2. Start Early!
The sale is launching at the beginning of the business day tomorrow, at roughly 9:00 PST. The sooner you shop, the better the selection of items, so don’t wait! Watch Facebook to be the first to know, and expect an email shortly after the sale is live on our website.

3. Speed is the Name of the Game!
Stock on some items is very limited. Even if an item is in your cart, other customers can still purchase it, so check out as soon as you are ready.

And have fun! You are getting great products at a great deal.

Want more information? Watch this video from last year to see exactly what kinds of damages are included in the sale, how the orders will be processed, and much more!

For over twenty-six years Timberdoodle has valued the trust you have put in us.

As fellow home educators we know that sometimes homeschooling choices can be overwhelming, but through the years we have made your decisions easier by doing the research for you. From the must-have, but less flashy products that every homeschooling family needs, to those products that are crazy-smart and will breathe new life into what could be dreary subjects, every product we offer goes through a rigorous selection process. We love our job, and the opportunity to meet the needs of thousands of homeschooling families.

And we are genuinely excited to see what God has in store for 2012! Our review team has discovered some pretty amazing items that we will reveal in the months ahead. Our in-house studio is busy shooting catalog pictures and how-to videos. Our research team is lining up trade shows, meeting with vendors and chasing down even more new products so that our product line-up is always fresh and relevant to today’s home educator. And our conference team is hoping to see as many of you as possible as we take Timberdoodle on the road this spring and summer.

In view of that, we felt it important to let you know a couple of changes that we will need to implement this February. Our vendors here and abroad have been tackled by today’s volatile economy. To survive they have had to raise their prices to us, which forces us to follow suit. Plus, in an attempt to avoid price wars, other vendors are insisting on a uniform price for their products, which we must implement to continue to sell their products. So while we purpose to continue offering a good value, you can expect some price increases February 1.

In addition, as you know, shipping companies across the board have executed another round of rate increases. Last year we subsidized shipping costs to the tune of nearly $200,000.00, a practice we can no longer engage in and stay in business. Although we hope to occasionally offer shipping specials, (become our fan on Facebook to be the first to know), regrettably our shipping rates must also increase February 1, 2012, to reflect more of our actual shipping costs.

When we hear of second-generation Timberdoodle enthusiasts, your children now homeschooling their own children, we are inspired to continue regardless of the tenuous economic climate. So from all of us, to all of you, thank you for more than two-and-a-half decades of support, we look forward to continuing to serve you.

The Deffinbaugh Family

What is Your Email Schedule?
With so many new additions, sale prices and exciting bundles we had to run three back-to-back sales just to make sure you were aware of all we had to offer before you did all your shopping! However, we do not intend to make a practice of sending emails that frequently! You can expect (approximately) a weekly email advising you of new additions, short-term special offers and other things you’ll want to know.

But It Might Go On Sale Later
We’ve all been there. You finally make up your mind and invest in a product, only to have it go on sale a day, week or month later. It is frustrating, to say the least, and left us racking our brains to figure out how to reward early buyers instead of penalizing them. We think we found the perfect solution!

120 Days, 120% Price Guarantee
For 120 days after you buy an item from us, we’ll guarantee that you get our lowest price, or we’ll reimburse you and add an extra 20% for your trouble. All you have to do is send us an email at 120refund@timberdoodle.com and we’ll refund you!

Say That Again?
Suppose for a moment that you bought SmartMax Extreme when we first announced it, paying $175. A great deal to be sure, but a few days later you read that we are celebrating its award as the Timberdoodle Baby/Toddler Must-Have of 2011 by discounting it even further for just 3 days, to $150! Rather than regretting your wise decision to buy early, you simply email 120refund@timberdoodle.com stating that you’d like to take advantage of the 120 guarantee. As soon as we get your email we leap into action, verifying your eligibility and processing the refund. The next morning you check your emails and find that you were refunded $30 ($25 + 20%) – making your early purchase cheaper than the sale price!

Surely You Have Fine Print
Yes, but we’ve kept it as minimal as possible: This offer applies to our regular inventory, but excludes closeout, damaged or free items. To be eligible you must have purchased the exact item from us within the past 120 days and you must request the refund during the sale.  While most refunds are issued within 24 hours, it can take up to a week to process. See? Simple enough! (We occasionally get a question about price-matching. We do not offer that; instead we want to be sure you always get Timberdoodle’s lowest price.)

Ready to shop? Browse our amazing gift collections for ideas or drop by to see our current sales!

