I just dropped another $100...

In case anyone is interested in joining me in my spending spree:


They said I could share this with friends, so it's even on the up-and-up!

I have ordered from them before and had no trouble. No guarantees, of course, but I can say that they did prompt and accurate business with me, FWIW.

So what did you buy?

Some books, some problem-solving stuff, some manipulatives...all kinds of good stuff. I'm working on that living math angle, so I tried to get things that would support us there.

Am I being too vague? Did you want my shopping list?

Did you get the omnifix cubes and the 3D problem solving? DS's will love that! DD's do guided stuff with me and DD6 especially gets the cubes out on her own and plays with it.

I guess I was a little vague
I looked at the site but was so overwhelmed with the selection. I was curious what types of items you were purchasing so I could get a better feel of what's a good item? More along the lines of the manipulatives vs. workbooks vs. full kits.

We have something just like the Omnifix cube, but we got it through Singapore Math. Same thing though--blocks that fit together. My DSs LOVED playing with them so much that bought a second set. For a while there, it was all they played with. Then I got the pattern blocks, and that was the end of the cubes...

I didn't get the 3D problem solving book, doggone it! I didn't see it! Bummer! Next order...

Here's my list:
3D Attribute Solids
Australian Aboriginal Culture
Design Rubber Stamps
Developing Mathematics with Pattern Blocks
Easyshapes Dot Dice
Easyshapes Fraction Dice
Easyshapes Operation Dice
Essential Facts and Tables
Fractions with Tangrams
High Interest Mathematics
Pentominoes Starter Set
Problem Solving Through Investigation
Problem Solving with Math
Wooden Color Cubes
Working with Algebra Tiles
Easyshapes Algebra Tiles

Oh, and crisc, in case you didn't realize this, a lot of the stuff is set up for full classrooms, so check numbers carefully Most of the time you're going to want the 6-piece dice set for $2 instead of the 120-piece dice set for $40!

I can't promise that what I got was good, but it looked good. I am trying to get more hands-on stuff. I'm also looking ahead to pre-algebra and algebra, so I got some stuff for that.

And if it was only $2 (or deeply discounted), I probably threw it in the cart--that explains some of the dice, the rubber stamps and the Aboriginal Culture book. "Why not?" I figured...

Well report back on this stuff! I'm especially intrigued by the Algebra tiles.

So the Omnifix cubes are good? What kind of things do you do with them? I'd really like to have some math manipulative stuff around the house, but I'm just exploring what would be good to have.

I am also intrigued by the Algebra tiles. I think I am going to have them hang out in my cart for a few days.

Yes, I am very curious about the algebra tiles. I stared at them for a long time before I finally said, "Oh, what the heck! I'll give it a try." It seems like an interesting approach at least...

The cubes that we have--and they do look like the same idea as the Omnifix--are cubes with itty-bitty holes on 3 sides and itty-bitty pegs on the other 3 that fit together and hold a structure together. So they're really just blocks that "stick."

The thing I like about the omnifix cubes as that they fit together in such a way that you have to preplan what you are building before you buitd it. Let's see if I can put this into words that make sense.

If you have four cubes and you plug one cube on top of one and another to the side of the bottom one, you can't put one in the corner to make a four cube square.

Does that make sense. So you can't just build up and onto. You kind of have to envision what you want to build and take this into consideration before you start building.

It's an awesome math manipulative for spatial and 3-D thinking.

The 3D problem solving book says grade 6-12, but for sure our 8 year olds can work in it no problem. Even DD6 can do some of it. She plays with it even when we aren't doing guided learning.

I bought 500 and with two kids working together that works pretty well. But if money wasn't an object, I'd buy 500 more!

I don't know if these are similar blocks to the Singapore ones Kriston is talking about, I haven't seen those.

p.s. sorry for the typos all. I type very fast and am working on perfectionism issues, so if I don't see them before I post, I'm not going to edit unless it's for clarity.