Deals for Mum : Mathletics & Spellodrome review and giveaway



Deals for Mum previously caught my eye and set my imagination running wild with their Concierge deal.

Today, however, I'm spruiking their fabulous Mathletics and Spellodrome deal.

Kat from Deals for Mum was kind enough to offer me the opportunity to test out both Mathletics and Spellodrome, in the lead up to a fabulous deal she will have up on Deals for Mum.

And when I say test them out, I mean really put them to the ultimate test - a 5yr old with a very short attention span, and a very low frustration threshold.

A bit of background on the "guinea pig" for this review

Miss5 is not a concentrator.  At all.  Ever.  Unless it's a cartoon or ad on TV.  Then she's all ears.  Also if it's an adult conversation taking place that is not intended for her ears.  Or if I'm attempting to stealthy open junk food in another room.  All that stuff she hears and takes in brilliantly. 

When it comes to learning, school and educational stuff - she tunes out.  I've often joked with her teacher that if only they could put the teacher in another room hooked up to a web cam or video camera, and broadcast the teaching over the internet or television - then Miss5 (and no doubt most other kids) would be totally enthralled and paying attention, on the assumption that they were watching TV.

I know I'm not the only parent who feels this frustration, right?

A bit of background on the programmes 

• No matter what age your child is, these programmes will suit them.  They have activities suitable from 5yrs - 18yrs.

• Activity level options are targeted at schooling, so you can select Year 1, Year 2 etc. if you're unsure what your child should be learning.

• There's advanced stages if your child is finding their relevant level easy.  This I love, because it gives you something to aim for, should your child want something a little more challenging.

• The games are fun, and they capture and hold a child's attention - something that is quite difficult in this day of instant gratification and flashy electronic games and gadgets (OMG...flashy electronic games and gadgets...I totally sound like my mother...).

• Your child earns rewards as they proceed through the games.  Miss5 absolutely loved seeing that she was working towards something, and got so excited when she earnt an award or bettered her previous score on a game.

• There are tests for each level, so you can see just how much your child has learnt.  I love this, because I'm not a teacher, I don't know how to gauge exactly what information Miss5 has retained and truly learned.  This helps show me that she really has taken the information in, and not just stared at the screen and 'fluked' the right answer.

• You can play live competitions against other people or against the computer.  Interactive.  Cool.

• Statistics are readily available for parents to see where their child is having difficulties and where they are excelling.  Another area I found brilliantly useful, and I even mentioned the results to Miss5's teacher and speech therapist on occasion.

• There is a weekly report that you can have emailed to you.  Love, love, love this for older children.  The weekly report will give you a true account of what your little darling has done that week.  You think your child is doing their work as they type away, but are they actually on Facebook or stalking the Justin Bieber chat forum instead?  (This is totally what I expect from the conniving Miss5 in future years...but I'm on to her, so I say BRING IT!).  

Mathletics

This was a mega hit with Miss5.  In fact, she loved it so much she didn't want to log off and try out Spellodrome.

Creating her own personal avatar (hair, face, background, clothing - the works) totally won her over before she'd even started the learning.  Learning that is cleverly and stealthy doled out via fun games, tutorials and tests.

I love that there is the option to choose "something harder" if you are blessed with a child who excels at the activities designed for their age range.  Miss5 didn't want to try this, because she was so pleased at actually understanding and being able to progress through her own age-range of activities. 

I am confident that, after a few more months practise,  she will be able to work out my new price after discount when we're shopping.  Unfortunately, she will also be able to work out that my "just one more" stance on peas and beans is substantially more than just one more...

Spellodrome

A lot like Mathletics, this program also impressed Miss5.

She really loved the different characters and games that took her through spelling, letter sounds, word groups, and the like.

Miss5 isn't really into trying to sound out words in books or really trying to read them.  The interactive games on Spellodrome had her reading sentences without her even realising.

She is loving letter sounds at school, so it was great to be able to sit her in front of the laptop while I  defrosted chicken nuggets and sipped wine  made dinner, and listen to her progressing through the activities without too much drama.

Being a bit of a defeatist with a low frustration threshold, I was thrilled that she got the hang of the program so quickly, and enjoyed it so much, that she happily played on and on until I had to kick her off for my Twitter and Facebook fix.

The verdict

Love it!  Simple as that.  When I'm competing with TV and video games for Miss5's attention, this type of programme is perfect for engaging her and keeping her attention.  She has so much fun she doesn't realise she's learning, and I don't have any parental guilt about being proactive with her education.

And the best part....thanks to Deals for Mum, I have a 6 month subscription to Mathletics and Spellodrome to give away!

Here's how you can win :

    Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect or Networked Blogs

    Follow on Facebook or Twitter

    Sign up with Deals For Mum to receive their deals

    *Their excellent deal on Mathletics & Spellodrome is coming up,

    so sign up to make sure you don't miss out.

    Extra entries:

    Share this competition on Facebook

    Retweet this competition on Twitter

    Refer a new Google Friend Connect or Networked Blogs follower

    (make sure they comment with your name so you get your extra entry)

Terms & Conditions :

    Open to Australian residents only

    Entries close midnight (WST) Sunday 3 July

    Winner chosen by random.org

    Winner posted on the blog Wednesday 6 July

    Winner has seven (7) days from posting to advise contact details

    If winner does not make contact in time specified, there will be a re-draw

    Maximum of three (3) extra entries possible:

    - One (1) extra entry for Facebook share

    - One (1) extra entry for Twitter retweet

    - One (1) extra entry for any/all new followers referred

Entries close midnight (WST) Sunday 3 July

Good luck!

If you want to grab a subscription to Mathletics and Spellodrome for yourself, check out Deals for Mum, because they have an amazing deal on a 6 month subscription for only $39 - that's a fab deal, as the subscription is worth $88.