Would you like a free 3-D Magna Puzzle?

Enter the Drawing
You can enter one of two ways. Option one is simple, just leave a comment in the white box at the very bottom of this post (below the Facebook comments) answering this mandatory question: Which 3-D Magna Puzzle will you choose if you win? Or, if you prefer, you can enter using the PunchTab Widget. The advantage to PunchTab is that you will be able to accumulate multiple entries, but if it doesn’t work for you please don’t despair; leaving a comment will enter you just as surely, and it only takes one entry to win! 1 winner will be drawn Monday, October 24th at noon PST and must have a USA shipping address to qualify. You’ll have 48 hours to claim your prize! (Fine print about Timberdoodle Drawings can be found here.)

And the Winner Is…
Sarah Stratford won today’s lenticular Magna Puzzle giveaway! Her entry, “Dolphin one – hands down.” Congratulations!

Watch for it in your mailbox any day now – we’d love to hear when you get yours!

Not yet signed up? No problem, just click over to our free Gift guide request here, and we’ll get it right out to you. As a limited edition print run, we have very limited supplies, so if you’re interested, ask now!

You may also be interested in:

Meet the Models!

Brothers Judah, Cohen, & Jax

Judah, age 5

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“An ostrich. I would name it Happy Face.”

What chores do you have?
“Cleaning the turtles’ cage.”

If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
“Maddie and Annora’s house.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Pancakes and aebleskiver and cake.“

Cohen, age 3½

If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
“Maddie and Annora’s house.”

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“A lizard. Named Cohen.”

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Bow-wow.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Macaroni and cheese and olives.”

Jax, age 2

What would be the coolest pet to own?
“A dog.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Candy.”

What is a nickname you have?
“Jaxie.”

Sisters Maddie & Annora

Maddie, age 6

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Crystal.”

What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
“When I picked up the elk poop.”

What book have you read or has someone read to you recently?
“Cat in the Hat.”

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“A poodle; I would name it Princess Rainbow.”

Annora, age 4

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Heart Crystal Dolphin.”

What is your favorite toy?
“Princesses and bad guys.”

What book have you read or has someone read to you recently?
“A princess book.”

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“A cat; I would name it Heart Princess Diamond.”

Eliana and her dad, Nehemiah

Eliana, age 2

What is your favorite toy?
“My bike!”

If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
“Disneyland.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Pizza.”

What are you scared of?
“Spiders.”

Nehemiah

Nehemiah is Timberdoodle’s warehouse manager!

Brothers Brayden & Abram

Brayden, age 11

What book have you read recently?
“I like to read The Hardy boys and I’m reading the Narnia Series.”

What is a nickname you have?
“My nickname is Braydo Tornado.”

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“I would like to compete in the Olympics.”

If you could live or visit any place in the world, where would it be?
“I can’t wait to visit Germany.”

Abram, age 7

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“I would like to be an Engineer and build all kinds of robots.”

If you could live any place in the world, where would it be?
“Germany, where my aunt, uncle, and twin cousins live. I wish I could have a house right next door.”

What book have you read recently?
“I like to read Boxcar Children and I’m also reading Little House in the Big Woods.”

What is a nickname you have?
“My nickname is Abe.”

Sisters Megan, Alison, & Jenny

Megan, age 11

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Alison or Gretchen.”

If you could live or visit any place in the world, where would it be?
“India or Argentina (the latter only because I like the song “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”).”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Popcorn and caramel apples.”

What book have you read recently?
“George MacDonald’s The Princess and the Goblin.”

Alison, age 8

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“A horse named Penny.”

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“A veterinarian.”

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Megan.”

What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
“Kayaking.”

Jenny, age 6

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“A giraffe named Little Mary.”

What are you scared of?
“Scary games in the dark.”

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“An obstetrician.”

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Rosebud.”

Elisha and his uncles, Nathaniel & Darius

Elisha, age 1

What book have you read or has someone read to you recently?
“First Hundred Words in English, I like to find the dogs.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Eggs and cheese.”

What is your favorite toy?
“I like balls and trucks.”

What are you scared of?
“Anything too loud – like blowers or blenders.”

Nathaniel, age 7

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“A police officer.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Quiche.”

What is a nickname you have?
“Bubba.”

What would be the coolest pet to own?
“A dinosaur.”

Darius, age 5

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“A tiger named Sebastian.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Pizza.”

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“A firefighter.”

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Probably Sebastian.”

