Counting Pinecones: PandaParents (A Homeschool Crew Review)

Today, I have a bit of a different review for you guys. This is an all in one style curriculum for preschoolers and kindergarten kids that focus on reading, writing, and S.T.E.M. skills. Designed for children ages 3-6 years old, MESSYLEARNING FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND KINDERGARTNERS designed by PandaParents takes a different approach from conventional screen-based learning programs. Each month, families are given a course that includes an online video, downloadable PDF storybook and a printable PDF workbook. At a pace of 2-3 times a week for 20-30 minutes at a time, each course provides plenty of materials for learning each month.

About PandaParents

PandaParents focuses on what they call "M.E.S.S.Y. Learning". Believing that "stepping stone curriculums" that videos, digital games, and flashcards that focus on one subject at a time of focuses on rot memorization miss the mark for providing a solid learning foundation in brain development, PandaParents wanted to provide a better learning experience that instead build vast neural connections at an early age. The M.E.S.S.Y. learning program instead blends multiple subject material together in a creative manner.

Each letter in M.E.S.S.Y represents ParentParents way of learning:
M - Mixed subjects and activities for integrative learning
E - Engaging questions what challenge young children's brains
S - Simple 1-2-3 steps: read, learn and create
S - Smart designs for creative learning
Y - Yeah, a New Way to promote brain growth.

The process of M.E.S.S.Y. learning is fairly simple and follows a three-part format. One, the student reads a story from the storybook or the story can be read together with the parent. Second, the student can watch the story in video format. Third, activities that correspond with the story are provided in the workbook. The workbook provides printable activities that range in subject from learning colors, letter recognition, and math concepts. The curriculum is designed in a format that allows child and parent to work together.

For this review, I was able to look over three different months worth of curriculum, each focusing on a different letter or concept. The first was A Jolly Jingling Journey. This particular book/video combination was Christmas themed and featured two stories - a Jubulent Journey and An Epic Journey. This unit focused on the letter J and introduced young students to the sounds J makes as well as to J words.

The second unit I was able to review was Scotty Skunk Hears a Scary Sound. This story follows the adventures of a cute little stunk as he tries to make his way home and focuses on the letter S and the sounds it makes.

The final unit was Mommy's Baby which focuses on first words, shapes, and animals. There was much repetition to this book and video, making it very easy for children to catch on and read the child part in response to the parent.

A page from the Mommy's Baby workbook

While the program was a bit too young for me to use with my own children, I do really wish I could have used it when they were younger, especially with Garrett. The bright, vibrant videos and storybooks would have definitely appealed to him as well as the various activities from the workbooks.

Currently, PandaParents MESSYLEARNING is available in digital format with downloadable versions of the videos, workbooks and storybooks, however, there are physical versions in the works for purchase in the future.

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For more information about the PandaParents and MESSYLEARNING FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND KINDERGARTNERS, visit their website. You can also find more information on the following social media sites: