"Is this an exercise video? Is this a math video?" I wondered aloud when Exploramania Gymathtics arrived in the mail to be reviewed.
The answer to my question is YES! It is an exercise video and it is a math video.
What a fun, colorful, exciting video to watch! Our hostess, exercise leader, and math teacher is energetic and upbeat. She reminds me of my spinning teacher at the Y. Her name is Carrie and she is the creator of Exploramania. The exercise video is a high-energy aerobic workout with a twist. The twist is that you are always doing math while you move and sweat.
"Isn't exercise fun?" perky Carrie asks throughout the 30 minute workout.
"Yes, Carrie," I have to agree. "This is fun!"
The answer to my question is YES! It is an exercise video and it is a math video.
What a fun, colorful, exciting video to watch! Our hostess, exercise leader, and math teacher is energetic and upbeat. She reminds me of my spinning teacher at the Y. Her name is Carrie and she is the creator of Exploramania. The exercise video is a high-energy aerobic workout with a twist. The twist is that you are always doing math while you move and sweat.
"Isn't exercise fun?" perky Carrie asks throughout the 30 minute workout.
"Yes, Carrie," I have to agree. "This is fun!"
Exploracise Gymathtics is a 30 minute exercise DVD. It is also a 30 minute math DVD. Let me explain. Carrie, an energetic mom, wanted to provide something educational for her high energy children. Would there be a way to help her children learn math and be physically active at the same time? I think that Carrie has her answer now because her motherly concern led to the birth of Exploramania, a company dedicated to learning in a high-energy, active way.
This brain and body workout promotes healthy living while reminding children of math concepts children need to hold on to so that they can be successful in school.
The workout, like all good workouts, starts with stretches. These stretches, however, are line, circle, and polygon stretches. With your arms, you make parallel lines and intersecting lines while you stretch. There is a side portion on the screen showing you parallel and intersecting lines, the way you would see them in a math book.
Here are the math concepts taught during the warm up.
When we move into the aerobic section, the workout uses counting calisthenics and pattern power. Counting in rhythm while you move and groove reinforces more math concepts. Patterns are typical of aerobic workouts. Most routines involve a set of steps and moves that are repeated over and over. It is not a stretch to include this in an exercise workout. But, what is neat, is that these patterns are pointed out on the screen as math concepts. More math while you exercise!
Math concepts are taught with words, pictures, and movements. So students can learn using their senses of sight, hearing, and touch. Learning is visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Here are the math concepts taught during the aerobic section of the workout.
So far, the company offers 2 math/exercise DVDs, several learning balls, and an exercise mat. It will be exciting to see what happens with this company in the next few years.
"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come," (I Timothy 4:8 NIV).
God commend physical training, albeit saying that training in godliness is even more important. Physical training is a good thing. This training includes exercise, diet, and healthy habits. These are all promoted in this video.
The only thing I wish is that Gymathics could be a Christian video with Scriptures and talk about our children's relationship with Jesus. But, all in all, the concept is wonderful and the DVD is too! It is my pleasure to recommend this exercise/math video to homeschooling families.
Whatever your method of teaching mathematics, I encourage you to provide opportunities for your children to be active and get plenty of exercise. Healthy children are more alert, thus learning more than inactive children. Regular exercise can also help with the "wiggles" that can make homeschooling frustrating.
Enjoy your workout!
Merey (Meredith Ludwig Curtis)
This brain and body workout promotes healthy living while reminding children of math concepts children need to hold on to so that they can be successful in school.
The workout, like all good workouts, starts with stretches. These stretches, however, are line, circle, and polygon stretches. With your arms, you make parallel lines and intersecting lines while you stretch. There is a side portion on the screen showing you parallel and intersecting lines, the way you would see them in a math book.
Here are the math concepts taught during the warm up.
- Straight lines
- Parallel lines
- Intersecting lines
- Perpendicular lines
- Rays
- Angles
- Acute angles
- Right angles
- Obtuse angles
- Diagonal lines
- Wavy lines, wave function
- Circle
- Semi-lines
- Congruent shapes
- Similar shapes
- Circumference, radius, and center point of a circle
- Oval
- Polygon
- Triangle
- Quadrilateral
- Rectangle
- Pentagon
- Square
- Rhombus
- Trapezoid
- Parallelogram
- Triangles: equilateral, acute, right, obtuse, isosceles, scalene
When we move into the aerobic section, the workout uses counting calisthenics and pattern power. Counting in rhythm while you move and groove reinforces more math concepts. Patterns are typical of aerobic workouts. Most routines involve a set of steps and moves that are repeated over and over. It is not a stretch to include this in an exercise workout. But, what is neat, is that these patterns are pointed out on the screen as math concepts. More math while you exercise!
Math concepts are taught with words, pictures, and movements. So students can learn using their senses of sight, hearing, and touch. Learning is visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Here are the math concepts taught during the aerobic section of the workout.
- Whole numbers
- Integers
- Number lines
- Odd numbers
- Even numbers
- Skip count
- Place value
- Prime numbers
So far, the company offers 2 math/exercise DVDs, several learning balls, and an exercise mat. It will be exciting to see what happens with this company in the next few years.
"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come," (I Timothy 4:8 NIV).
God commend physical training, albeit saying that training in godliness is even more important. Physical training is a good thing. This training includes exercise, diet, and healthy habits. These are all promoted in this video.
The only thing I wish is that Gymathics could be a Christian video with Scriptures and talk about our children's relationship with Jesus. But, all in all, the concept is wonderful and the DVD is too! It is my pleasure to recommend this exercise/math video to homeschooling families.
Whatever your method of teaching mathematics, I encourage you to provide opportunities for your children to be active and get plenty of exercise. Healthy children are more alert, thus learning more than inactive children. Regular exercise can also help with the "wiggles" that can make homeschooling frustrating.
Enjoy your workout!
Merey (Meredith Ludwig Curtis)
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