Brothers Caleb, Scion, Conner, and Calum

Caleb, age 11

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“A chicken farmer.”

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“An elephant named Hannibal.”

What are you scared of?
“Everything at night since I read The Hound of the Baskervilles.”

What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
“Crashed a motorbike.”

Scion, age 9

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“A monkey. I would name it George.”

What book have you read recently?
“Martin Rattler.”

What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
“Went on a Ferris Wheel.”

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“Landscaping.”

Conner, age 5

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Richard, my dad’s middle name.”

What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
“Put my head in the salt water.”

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“Being a mountain climber at Mt. Ranier.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Rice Krispies, chocolate chip cookies, and vanilla cupcakes.”

Calum, age 1

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“An earwig named Squishy.”

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“Either a rockstar drummer or an entomologist.”

What is your favorite toy?
“My mom’s Tupperware.”

What book have you read or has someone read to you recently?
“My favorite book right now is Please Say Please.”

Siblings Zachariah, Julianna, Jonathan, & Benjamin

Zachariah, age 10

What are you scared of?
“My brother hiding behind the door.”

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“A dolphin named Echo.”

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“A dolphin trainer.”

What chores do you have?
“Feeding my chickens and rabbits.”

Julianna, age 9

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Grace, which is my middle name and what my first name means.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Goulash.“

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“A cat named Tiger.”

What are some nicknames you have?
“Juls and Baby Girl.”

Jonathan, age 7

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“Own a candy store.”

What would be the coolest pet to own? What would you name it?
“A Gardner snake named Freaky.”

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Bob.”

What is your favorite toy?
“Legos.”

Benjamin, age 4

What is your favorite toy?
“Cars.”

What is a nickname you have?
“Benjamin Bunny.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Spaghetti.”

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Thomas the Train.”

Siblings Ben, Frank, & Lizzie

Ben, age 14

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“Animator at Pixar.”

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“William.”

What is your favorite toy?
“Legos.”

What book have you read recently?
“It Happened in Washington.”

Frank, age 13

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Pork & chicken & broccoli.”

If you could live or visit any place in the world, where would it be?
“Italy.”

What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
“Riding the roller coaster at Silverwood.”

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“Astronaut.”

Lizzie, age 7

If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
“Rosie.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Macaroni & cheese.”

What is a nickname you have?
“Bethany.”

What are you scared of? Why?
“Lions and bears, because they are scary.”

Cousins Danielle & Joshua

Danielle, age 1

What book have you read or has someone read to you recently?
“The Very Busy Spider, I love the animals.”

What are some of your favorite toys?
“My rubber duck, teapot & teacup, and books.”

What are you scared of?
“Swings.”

What are some nicknames you have?
“Dani and Scooter.”

Joshua, age 11 months

What is your favorite toy?
“Daddy’s boots, or anything with strings.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Chocolate!”

What book have you read or has someone read to you recently?
“Stop, Train, Stop! A Thomas the Tank Engine Story.”

What are you scared of?
“Being left behind.”

Sisters Laila & Lydia

Laila, age 7

What do you think is the best job in the world?
“Someone who rescues animals.”

What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
“Jumped off a dock at the lake.”

If today was your birthday, what would you want to eat?
“Grilled cheese sandwiches.”

What would be the coolest pet to own?
“A turtle.”

Lydia, age 2

What would be the coolest pet to own?
“A duck.”

What is a nickname you have?
“Boo boo.”

What are you scared of?
“Loud Noises.”

What is your favorite toy?
“Baby dolls.”

Great for preschoolers with autism!
Reviewer: Liane Gruett from Aurora, IL United States
I purchased the Kid-O A to Z Magnatab for my 4-year-old autistic son.  I was thrilled with the sensory aspect of it!  He will use the pen provided, but seems to enjoy tracing the letters with his fingers much more.  We have already seen him start to write letters freehand!  The only drawback is I wish the pen were attached to the board, but this will not hinder me from purchasing the lowercase letters and number Magnatabs in the near future.

A Good Challenge for an 8th Grader
Reviewer: Teacher of 3 Middle Schoolers from Fl, US
The student guide is an easy-to-read manual introducing every part in the Snap-Circuits Kit as well as it’s uses and several practical applications. It experiments demonstrating the concepts as well as short quizzes as the end of each chapter. I was slightly disappointed in that it appears to be geared towards an older student and my 3rd grader is a little bit lost with some of the technical parts of it. It is perfect for my 8th grader – challenging, but doable.

