I have a fun review for you today. Over the years, we’ve had the chance to use many products from Home School in the Woods. Their A La Carte series makes hands-on learning easy and financially accessible for homeschoolers everywhere!

As I mentioned, we’ve used Home School in the Woods Products for years. We even used them

BEFORE I became a reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. They just appeal to my own educational philosophies and visual aesthetic.

Basically, they are fun, clever and cute.

The A La Carte series is made up of bits and pieces of some of the more comprehensive Home School in the Woods. You can chose one or two activities to use instead of purchasing the whole ‘kit and caboodle.

I had a really hard time deciding what product to choose for this review. But it all came back to the good old fashioned file folder game. I first used file folder games over 25 years ago when I first started teaching. Back then, we either created the concepts and each little piece ourselves or we used on of the copy, cut and color resources we could buy at the teacher’s supply store.

We’ve come a long way, baby.

Not only are the File Folder Games from Home School in the Woods as close as a push of the print button, but they are so artistically classy.

I chose two games to play and review: Name That State! File Folder Game, and Westward Ho! File Folder Game.

Name That State!

I love geography. Thankfully, Josiah has a curiosity about people and places so it has been easy for us to really explore. Even if he hadn’t been as interested, the Name That State Filer Folder Game is perfect for learning the locations of the 50 states and their capitals.

This game comes to you as a downloadable PDF. The file itself has just less than 30 pages. There are very specific and helpful instructions. For example, the printing instructions are always a must read for Home School in the Woods products. Some pages needed to be printed on both sides. Some on cardstock.

The main game board itself has 3 different options. You can chose one with the states clearly written out. Then there is a blank board. I chose the one initially that uses the abbreviations.

I can remember learning state abbreviations before they are just 2 capital letters!

This game is probably the one that has been used the most. Primarily because it is a little easier to play and Josiah has a particular affinity for geography right now. I personally think it's because he likes to know where all his favorite sports teams are from!

We use what we can, don't we!

Good times.

Another reason why this game is easier is the preparation time. All I had to print off was the game board of my choice and the cards. There is a card for every state.

To play the game, the player draws a card and has to correctly identify the state from the front of the card...which is just the shape. If they guess correctly, he or she gets to place a marker on the state.

Both of us have a harder time with those little New England states.

Westward, Ho!

This game is all about Western Expansion in the early 19^th century. Players move around the board by answering questions relating to topics of that particular time period. The goal is go West (young man!).

As you answer the questions, you begin collecting supplies for your journey. You also get to choose what trail to follow. You can go the Lewis and Clark Route, down the Oregon Trail, follow the Santa Fe Trail or head on out the Mormon California way.

And don’t expect it to be smooth sailing! Each trail has its own challenges. Think about how it was to cross our great country during this time period! You can expect to find all of those challenges along the way.

We got a kick out of the question on the card below. How does the game know we are obsessed with Hamilton!

This game is so much fun! We haven't played it as much as the state game, but that is primarily because it takes a little longer.

It also was a bit more time consuming to put together.....but so worth it!

Here are a few more things I'd like to say.

Using sturdier supplies, like cardstock and laminating paper, really does make a difference. I am always a "use what you have" kind of homeschooler, but I have made sure I have plenty of good supplies when I'm making a new Home School in the Woods product.

All of the products are black and white and require you to add color (either through paper or handcoloring). Of course, for the majority of my life I am thrilled to bring out the colored pencils and spend an afternoon coloring. However, for the first time ever I wished that there had been a colored version included.

Some of you might have coloring fanatics...so that solves your problem. I am the only coloring fanatic in my house and while I can certainly go the colored paper route, it just doesn't make me happy.

That being said, I don't know if there is another product or company that provides such clever, creative and artistically professional materials.

There are a few more A La Carte products I'd like to get my hands on ASAP!

I'm a sucker for a paper doll. And what's better than a pirate paper doll that is also a game! This Pirate Panolply Game looks like a winner. That being said, I have 2 other projects in my shopping cart at Home School in the woods right now! I love this