We all want our kids to have less screen time. But, you can harness their desire to use devices into learning adventures through learning apps that can support your homeschooling efforts. With so many options in the app stores, it’s sometimes hard to know what apps are worth it.
Which is why I wanted to share with you some ways to utilize learning apps to enhance, or supplement homeschool education, while at the same time, sharing some fabulous apps that the iHomeschool Network bloggers have found to be beneficial to their families.
Learning Apps Can be a Jumping Point for Deeper Study for Gifted Learners
Having a child with an insatiable need to learn more and more information can be exhausting. It can seem like you’ve done all the research in the world to guide them in their learning process only to discover they’ve absorbed all that information like water is absorbed in a sponge, only to be left with them wanting more. But, if you can teach them how to explore their own interests you will find that you can remove yourself a bit from the research equation. What I mean by that is that if you allow them to explore their own questions, they’ll discover their own answers. This is what I learned when my son began using the Atomidoodle app. He became excited by the periodic table, and before I knew what was happening he had begun to do a much deeper study on each of the elements.
Learn More Here: App Inspires Periodic Table Research
“My son, who is a gifted learner, loves absorbing facts, information and anything that has a system of orderliness. To him this app is like striking gold. It opened the door to a new and exciting world filled orderliness and information. It wasn’t just a few bits of facts and information to be stored in his brain, it was a huge list of information and then there was the discovery of how those elements work together in our world.” – Renée at Great Peace
Learning Apps Can Help Develop a Foundation for Mathematical Studies
Teaching math can be one of those “worst nightmares” kind of scenarios for many homeschooling moms. Especially when it comes to teaching higher level math. Learning how to manage unknown variables can lead many kids into crying fits. Which doesn’t make the home pleasant for anyone. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, apps such as DragonBox are designed to take the frustration out of the equation. Instead students learn the foundations of math in a non-pressure, game play way.
Learn More Here: DragonBox Algebra 12+: Fun Homeschool Math App
“DragonBox Algebra 12+ starts out very gently, with no numbers at all. Instead, numbers are represented by icons, and the unknown variable in the equation is represented by the “dragon box.” – Judy at Contented at Home
Learning Apps Can Help Keep Young Siblings Learning During Homeschool Days
Balancing learning for multiple ages can be difficult. Especially when you’ve got little ones hanging around trying to get involved, when attention may be what they are seeking. Dianna shares how she has used a preschool learning app with her little one to keep her mind engaged and learning, so mom can teach the older kids.
Learn More Here: Using Preschool Learning Apps in Your Homeschool: Leo’s Pad from Kidaptive
“Each time Maeve plays, the chapters become a bit more challenging, so that she doesn’t get bored.There are some areas where she needs my help (shapes like trapezoids and building CVC words), but plenty of other concepts where she’s totally comfortable.” – Dianna at The Kennedy Adventures
Learning Apps Can Help you Teach Important Life Skills and Accountability
Let’s face it. Kids are not ones to like chores. Even though we are homeschooling parents, and often chores equate with life skills learning, that doesn’t mean that the kids want to follow through with doing them. But with the Homey App, you can step back from nagging them to complete their assigned work, and allow the app to prompt them. It even lets them document when they’ve completed the work, thus, helping them learn to be accountable.
Learn more here: Homey Helps Parents Manage Kids’ Chores
“The child will then get notifications to complete chores and can check off the chores as complete. This would be great if you’re a working mom with teens at home; you can even require photo proof in the app that they’ve completed the chore!” – Bonnie at KoalaMom.com
Learning Apps Can Assess, Coach, and Support a Struggling Reader
No matter how diligent of a homeschool teacher you are there may be a child or two who will struggle with learning to read, or becoming proficient in reading. There are a variety of reasons why this is so. It might be due to interest, or it might be due to a special need that you aren’t aware of. But, there is hope for the homeschool mom. With MindPlay Literacy you can have your child go through both an assessment, as well as coaching to overcome the struggle.
Learn More Here: MindPlay Virtual Reading Coaching: Assessment and Support for My Struggling Reader
“I was not surprised to find that he struggled with basic phonics sounds and grammar concepts. But we were both encouraged to find that his reading level was not significantly below grade level (he was assessed at a fifth grade reading level as an end-of-sixth-grade student).” – Lynna at Homeschooling without Training Wheels
Learning Apps Can Help Students to Become Independent Readers and Develop an Extensive Reading Portfolio
As kids get older they don’t necessarily want mom standing over their shoulder ensuring they’ve completed assignments. And we want our kids to develop independent reading habits. With Reading Portfolio, you can allow your child to choose from a variety of books, they borrow or buy the book for themselves, read through it, then answer some questions to show they’ve understood the material. This allows them to take ownership of their own reading habits. But, along the way they’ll develop an extensive reading portfolio. Learn More Here: Independent Reading in Our Homeschool
“Reading Portfolio’s list of books includes a lot of books that she normally wouldn’t choose for herself, so that certainly helps me to encourage her to expand her choices. The questions are not impossibly difficult but make sure that you’ve read the text.” – Jennifer A. Janes
While there are many reasons to hit the books, there are just as many good reasons to introduce learning apps into your homeschool. You’ll find that the ease at which children learn through interactive play, allows them to develop their skill set while learning how to work independently. Which is one of our biggest goals as homeschooling parents.
What about you? What apps are you using with your kids to inspire independent learning?