The teacher’s manual includes additional quizzes (that I give the boys at the end of each chapter) and answer keys.

I like how the book is applicable to three different models of Electronic Snap Curcuits – SC-300R, 500R, or 750R. It is divided into sections according to which model the student has, so the material he or she reads matches the parts they have for experiments

Thinking Putty: A GREAT Find!
Reviewer: Karrie Moore from Kissimmee, FL United States
I discovered Thinking Putty just a few weeks ago & ALL three of my kids (ages 10-18) LOVE it.  My oldest son is 18 & uses it to keep his hands busy as he studies for College CLEP exams!  My youngest son, 10, loves to play with it while I’m reading allowed.  Who am I , kidding he JUST loves to play with it anytime!  I just bought one to check it out, but he wants to spend his OWN money & buy his own!  He has renamed it his “Study Putty.”

I’m also planning to order a few more to use in our church Children’s Ministry.  I think it will be great for those kids who just can’t sit still through a lesson!

I’m SO glad I stumbled on Thinking Putty while browsing the Timberdoodle site & would definitely recommend purchasing it!

Great Math Curriculum
Reviewer: micci granger from Rantoul, IL United States
I am very impressed with this product. The lessons are fun, easy to understand, and are very time manageable. There is also a whole section of supplemental activities for reinforcing skill that I have found very helpful. Math is quickly becoming a favorite subject around our home.

The best ball ever!
Reviewer: Letitia Cypert from Ada, OK United States
I love this ball.  I bought a miniature one for my newborn grand daughter and bought this one for her first birthday.  She loves it.  It is the biggest thing that she can hold and she acts like she is so proud of herself for being able to pick up something so big.  She likes to throw it, and crawl after it.  She can pick it up so easily and hold on to it.  Her uncles, ages 18 and 16 love to play with it, too.   It is hard to get them to share it with her. But, it also gets them to play with her, so that they can have a turn, too.  If I had only one ball, this would be it.

Shackelton and the Lost Expedition
Reviewer: Malcolm & Jean Kennedy from Walton, OR United States
Our Family loved this story! I Have personally read the book Ernest Shackleton Wrote of his expedition and this version for children is great! The pictures are great for reluctant readers the comic book format will make them want to read! I would say buy this! You won’t be sorry.

Tintin is the most revered graphic novel series in the homeschool community. Countless mothers have told us that their son’s pivotal point in reading came when he was introduced to Tintin. And that makes sense, since Tintin is completely unmatched in the quality of not only the pictures, but also the storyline and the text itself.

The hero of the series is Tintin himself, a young Belgian investigative reporter who travels the world in search of the next notable event. One of the most astonishing features of the Tintin series is how it so effortlessly includes a wide variety of genres: brash adventures along with mysteries, political thrillers, and science fiction. Some Tintin stories feature slapstick humor, while others are invested with political and cultural satire, but each will draw your child like a magnet.

Unlike some graphic novels, where the text and the pictures are redundant, Tintin’s plots are so engagingly complex that the text both amplifies and explains the neat, lively drawings, a balance that remains a benchmark for graphic novelists even today. This means your child will quickly discover that the story is much more than the pictures; even the most reluctant of readers may for the first time be willing to exert effort to decipher the written word. As a teaching parent you will appreciate the author’s painstaking research, which adds to the credibility of each adventure, and your children will gain a glimpse into a world of which they are just beginning to become aware. Read more, including reviews here.

The Giveaway
We are giving away, via this drawing, an extensive set of hardcover Tintin books. The 8 volume set includes 21 stories, and an additional volume detailing behind-the-scenes information and biographies of the Tintin characters. Just as lovely as pictured above, but without the slipcover.

To Enter
We are testing a new giveaway method using a Facebook app, PunchTab. We’ve tested it here and have been very impressed, as it gives you some new ways to enter if you like, (for instance you can earn extra entries if your friends sign up too!) or keeps it simple if you prefer. You do need to use Facebook to participate this time, and we would love to hear your feedback if this does or doesn’t work well for you. You will need to allow the app to access your basic information so that they can log you in and notify you when you win. Don’t worry, it is safe! I also noticed that it takes a minute for the PunchTab app to load,and it seems to load better in Firefox than in Internet Explorer. Thank you so much for participating with us in this fun test run!

Giveaway is now closed, the Tintin set was won by Jennifer Kersten Lingle. Congratulations Jennifer!

