Written by Jamie C. Martin of Simple Homeschool
When we first began homeschooling, workbooks represented two things I desperately wanted to avoid: an impersonalized learning system and the idea of fitting all children into the same box/grade level.
We had a few workbooks on our shelf, but I only used them at a child’s request–not very often.
However, as my kids became older, I slowly began to see two benefits that workbooks also have to offer:
1. They leave a paper trail. This comes in handy when you need proof of all the learning, both informal and formal, that happens under your roof.
2. They can calm a mama’s or papa’s homeschool jitters.
Sometimes when you’re homeschooling, you feel completely out of your element. Making a habit of even one workbook page a day can take the edge off those insecurities.
When my kids were littles, my main goal was for them to fall in love with learning. It still is! But I think having the tiniest amount of book work might have settled my own worries just a tad while giving them 95+% interest-led learning freedom.
If this is something you’d like to try, look for a way to encourage your kids to agree to the idea, too, so that even this small minimum will not become a battleground.
Tip: I often tape a $5 bill in the back of a workbook and find that to be quite the compelling incentive! We also use our positivity bean jar to encourage this type of work.
Over the years we have found a few workbooks that worked well for us. So when the opportunity came to partner with Workman Publishing, creators of the colorful Big Fat Notebooks and our favorite Star Wars workbooks, I eagerly agreed to take a peek at their new line of summer workbooks.
Here’s an official overview:
“SUMMER BRAIN QUEST (just released this month) is an exciting new extension of our #1 bestselling Brain Quest brand (with 45 million copies in print).
SUMMER BRAIN QUEST is notable because it offers a one-of-a-kind learning experience that delivers personalized learning to every kid. Personalized learning tailors exercises to each child’s strengths, needs and interests.
Our goal was to empower kids to have a voice in what and how they learn. The workbooks achieve this through their interactive format.
SUMMER BRAIN QUEST is structured like a game; each book includes a pull-out map that guides kids on a learning quest. They fill in their route on the map by earning stickers for completing workbook pages as well as pursuing outdoor activities.”
“The map offers a choice of routes, allowing kids to customize their learning path and pursue what excites them most, and also encouraging them to jump around within the book to follow their curiosity.
Original artwork by video game artist Edison Yan makes every book feel fresh and fun. These are the most visually appealing books in the market.”
A quick guide to what’s covered in each workbook:
Since homeschool families don’t always follow specific grade levels, I thought it would be helpful to show you what’s included in each book so you can choose the one that fits your child best:
Summer Brain Quest: Between Grades K & 1 – phonics, reading, writing, counting, shapes, seasons, habitats, map skills, and more.
Between Grades 1 & 2 – reading comprehension, writing, addition and subtraction, earth science, the seasons, telling time, and more.
Between Grades 2 & 3 – adjectives versus adverbs, reading comprehension, writing opinions, word problems, place value, measurement, map skills, and more.
Between Grades 3 & 4 – writing, reading, number patterns, natural science, timelines, parts of speech, and more.
Between Grades 4 & 5 – reading comprehension, research and informative writing, grammar, multiplication and division, American history, and more.
Between Grades 5 & 6 – reading comprehension, writing essays, ancient history, grammar, fractions and decimals, climate, and more.
In all honesty, I would love these even more if they weren’t categorized by grade levels. I prefer it when workbooks are numbered (like Level 1, 2, 3) but without referring to specific grades–that way they offer more flexibility to homeschool families.
Yet there are many things I find appealing about the Summer Brain Quest series:
– Each page is beautiful, colorful, and well-designed! The gaming concept is fun for kids.
– Each book includes real-life suggestions for the summer, like outdoor games and quests to earn stickers for your map.
– There’s a certificate at the end to give to your child after completing the workbook.
– The back of each workbook features a recommended reading list to take to the library. There’s a little bit of twaddle included here and there, but most of the choices are lovely ones. I appreciate the emphasis on summer reading!
– Many of the activity pages could also be done alongside a parent orally if your child finds writing frustrating.
