From the minute I saw it's name, I was intrigued by the Zillio math system. The teacher in me went straight to the website for more information and the mom in me cheered when I realized that it's not just for the classroom. We received two products for review, the Zillio Mini Mountain and the 2D Playground. Both items went above and beyond my expectations. What surprised me most though, was that fact that as soon as I took it out of the box, before I read any directions, my six year old was spitting out multiplication facts. "Mommy, look, four threes is twelve, five threes is fifteen." And he just kept spinning the mountain while spitting out math facts. All the while understanding the concept of multiplication, not just memorizing the facts. This went on for at least 30 minutes straight and during this time I really saw a "light bulb" moment. My little kindergartner knew how to multiply and understood that it was the "opposite" of division; and this was all on the first day.
It wasn't until a few days later that I had a chance to read the manual and learn about the different games and activities that could be played with the Mini Mountain and the 2D Playground. I was really amazed by how many different concepts are covered: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, number lines, fractions, and ratios. Some games are simple, some much more complex, but the great thing about the games is the fact that you can choose the one that best fits the needs of your child. Some games are individual some are collaborative, some games can be modified for different ability levels and some should be played with players of similar mathematical abilities. The Zillio website has a great page explaining the games by age.
Unfortunately, most children experience the "summer slide" and lose much of what they learned during the school year. Teachers often spend up to 2 months reteaching students skills that were learned the previous school year. With Zillo products, parents can help their children (and their teachers) keep up to par in math while having fun in the process.
Good news for moms! Zillio has lowered their prices just in time for summer. The Mini Mountain is on sale for $69.95 and the 2D Playground is just $24.95. I do have to say that my household preferred the Mountain over the Playground, it's much more tactile and interesting for little ones. Zillio products are recommended for ages 4 to 94, so there's something for everyone. Grab Grandma and brush up on those math skills!
SWANKY GIVEAWAY!
Visit www.zilliogames.com and be the 20th person to e-mail heather@swankymoms.com with the name of one of the games you can play with Zillio. The winner will get to choose a Mini Mountain or 2D Playground!!!! Winner must have a US shipping address.
Become a fan of Zillio on Facebook, I did!
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