What makes you happy? Minions? Freebies? Well, how about Minion Freebies?

These free math activities on Educents offers 22 printable pages of math activities for Minion fans. It covers addition, subtraction, measurement, money, and more!

Minion Math Centers Freebie

• Minion Addition (to 12)
• Minion Subtraction (to 12)
• Minions Making Ten
• Minion Measurement
• Minion Money Match
• Missing Minion Numbers
• Minion Number Cards

If you're looking for more ways to make math learning fun, check this out:

Early Math Musical DVDs

This DVD set from Rock 'N' Learn is a fun way to boost math skills for the early grades. Like the Minions, these DVDs have fun characters your little ones will love to get to know! Math facts are easy to learn with fun music and exciting animation. Learn all about counting coins and bills and practice making change. Kids will learn to tell time to the hour, half hour, and minute using traditional analog clocks. Includes Addition & Subtraction Rap DVD, Money & Making Change DVD, and the Telling Time DVD. I hope this math freebie made by Amy of Teaching in Blue Jeans makes you happy. Download the Free Minion Math Centers, then go ahead and do a little dance! :) 

College-Bound: How to Save on Dorm Room Furnishings

by 

Andrea Woroch

While overall spending on back-to-school is slightly down this year compared to last year, one category is poised to see a big uptick: dorm decor and furnishings. According to the National Retail Federation, college-bound students and their families will dish out over $126 on goods for their rooms, a nearly 25-percent increase over spending reports from 2014.

Since dorms and off-college abodes can be expensive to furnish, buying desks, futon frames and chairs from flea markets and Craigslist is a good idea. However, it's important to know what your other options are when community inventory runs thin. Plus, everybody has a style and you likely want to impart some of your flare on your furnishings!

Read on for seven ways to get college-ready for less.

Scout delivery options close to campus.
To compete with online retailers, brick-and-mortar stores are increasingly offering "ship-to-store" options to customers. This strategy is great for college kids on the move, as relocating hefty pieces of furniture across the state or country can be a cumbersome and expensive endeavor. Shop stores like Kohl's and Best Buy and get your products delivered to the store located closest to campus. JCPenney takes is a step further, offering free shipping to anywhere in the country - including dorm rooms! - on orders of $99 or more. 

Find furniture at discount retailers.
Ross, TJMaxx and HomeGoods all have selections of furnishings great for dorm rooms and apartments, not to mention cheap decor items. Look for end tables, desk chairs, dressers and even recliners and dining room chairs. Increase your savings by purchasing a discounted gift card to these retailers through Gift Card Granny, a discount gift card comparison site. Currently, you can save up to 20% off cards to TJMaxx.

Network for savings.
Remember when your parents brought your Girl Scout or Boy Scout fundraiser to their workplaces and you made bank? Well, they can take a similar approach now that you're heading off to college. Ask your parents if they'd be willing to send an email to their networks - business, social, etc. - asking if anyone has furnishings they're planning to get rid of. This will capture anyone who planned to sell or give away furnishings but hadn't posted it to Craigslist or Facebook yet, giving you first dibs!

Take advantage of gift cards.
Back-to-school is a huge event for "free gift card with purchase" offers, and while you may be tempted to go on a shopping spree with these freebies, it's best to apply them strategically. Instead of buying all your dorm room furnishings, decor items and other needed supplies in one haul, calculate which items you should purchase to score a free gift card, then purchase the rest in a separate transaction and use the gift card to offset your total expense. For example, Target is currently offering a free $20 gift card when you spend $100 on college items. Additionally, you can find Target coupon codes through sites like CouponSherpa.com, and save an additional $25 off your $100 purchase through Aug. 1.

Consider craft stores.
For unique storage solutions, kitschy decor and even night stands, check out such craft chain stores as Hobby Lobby and JoAnn Fabric. While these stores specialize in fabric and craft-making, they also have tons of decor items and select furnishings that often cost much less than furniture stores. Plus, you can typically find a coupon for 40 to 50% off one item from each store and redeem it through your smartphone using a coupon app.

Shop online for savings.
Online stores like Wayfair and Overstock offer tons of furnishings and decor items available for free or low-cost shipping. These cute side tables on Overstock, for example, are currently 50-percent off and ship for just $2.95. Wayfair is advertising up to 70% off dorm-room essentials including a Mesh Task Chair for $48.99 (originally $199.99) and a chic six-piece comforter set for $43.99 (originally $92.99). It's always a good idea to compare prices, so install the PriceBlink or Invisible Hand browser add-ons to get notified if something you're looking at is better priced elsewhere. Just don't forget to factor in shipping costs!

Bring the outdoors in.
Summer is eclipsed by back-to-school season, making all things warm-weather and carefree on clearance. That includes patio furniture and accessories, and some of these items look and function just as nicely indoors. Think wicker chairs, mosaic accent tables and area rugs. For example, Wayfair currently has a stylish 5-foot square grey and beige outdoor area rug available for $64.99, down from the original price of $125.51. 

Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. From smart spending tips to personal finance advice, Andrea transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers. As a sought-after media source, she has been featured among such top news outlets as Good Morning America, Today, CNN, Dr. OZ, New York Times, MONEY Magazine, Huffington Post, Forbes and many more. For more information, visit AndreaWoroch.com or follow her on Twitter for daily savings advice and tips.

Violin Starter Set for Kids - On Sale Now!

Perfect for beginners, this Violin Starter Set contains everything your child needs to play the violin.

