Tom Snyder Productions has a neat logo - "Software for Teachers Who Love to Teach." I like that. Why? Well, what exactly are home-educating parents? They are teachers who love to teach!

A company that seems to be one of the leaders in the educational software industry, Tom Snyder Productions sent us a wonderful program called Diorama Designer. What I like about this particular program is that they actually included a large teaching manual (very "kid" looking - non-intimidating). My 12-year-old son attacked it and began leafing through it immediately. Soon after, once installing the software himself, he entered the intriguing land of dioramas and design. He and his cousin were able to select the setting (place and time period) of their upcoming creation: Medieval, Colonial America, Native America, and Today (modern). Once determining the time setting they wished to work in, many size and shape boxes for the diorama appeared on the screen and were offered for selection. My son and his cousin went nuts. The possibilities are endless. After the creation, you can print it out and assemble it, thereby owning your creation in a 3-D form. By letting your child work with this program, you expose him/her to social studies, math, language arts and science. This is cross curricular, which is one of the best ways to learn! It was fun, and this is only the tip of the iceberg of what Tom Snyder Productions offers. Check out their website. You can actually "play" with some of their products there. Superb company - Tom Snyder Productions knows kids!



-- Product review by: Publishers, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine