Technology advances at astounding rates, and it’s best to try to use this technology to benefit our children. At the same time, most of them are being transferred to at-home learning situations.
As it stands, COVID-19 cases are still rising.
And though Trump wants children to get back into the classroom, some states have already pushed back, announcing schools will be held virtually in the Fall.
This appears to be a double-edged sword for parents who want to keep their children safe and have no idea what to expect when fall rolls around—with many parents worrying that their children will fall behind without proper instruction. This is the primary source of stress for parents across the country.
So, it’s only natural that parents turn to technology to juggle the responsibilities of “teaching”. It’s not intended to replace parent involvement and instruction, but rather, enhance and fill in the gaps.
Why Put More Into At-Home Learning?
As suspected, many kids, especially those of lower socioeconomic and minority backgrounds, are falling behind academically due to COVID. There were already massive gaps in the education system, and this only further extends those gaps.
That means it’s up to parents to step in and make sure that our children gain beneficial exposure to those core concepts that will help them excel.
Sure, it’s more work, but it’s got to be done!
Here are 5 learning apps that are guaranteed to keep your kids attention!
ABC Mouse
This app has definitely come a long way since it launched back in 2010. It used to consist of a learning path for kids, but since its redesign, it’s a whole cyberworld filled with learning opportunities for kids.
The learning path is still there, which focuses on core concepts, but there’s also a whole library of books that the kids can read along with. There are over 10,000 activities and 850 lessons designed to engage your children and help them retain important milestones.
ABC Mouse offers a one-month free trial to gauge your child’s interest before you fully commit to the $10 a month fee. However, they have numerous package deals that you can take advantage of, such as two months for $5 and even substantial discounts for the yearly subscription.
Go Noodle
It’s not a bad idea to switch up the learning platforms with Go Noodle. This app focuses on movement and mindfulness for kindergarten and elementary students. This aspect of the student’s life should not be overlooked during our current pandemic situation.
There are yoga videos, relaxation videos, and a good number of videos that provide kids with a quick outlet for physical activity and fun. Additionally, it’s been proven that adding a burst of physical activity during the day immensely benefits children.
Go Noodle is used in schools all across the country for this very reason!
Hippocampus
This app is for older kids who need some help with a variety of subjects. In fact, they offer over 7,000 videos in 13 subjects! This platform was created and designed by the Monterey Institute for Technology and Education.
The best part about Hippocampus is that it’s totally free. Students and teachers can take advantage of this resource tool. This is such an excellent tool for presentations since schools will maybe be held virtually in most of the country come Fall 2020.
It’s harder to keep our older children motivated and on track with so many distractions about, but these videos allow kids to check in on what they feel they’re lacking. It’s also good to keep in mind that we need to provide different learning styles for kids because some might be better at absorbing visuals while others are more kinesthetic.
Brain POP
Here we are with another learning app that can grasp the attention of younger children, and most importantly, help them retain that information. They offer animated videos on a wide range of topics. The videos find creative ways to incorporate some of those concepts we’re hoping they retain.
Brain POP will run you about $11 a month, but they have discounts for annual package payments. It’s very highly reviewed and recommended by parents and educators across the country.
They even have coding available if you have a kid interested in learning more about the tech world––which is never a bad idea seeing how quickly technology is advancing!
Don’t Stress Parents, You’ve Got This
This is a stressful time for everyone, and learning from home adds a whole new layer of stress that parents have to figure out. We’re all finding our own ways to cope with this new stress. Many parents pick up the idea of CBD vaping for two primary reasons: It kicks in fast, and there are more CBD vape juices than you think!
This is a great way to implement an added layer of chill. At the same time, you take on yet another “at-home” responsibility, which might prove to be a challenge. Still, you will prevail and be amazed at how amazing you are!
You’ve got this!
Laila Azzahra is a professional writer and blogger that loves to write about technology, business, entertainment, science, and health.