Do you need an outlet for exercise in your home? Do you need some practice of elementary math concepts? The Exploracise Gymathtics DVD might just be your answer to both.   Led by Carrie Scheiner and a small cast of kids, this complete, 30-minute exercise routine combines fitness with math, in a way that will make concepts like prime numbers and skip counting stick with your kids. The exercise program is great for anyone (parents and grandparents, too), but the math facts target 2nd to 5th graders.

Beginning with "Shape Stretchers Warm Ups", Carrie takes viewers through a series of very easy, low-impact warm-ups. This exercise is augmented by math facts and concepts, such as parallel lines, perpendicular lines, intersecting lines, angles (obtuse, acute), semi-circles, congruent circles, similar circles, polygons, triangles, rectangles, and other shapes. After the warm-up, "Counting Calisthenics" covers counting, odd, even, and prime numbers. "Pattern Power" teaches the concept of patterns, as the workout gets increasingly more energetic. To finish it off, the "Well-Being Warm-Down" cools you down.

While our family thought the production value of the video was not high (camera angles were odd and graphics were antiquated), we did appreciate having a new way to learn and practice math concepts. My 10-year-old thought the video was a little young for her (she is used to professional and serious workout videos), but my 8-year-old and 5-year-old will continue to use it, because they think it is a fun way to burn off a little energy.

So, in a nutshell, my elementary kids get to burn off energy, and learn some math along the way? Works for me!