Learning Resource Center Network - Summer/Homeschooling Resource

(please excuse the iphone photos - it was the best I could do at the time!)

Last week I left The Learning Resource Center in Morris Plains with Cuisenaire Jumbo Reading Rods, a Geometry Activity Kit, and the Making Cents board game. The total on my receipt was $294.95. But I paid nothing. The receipt shows the 'replacement cost' for the items that I BORROWED.

NJ maintains four Learning Resource Centers located throughout the state. I first came across it when utilizing their services for children with special needs. I joined for the bargain price of $2/year. The center has a lot a really neat features valuable to homeschoolers as well as supplemental educational activities for summer.

The center offers thousands of Ellison Die Cuts for use. If you bring your own cardboard, construction paper, velum, felt, etc. using the cuts are free. Check out this link for what you can do with Ellison Die Cuts.

There is also a 'poster maker' and a laminator that can be used for $.25 a foot. There are tons of ideas all over the walls and in stacks of 'idea books'.

The center also has shelves full of professional/parent books on varying topics regarding education and development. There is a whole room dedciated to preschool books, curriculum and kits.

The whole place is stocked with video series' like those from Schlessinger Media and kits and games from places like Lakeshore. There are tons more like these....

  and these...

 and these...

We've taken out games on fractions, kits about Simple Machines, math board games, story starter cards, manipulatives, speech therapy practice cards and much more.

Borrowing periods are three weeks with the ability to call and renew for three more weeks. They have been very friendly and helpful to me as a homeschooler and I definately recommend checking them out - and then 'checking out' some fun things to play with your kids.