When my oldest was learning to read, needed extra support, and had exhausted all other options, I turned to online tools to help her. While technology can get a bad wrap, it can really be a game changer in your homeschool when used with intention and connection. In this article, I will share tools, tips, and what has worked and has not worked for our family.

Why We Embraced Tech in Our Homeschool

While my kids were babies and toddlers, I avoided screens. Early in my education as a Speech-Language Pathologist, I learned that relying on technology early in a child’s development can impair cognitive development, such as delayed language skills, reduced attention span, increased impulsivity, and social and emotional development. I felt so guilty the first time we traveled, and I allowed them to use a tablet. 

We’ve come a long way since then, and now allow screens of all kinds to be a part of our lives. We began incorporating technology to expose them to audiobooks, music, and videos that could better explain tricky questions they would ask on the fly (Why is the sky blue?, What are planets made of?, Where is God?) We started having deeper conversations and more structure as tech as a learning tool became part of our homeschool. 

We use screens for fun- to watch a favorite show, sports, play a beloved video game, create, or just laugh at short videos. Our kids are still young, 9, 6, and 3, so we are aware of screen limits and try to teach them why these limits are important. We discuss how we feel after being on screens for an extended period. We also discuss what it does to our brain and body to sit in one place for more than 30 minutes. 

🤩 Our Favorite Tech Tools and How We Use Them

📚 Learning Platforms

• Savvy Learning: for reading
• Night Zookeeper:  language arts
• Khan Academy: Reading and math 

When my oldest was eager to learn to read fast and our home practice wasn’t enough, we decided to try the online tutoring platform- Savvy Learning. She quickly began to show more confidence and courage with reading. She has shown growth in her motivation to show up daily for her class and consistently practice her skills.

We have also enjoyed using Night Zookeeper for my son, who enjoys more game-based learning.

We love Khan Academy because it’s free and easy to use whenever we want. We’re not in a season where we use this one much, but if they needed more practice with a skill, I would use this program.

📱Apps We Love

• Teach Your Monster to Read: Teaches reading through character play, games, and challenges.
• PBS Kids:  The shows on PBS Kids are safe for kids to watch without worrying about language or violence. They typically also teach morals and include diverse characters. Their games are engaging and educational.
• YouTube Kids:  You can pre-select the content shown on the app. I wish they had a bigger selection, but it serves its purpose for little ones.
• Stop Motion Studio: Kids love creating their own videos, and Stop Motion Studio has been great for exploring animation.
• Camera: Yes, the camera app on all phones and tablets! Photography skills aren’t going anywhere.
• Google Earth: This app keeps them captivated for a long time, searching the globe and zooming in and out.

🎥 Interactive & Multimedia Learning

• YouTube Channels: FreeSchool,  SciShow Kids, Art for Kids Hub, Nat Geo Kids, TED-Ed
• Virtual field trips: museums, zoos, interacting with professionals

YouTube is a wonderful way to learn about anything, and is a daily staple in our homeschool. My kids do not have free rein on this platform and understand it’s used to search for what we want to learn about or watch.

We recently got hooked up with a virtual field trip program in our state, which has been such a cool experience for my kids! They have experienced museums, zoos, and wildlife centers. They have also interacted with professionals such as book authors, scientists, and storm chasers. In the small group setting, they ask questions and interact with the group.

What’s Worked ✅(and What Hasn’t❌ )

Savvy Learning has produced the biggest results with its engaging content and virtual teacher interaction. Night Zookeeper, while it isn’t used daily, keeps my kids engaged for an extended period and does more than just teach reading. It touches on all different aspects of language arts through games and challenges. While they enjoy Khan Academy, the app is rarely used as they prefer real-person interaction or game-based learning.

We’re all about balance because we know what works for us. We set limits with screen time that cause changes in behavior or overstimulate their still-developing brains. We often discuss how time on screens for extended periods can make us feel. We talk about how important it is to get physical activity and take breaks for our eyes.

When things get too challenging, which inevitably happens with apps that use algorithms to decide how hard to make tasks, I notice my kids will shift away from using them. Programs with real instructor interaction keep them engaged because the person on the other side of the screen prevents the activity from pushing too far past the boundary of challenging to impossible.

🪄Tips for Other Homeschooling Parents

• Start slow—one tool at a time
• Involve your kids in choosing apps/resources. Free trials and video reviews are great for this.
• Create tech-free times/spaces. We try to encourage face-to-face interactions whenever possible. We don’t use tech when we’re together as a family having a meal. We involve everyone if we pull out our phones to show something.
• Don’t stress if something doesn’t work—pivoting is part of the process. This is one benefit of free trials or month-to-month memberships. When something isn’t working anymore, we cancel and move on or come back to it at another time. 

With the right balance, technology can support your family’s homeschooling goals. Every family’s journey will look different. There may be seasons of more and less tech use. We try to focus on connection above all else, which gives me more peace of mind when it comes to kids and technology. 

It feels like new tools are popping up all the time! What are some of your family’s favorites?