Yay!
The really good news about the new Sequential Spelling is that it’s been revised to be much more friendly to the home schooling parent rather than the professional teacher. This will be a blessing to the parents using this program, as it makes an easy-to-use program even easier to use while maintaining all the basic features we’ve always liked in Sequential Spelling. The fundamentals of the program remain unchanged, the word lists are the same, all just easier for mom to utilize!

Hmmm
The only downside to the revision, in our minds, is the extra material added to the Student Workbooks. The core of the workbook remains the same, providing a place to write the 25 words included in each lesson. In the revision, the publisher has added extra activities which they call “fun” but we call “busywork.” We’re sure some parents will appreciate these activities, but when we do spelling we’d rather stick to the essentials, cover the spelling words, and move on with life. But again, this is added material, so there is really nothing lost from the previous edition.

Should You Buy It?
Overall we’re looking forward to offering this easier-to-use version of Sequential Spelling Level 1. However, if you already have the old version, you don’t need to buy the new one. The core of the program, the spelling word lists, have not changed, so your student will get the full benefit out of the program regardless of which version you are using.

Timberdoodle’s Complete Curriculum
We will switch to including the new version in Timberdoodle’s 2nd Grade Complete Curriculum Kit as soon as the new edition arrives here.

Special Sale
Our problem is we still have about 40 copies of the current edition sitting on our shelf, and we’d love to have them gone before the new edition gets here. This is where you can help… and get a great deal in the process! While supplies last we are blowing out our remaining inventory of the old edition of Sequential Spelling 1 at a remarkable closeout price, more than 50 percent below retail. ($10.50 for the bundle at the time of this post!) Click here to take advantage of this opportunity!

Here is why A Kid’s Guide to Drawing the Presidents of the USA is so incredible:
Draw your way through American history with the most amazing supplement we have ever offered, A Kid’s Guide to Drawing the Presidents of the United States of America. Available for the first time to homeschool families, these forty-two library-bound, fact-filled volumes provide not only rich biographical synopses of every U.S. president from George Washington to George W. Bush, but also step-by-step instructional drawings that illustrate key events, people, and places in each president’s life.

Enhance Your American History!
A Kid’s Guide to Drawing the Presidents of the United States of America is perfect for the family teaching multiple ages or for the child who learns best by doing. Dedicate a week for each president, then encourage your child to collect all his drawings and create his own illustrated history journal. Not only will your child learn how to recreate the likeness of each president and his wife, but also the significant buildings, objects, flags, and seals that were noteworthy during each president’s term in office. For instance, your child will learn to draw the USS Arizona in the book on Franklin D. Roosevelt, a torpedo boat in the John F. Kennedy book, the Exxon Valdez in the volume pertaining to George Bush, and the Amistad slave ship in the text on John Quincy Adams. Learning to draw a stagecoach is covered in the James Garfield book, drawing a cannon from Fort McHenry is included in the volume about James Madison, and the Watergate tape recorder is, of course, featured in the book on Richard Nixon’s term.

Not Just For Fun!
While every Kid’s Guide to Drawing volume includes easy, step-by-step instructions, it would be a pity to think of this series as merely a one-of-a-kind drawing program. Packed with dynamic photos and drawings, all volumes feature an informative timeline of the key achievements of each president, details about his birthplace and/or the state in which he had the greatest impact, a famous portrait of that president, and a list of websites for further information. Not only is this collection of pertinent facts useful for student research or reports, but it is so nicely pulled together, with lots of child-friendly details, that your children will actually enjoy reading through every volume.

Moms and Kids Agree!
What student does not want to learn more about the men who have filled our nation’s highest office? Now, with A Kid’s Guide to Drawing the Presidents of the United States of America, everyone, including the artistic child, the hands-on wiggler, the reluctant reader, and the political enthusiast, can get an enjoyable overview of many of the highlights of American history!

Try a Sample Now:
John Adams sample
Abraham Lincoln sample
Theodore Roosevelt sample
Ronald Reagan sample

Answer this question and be entered in the drawing:
After reading our favorite aspects of the set, what most jumps out at you as the benefit for your family? Why do you want to win?
(We know you haven’t seen the books yet, but you’ve read the description, and we’d love to hear your opinion!)

And the winner is…

@Angie Wright!
(Winner chosen by Random.org, in case you were wondering.) You may recognize the name, since Angie has reviewed a handful of Timberdoodle products for us on her blog: http://www.becausemomsaid.com/2011/04/angie-of-pebble-keeper/
Congratulations Angie, and thank you everyone for entering!