What’s more, it includes a great teacher, the award-winning eMedia My Violin interactive Win/Mac CD-ROM. Available in three sizes so kids as young as 5 can learn to play!

Here's what Kole, age 11, has to say about the Violin Starter Set for Kids.

Kole has a point - what is the difference between a fiddle and a violin? Do you know?? Leave your answer in the comments!! Here's more ideas on how you can incorporate music to your lessons:

• Easy ways to add music to your lessons
• How to teach economics to elementary kids with music
• Adding musical instruments to your lessons
• 9 ways to bring music into your homeschool
• 5 ways to "teach" music to your preschooler

Check out the Violin Starter Set for Kids - now only $99! Or, if you're looking for more musical education resources, browse through hundreds of offers on Educents.

Big thanks to Kole for his wonderful review of the Violin Starter Set!!

*contains an affiliate link

Join NHTSA on Twitter on July 31 for a Heatstroke Tweetup

Did you know that heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash-related deaths for children under 14? Already 10 children this year have lost their lives to heatstroke after being left in vehicles. In fact, each year, an average of 37 children die from vehicle heatstroke.

While it seems like an impossible mistake to make, every parent or caregiver can potentially become distracted, and distractions often fuel this devastating situation. No one is immune. This tragedy is 100% preventable. We each have a role to play to help keep kids safe. Help  share live-saving tips and resources with as many people as you can about this important safety topic. Join National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Tweetup. Your support can help us prevent tragedies.

nHTSA will be tweeting all day on Friday, July 31, 2015, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET with the hashtags #heatstrokekills and#checkforbaby. They’ll be sharing information, safety tips, badges, infographics, and other resources to help spread the word about the dangers of vehicle heatstroke.

Use these sample messages to get your followers involved in the Tweetup:

Twitter:

• Do you know that #heatstrokekills? Join @NHTSAgov’s #Heatstroke Tweetup Friday, July 31, to help spread awareness.
• On average, #heatstrokekills 37 children each year. Follow @NHTSAgov’s #Heatstroke Tweetup Friday, July 31, to help change this stat.
• Summer days are hot! Don’t let them end in tragedy. Follow @NHTSAgov’s #Heatstroke Tweetup Friday, July 31. #heatstrokekills
• Interior car temps rise quickly! Learn more about the dangers of #heatstroke during @NHTSAgov’s Heatstroke Tweetup, July 31. #heatstrokekills
• Act fast, save a life. Bystanders can help. #checkforbaby #Heatstroke Tweetup Friday, July 31.

Facebook:

• Vehicle #heatstroke deaths are 100% preventable. Join @NHTSAgov for a heatstroke Tweetup onFriday, July 31, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Safercar.gov/heatstroke. #heatstrokekills #checkforbaby
• On average, 37 children die each year from vehicle heatstroke. Help NHTSA change this number to zero. Join us for a heatstroke Tweetup with @NHTSAgov on Friday, July 31, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. #heatstrokekills #checkforbaby
• We’re joining @NHTSAgov on Friday, July 31, 2015, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET to help put an end to help end vehicle #heatstroke. Join with the hashtags #heatstrokekills and #checkforbaby.

Encourage your family and friends to be proactive about responding to potential heatstroke situations or victims. Join NHTSA for the Heatstroke Tweetup on Friday, July 31, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, and I invite everyone to participate in the Tweetup, too.

All Aboard! The August issue of Story Monsters Ink has arrived!

When my son was a preschooler, he loved Genevieve and DC from Disney Junior's Choo Choo Soul.  So when I saw that there is a magazine called "Story Monsters Ink", I was excited it.  It brought me back to do the days of my son's preschool age.

Time flies when you're having fun, and Five Start Publications have shown this.  What started out as an idea for a newsletter has turned into a major magazine featuring authors and performers who have made significant marks in the literary world, such as Rosemary Wells, Garcelle Beauvais, and more,  with subscribers across the globe.

In the August issue, the reader meets Mercer Mayer, author and illustrator of the Little Critter book series, and more interviews are listed.

Click here to download the issue now! 

Free Minecraft--Themed Math Worksheets Your Kids Will Love

Do your Minecraft kids need some encouragement to practice math? How about a quick addition refresher before going back to school?

 

Download Multi Taskin' Mom's FREE Minecraft Themed Addition Worksheets.

These fun math worksheets include single digit to double digit addition, making this freebie useful for Minecraft kids ages 5 to 12. Here's more ways to use your child's interest in Minecraft for learning:

• Writing about the Minecraft World
• 10 Exciting Lessons for your Kindergartener Using Minecraft
• Math Lessons Using Minecraft - Show Your Work
• How Minecraft Taught my Daughter to Read

Looking for more ways to turn gaming time into learning time? Check out all the Minecraft-themed 
educational products offered on Educents at a discount.  

*contains affiliate link

The Impact of Title IX on Women's Equality in Sports

The record-breaking viewership of the Women’s World Cup final this year showed how far women’s sports have come since Title IX, which was a law enacted in 1972 to prevent gender discrimination in sports.

 In fact, the year before Title IX was enacted, there were only 310,000 girls and women in America playing high school and college sports; today, there are more than 3.3 million.  Below is  an infographic, created by Ohio University’s Athletic Administration program, which illustrates the importance of Title IX and the monumental strides that it has helped achieve in women’s sports. While women only received 2% of college athletic budgets in 1972, by 2010, women received 40% of budgets.

Ohio University Athletic Administration Program