We made the decision to incorporate Thinking Tree journals into our schooling this year and I’m loving it so much, I decided to review the ones we’re using. (Not getting anything for the reviews, I just really like them a lot!)
The reviews I’ve done so far:
Today I want to tell you how the Literature and Poetry journals have been working for us. (Spoiler: they’re AWESOME!) When I saw how they took to these journals, that was when I knew I had made the absolute right decision for my kids this year. We are currently using the Classical Poetry Collection Level A for my youngest daughter and Classical Fun-Schooling Literature & Poetry Collection for my middle two.
What makes these different from other language arts programs is that the learning happens more naturally, rather than through traditional school-at-home methods. For example, my youngest daughter using Level A is coloring the words from the poem, filling in the blanks, tracing the words, and illustrating them. It flows naturally and she’s learning them without flashcards and tests. We’ve done two poems so far and she’s almost able to recite them from heart. It’s a very artsy way of learning, which I ADORE!
My youngest daughter is using this journal in place of her spelling as well because there are fun little exercises to learn how to spell words in the poems. I haven’t done any spelling with her yet (and am still working with her on reading confidence) so I felt this would be a wonderfully soft intro to that.
She loves the one-on-one time with mama. And she loves that I do the activities with her!
My oldest daughter did hers independently while I helped my youngest daughter learn her first poem. She absolutely loves loves loves the drawing portions! Can you tell??
She was the one that jumped right in and started illustrating one of the poems the day it came in the mail. And what I love, is that it gives her a place to practice her drawings and it’s not in the margins of a worksheet.
Then my son and I read his story together and HE COLORED for the first time EVER. (This kid seriously NEVER colors anything!) He talked about the story and what the man would be doing and why he was there while he picked out the colors, and I’m telling you, he colored EVERYTHING. When we turned to the page where there was some writing, I let him dictate to me and then let him illustrate.
The next time we used this journal, he wanted to do the writing all by himself. Another victory with him. I’m just winning all over the place with these journals.
You can take a look at these journals Funschoolingbooks.com or on Amazon. Some of the journals on Amazon have video reviews too!
Classical Poetry Collection Level A (For Beginners)
Classical Fun-schooling Literature & Poetry Collection Level B (Ages 7-10)
Classical Fun-schooling Poetry Collection Level C (Ages 10-17)
If you end up trying any of these journals, I would be interested to know how you like them and how you’ve made them work for you!
No Delusions of Grandeur 
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