13 Best Apps For Homeschoolers

There’s so much to consider when you’re creating a home-based school curriculum for your child. But if a big percentage of that doesn’t involve tech, you might be missing out on additional (and important) learning opportunities. So if you’re looking to enhance your child’s educational experience, try any of these 13 best apps for homeschoolers, which educate both kids and their parents.

Instructing your child from home is certainly a big undertaking, and it’s going to require many different methods in order to attain academic excellence. Thing is, homeschooling isn’t all about worksheets and reward stickers (although those are certainly important, too). And that’s why you can use tech — and in particular, apps — as a pivotal part of your educational arsenal in order to instruct your child at home, Heather D. Nelson, a homeschooling mom and author of 5 Easy Steps to Homeschooling, advises. “Technology plays a wide and versatile role in homeschooling today,” she says. “Apps are available in abundance to cover everything from core curricula to enrichment and even virtual adventures for those days you just need a fun distraction.”

There are apps to account for every need, interest, learning challenge, or (woot) budget. So app to it, and learn about these homeschooling apps that will make teaching your child a breeze.

1

Brili Routines For Time Management

Getting your child to master their multiplication tables is tough enough, but when it seems to stretch out for hours on end, well, it can be exasperating for both of you. “We love the Brili Routines Visual Timer app,” says Rosario M. a mom of two in Plano, TX. “One of my children is on the spectrum and gets stressed out when they have to complete a task quickly. The app helps not just with time management, but it also uses visual cues to keep everyone on task without the stress. You can create your own schedule and use and even set goals.” The app is free for the first month, and then costs $7.99 monthly, with additional pricing plans available.

2

Duolingo For Learning A Foreign Language

“Duolingo is a wildly popular app for learning foreign languages,” says Nelson. “Grading is based on language challenges and it offers fun games that motivate kids to work towards personal fluency.” Not only is it available on both the App store and Google Play, it also works on nearly any tech platform. Plus, points out Nelson: “The price tag is spectacular — it starts off free with an option to upgrade to the plus subscription level.”

3

Scholastic Book Wizard For Organizing Your Home Library

Let’s say that you want to pick up some new books for your students — but you can’t remember which ones you currently own. With the Scholastic Book Wizard app, you can keep a running tally of titles. “We love that you can get recommendations for other books based on the ones you already have,” says mom of two Amelia D. from Naples, FL. Not only can it organize titles based on genres and interest level, but you can have access to over 50,000 Scholastic Children’s books, too.

4

Bedtime Math For Boosting Math Skills

“Bedtime Math is perfect for kiddos up to age 9. It’s are available in English and Spanish and are compatible with Apple and Android platforms. Engaging and fun, the kids are easily self-motivated to practice those early elementary math skills. The game-like setting makes it easily entertaining and the kids want to practice math facts,” says Nelson.

5

Homeschool Helper To Track Assignments

HomeSchooler Helper is like having a teacher’s assistant. It allows you to keep track of what subjects your student is working on, as well as customize your curriculum and the grades your kiddo got in Social Studies. You can also create a report card to give to your child so they can see where they’re excelling — and where they might be struggling. “I like this app because in our state, Minnesota, we have to show proof of the work we’ve done during the year,” says Sandy, a mom of three. “With this app, I’m able to instruct my child and keep track of her progress without it being overwhelming or stressful for any of us.”

6

Prodigy To Make Learning Math Fun

Your kid can go on a mighty quest — and master their math skills, too — with the Prodigy app. Kids can rack up the rewards by answering skill-building math questions that will let them feel like they’re playing a video game while they’re learning. Aimed for kids 9 and up, the free app is compatible with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. “My kids want to play Prodigy all the time!” says Deborah, a mom of two in Philadelphia, PA. “They even want to play it during remote school breaks — that’s how awesome the app is.”

7

Khan Academy For Socio-Emotional Learning

Little learners will love the Khan Academy app, which is really like having a complete classroom at your fingertips. Not only do kids learn everything from ELA to math, but they’ll also learn more in-depth concepts such as socio-emotional learning and how to express themselves. “We use Khan Academy on the computer, but we love having it on the app, too,” says Willa, mom of four in San Diego, CA. “There are songs, videos, and games that all help with learning.”

8

ABCmouse For Tons Of Fun (And Educational) Activities

If you’re already a member of ABCmouse.com, you need to have the app, too. It boasts over 7,000 educational, engaging (and woot, fun) activities for young kids. They’ll learn everything from math and music, to science, art, and reading, too. “My son loves ABCmouse, and this app is amazing. Not only is he learning, but he’s having such a blast he doesn’t even realize how much he’s absorbing,” says Toni Ann, mom of five in Paducah, KY. It’s available on the iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire (2nd generation) and most Android phones and tablets.

9

Reading Eggs To Enhance Literacy

Let your child discover a love of learning through Reading Eggs. The award-winning app doesn’t just teach your child to read; it helps them understand vocabulary, fluency, phonics, and so, so much more. It does so with games, guided reading lessons, and fun activities, too. “I’ve seen such an improvement in my child’s literacy skills since starting with the Reading Eggs app,” says Elena, a mom of one in Salt Lake City, UT. “Her reading comprehension is phenomenal — she now reads at a grade level above, and I’m so proud of her.” There are also over 2,500 storybooks to choose from. Available on Android and iOS, it’s geared for kids ages 2-13, and costs $9.99 monthly, with additional savings for siblings.

10

iTrace For Practicing Fine Motor Skills

Prep your kid for PreK with the iTrace app. It helps your child learn how to write block letters and numbers. For homeschooling kids, they can learn how to handwrite — all while studying from home. “My child had a really hard time gripping a pencil properly, and by using iTrace, he was able to master his fine motor skills,” says Tonia, a mom of two in Livingston, NJ. The app, which costs $3.99, lets you track your child’s progress as they learn both block and cursive letters. And woot, there’s even a left-handed mode for lefties.

11

Homeschool Pre K Learning 123 For Telling Time

Your child will always know what time it is when they play with this app. It’s meant to help with matching, but also help your student understand the concept of time, identifying their numbers, and improve their cognitive and fine motor skills. “I tried, and I tried, but I just couldn’t get my kid to understand the concept of time,” says Belinda, a mom of three in Queens, NY. “She was able to understand how time works in a fun way, and that made all the difference. She feels like a superhero!”

12

Planboard – Free Lesson Planner for Teachers

New to homeschooling? Then you definitely want to check out Planboard. It allows you to organize your lesson plans easily. You can track your child’s progress via the Standards Progression tool, and you can view lessons by day, week, or even monthly. “I began homeschooling for the first time this year, and I had no idea what I was doing,” says Mikayla, a mom of three in Brooklyn, NY. This program lets me see which subjects I need to cover again with my children, and it’s helped to keep me so organized.”

13

Cozi Family Organizer To Keep Track Of Everyone’s Schedules

“Cozi is an incredible calendar app that helps you track all your family activities, classes, and appointments using a fun customizable color coding system. You can setup multiple email addresses for reminders and quickly see at a glance (PC or Phone) who has what appointment at what time,” says Nelson. “I use the app to track any online classes, zoom meetings, and even writing deadlines to make sure my busy family doesn’t get overly committed. It also starts with a free version, with an option to expand for additional features.”

Homeschooling your child can be an exciting educational adventure, and these apps can help you make the journey a whole lot easier and ultimately provide your child a first-rate education — all from home.

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