– Each book contains a section of Brain Quest questions on make-your-own flashcards. I cut several of these out to integrate into our morning homeschool time in a casual way over the months ahead!
This giveaway has ended; thanks for your interest!
To be entered to win, leave a comment on this post answering this question: How old are your kids and what has been your experience with workbooks thus far?
This post is sponsored by Workman Publishing. All opinions are my own!
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My eleven year old just informed me he missed workbooks. He’s decided he likes a little structure. He also likes the feeling of accomplishment he gets when he finishes a page or two. I like that they offer him exposure to bits and pieces of a subject. And I agree, they can also quell a parent’s fear that their child isn’t learning enough.
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My kids are 7 years, 5 years, and 11 months old. I appreciate workbooks to 1. Help reinforce what we’ve already done or present a concept in a different way 2.encourage flexibility in terms of using different terms, directions, phrasing of questions, ways to respond, etc. 3. Encourage independent work (my older son uses a few workbooks that he thinks are fun while I work with my middle son on his math and phonics) 4. They’re great when love gets crazy and you can’t create those really beautiful authentic learning moments…like when I had a baby last year, during a huge home renovation, while traveling etc and, of course, for those reasons mentioned by you all. This series looks like a hit!
I have a 4 yo and 2 yo. We have been gifted a few workbook type materials (probably purchased from the dollar store) and my 4 yo found some pages she wanted to do: things like matching, which one is different, mazes, etc—a lot like what you get in coloring books. Would love to try these out and see if my kids like them!
I love this! I used to be anti-workbook but the points you mentioned, especially the one about having a paper trail have been my reasons for warming up to workbooks. My 8 year old has always enjoyed them.
I hit “post” too soon. I also have a 5 and 10 year old. They both like workbooks but my 8 year old likes them best.
My kids are 9, 6, and 3. My girls go through phases where they are really eager to use workbooks, and alternating periods where they’re not so keen on them. I just try to roll with them. It does sometimes ease my mind to see them working through a workbook that is at their “grade” level, just for a bit of a gauge. We LOVE brainquest!!
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We have 2 girls, ages 9 and 3 (almost 4). We’ve used Brain Quest workbooks in our homeschool since we started, in 1st grade, and love them! My daughter enjoys doing workbook type work so I usually let her do a page or two each day, I actually have to limit it or we don’t get to anything else! She does love to receive the award at the end too so I’m glad they add that in 😉 and I love the little question cards at the end, we usually do them at dinner time, she asks for them over our other dinner time activities and I enjoy the activity also, so win-win!
My son is 10 and enjoys Brain Quest workbooks. We have used them for the past couple of years. We use them for practice and to introduce new information. We have found their pages to be more challenging than the workbooks found in big box and department stores. We are so excited about this series for Summer enrichment. We are a family of readers and I am a literacy advocate; so we are really looking forward to the reading list suggested by this publisher.
Hi Jamie , I loved this post on the workbooks. In fact the headline caught my eye and I had to read it. i just recently got a level 4 Brainquest book for my daughter and had not started it till I read this post. She likes it now and so do I 🙂 I am exploring homeschool options and ardently following your blog . Pls keep more book reviews coming in.
My kids are 11, 9 and 7 – we don’t use a Ron of workbooks but I have found them useful for some self paced and self directed learning. I have Ben impressed with the brain quest series before!
Ha- spell check- a ‘ton’ of books and I’ve ‘been’ impressed! Thanks for the chance to win! ????
My kids love workbooks. These look like fun.
I am so thrilled that this could cure the boredom of a 9 year old this summer!!! Thanks a bunch!
I have a 9yo and a 14yo. We are pretty hit and miss on workbooks. They both liked them pretty well when they were younger. My son (14) is pretty much aged out of them now. They don’t make workbooks for his grade level. My daughter likes them if they are “fun”… these look like they’d measure up to that… but loathes them if they are just busy work. But then I don’t like those either. 🙂
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