Get on the Learning Train! Choo Choo!

Whenever I go to the bookstore, I stop and gaze at the tempting array of educational kits and activity books for children. I usually talk myself out out buying anything, remembering the last set of flash cards that has been scattered hither and yonder, or telling myself that I can look up my own activities online (which I rarely end up doing). And often the child for whom I buy the toy/activity refuses to use it, while I can't get it away from another child. But one evening several weeks ago, I picked up the "Thomas and Friends Learn At Home Deluxe Carry Case," and I do not regret this purchase.

Just like the package says, it contains 4 workbooks with over 95 learning pages, 1 pack of ABC learning cards, 1 pack of 123 learning cards, 1 box of crayons, colored pencils, pencil sharpener, a 2-sided dry erase lapboard, and over 200 reward stickers. If I remember correctly, the price was discounted to $10.00 or something like that. I'm happy to report that Zoe has been making great use of it. When I ask her if she wants to "do some Thomas work," she says yes! And she doesn't tell me 3 minutes later that she's tired. For a while I would only let her use a crayon or pencil to write in the workbooks. But I've recently entrusted to her the dry erase marker and (so far) she's used it only on the lapboard or the desginated workbook pages. She gets so excited when her hand and the marker form the number or letter she had been practicing, without the help of the dashed lines. I don't know if it's the learning set or not, but she recently has had a very good attitude towards learning. With Pretlow going back to school soon, I pray that I'll make the most of the extra time and her new enthusiasm.