shopping, planning, and cooking I would want a schedule. With definite nights off that the family could plan for, but also because who wants to plan dinner and suddenly realize the family was going out for a pizza celebration? Of course, always room for a bit of negotiation, but I would want it laid out in advance... And what happens if she ends up cooking more or less? Regardless of whether it is due to her schedule or that of the family, I would want a hard and fast minimum/maximum so the family couldn't say 'but you only cooked X so have to pay more rent.' (Unless I didn't meet the min requirements of course)

Not far enough?

This is a slightly different suggestion, but a series l adored:) it is very clean historical Drama about WW2, it is LDS-based, but the series stands completely alone with nothing that would be problematic with Christian faith.. Children of the promise series: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/571508.Rumors_of_War

The guitar pick maker from Think Geek came to mind:) http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/e91b/?itm=126231473085custom0electronics_%26_gadgets%26custom1music_gear%26id9e91b&rkgid=1844138446&cpg=ogpla&source=google_pla&adpos=1o1&creative=46958729205&device=m&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=Cj0KEQiA496zBRDoi5OY3p2xmaUBEiQArLNnK-F8oc9kJGOb2J_cCKPkD1gTJVpbjXX0L0BX-a8ste4aAkJy8P8HAQ But how about music note cookies or guitar shaped cookies?

We have decided to suprise my little activist 6 yo with a trip to DC after Christmas as hubby is off until next semester. I have been once many moons ago, but was walking then. We have plans to hit as many of the major sights as possible in the 8 days we have, and are staying at a central hotel. This trip will be primarily about her and what she enjoys, but our interests tend to run parallel many times:) She is a huge Abraham Lincoln fan (even memorized the Gettysburg Address!), loves science, math, and art. She wants to 'deliver' her letter written about the chocolate industry. Any hints or tips? Is the Metro doable? We are flying into Reagan if that matters... Thanks! Any suggestions

The recipe on that link is missing it seems, but it sounds like the Astoria frosting recipe I use for red velvet. Flour and milk base with butter, sugar, and vanilla? Gorgeous:)

I think it totally depends upon what cake you are making! I have a gorgeous recipe for a Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet cake and frosting that is amazing, and has ruined me for store-bought red velvet/cream cheese forever:). Might be really cool for a December bday. PM me if you would like the recipe:)

Lol, I was going to say the same thing because of our friendship with one of the sweetest little boys on the planet. How perfectly cool that it is the same one:)

A little levity this morning... Last night we had a houseful of kids over as parents shopped. From the bedroom came a loud cry of 'I am doing good!' Automatic reflex had both daddy and I saying 'doing well' guys, not good... There was silence for a moment and then several voices chiming in to insist they were doing good. This went back and forth for a minute, until we realized they were playing superheroes. Apparently, they were indeed, 'doing good.' 😊