Homeschool Apps: Guide for Parents
6/17/2024
Too often in our society, learning is confined to English, Math, or Science. While a formal education is great, the public school system may not be the right choice for some parents and families. Parents choose to homeschool for many different reasons. The National Center for Education Statistics¹ shows that 80.3% of surveyed parents chose to homeschool because of concerns about school environment, such as safety, drugs or negative peer pressure. Some parents are dissatisfied with academic instruction (72.6%), while others are also concerned about the lack of lack of emphasis of family life together (74.6%), moral instructions (74.7%), and religious and spiritual development (58.9%). Many parents choose to homeschool to bring faith-based values back into the home.
Though there are many decent homeschool curriculums, many are education-focused and fail to provide a strong foundation of value, morals, spirituality, and closeness to God. That’s where homeschool apps come in, helping parents fill in the blanks in a child’s understanding of the world. The best homeschool apps offer positive Biblical values in a fun and engaging digital environment.
Homeschooling apps should be more than Bible-related, though. They should also be empowering and exploratory. Faith-based homeschool apps should help your child engage with the Word of God in ways that are age-appropriate and tailored to their interests. The ideal solution bundles diverse content - games, comics, animated shorts - into one subscription platform.
Homeschooling apps that meet the above criteria and offer high quality content in a controlled and safe environment may be a tall order but they do exist. We’ve done the research and we’re going to talk more about the best apps for homeschooling below. First, though, what are homeschool apps and why are they important? What forms do they come in? What is their place in the modern homeschooling landscape? Which ones should you consider for your family?
Read on for a complete guide to the best homeschooling apps for Christian families today.
What are Homeschool Apps and Why Are They Important?
Homeschool apps are online programs that help impart educational concepts or spiritual ones. They can be available via desktop or mobile, and often both.
In a nutshell, homeschooling apps help support parents in providing a robust, well-rounded curriculum at home. Even better, many apps offer tons of flexibility and personalized learning. This helps children advance more quickly if they need to, but also offers plenty of opportunity for review for kids who need a bit more help.
Homeschool apps also offer a number of benefits to parents. Academic apps help save time and provide an assist to those who aren’t natural teachers of educational material. Spiritual apps help deepen the message children receive from their pastors, parents, the Bible, and other reading material.
When you choose biblical apps, make sure they were created by a team of believers who put the message first.
Types of Homeschool Apps
There are several different types of homeschool apps. They may prioritize organization or academic learning. Some are specifically geared toward the Word of God. Let’s explore the main app categories now.
Apps for Homeschool Organization
No one needs to tell you that when you homeschool, organization is a key priority. Not only do you need to have your ducks in a row, you need to teach your children to do the same.
Top organizational apps should have a crisp, easy-to-navigate user interface. They should feature calendar integration and assignment trackers, without a lot of extra gimmicks. They should be age-appropriate, and well organized, so the best homeschool apps might vary by child. For example, younger kids might enjoy apps with colorful graphics, while older students could benefit from apps that help them take notes, organize their thoughts and plan their time.
Learning Apps for Homeschooling
It’s right there in the title: If you homeschool, you need to put the school part front and center. Some apps contain multiple subjects, while others offer an entire Christian curriculum in one place.
Some parents choose to cobble together their own curriculum, matching apps with their needs as they go. For instance, you might choose one for math, one for science, one for history, one for literacy. To that, you might add a biblical app or a faith-based gaming platform. That can help you keep kids entertained while focusing growing minds on the messaging you deem worthy.
For instance, although TruPlay is all about promoting fun and spiritual values rather than academic lessons, it can still be a part of your homeschool curriculum.
Homeschool Apps for Family, Fun, and Faith
Lastly, homeschooling apps can help homeschool students spend time with their families. At the same time, they enable kids to sink their teeth into concepts having to do with God, Christianity, and spiritual values.
TruPlay is a wonderful addition to your homeschool curriculum, helping to add a well-rounded, faith-based take to drier, less value-oriented academic learning. For instance, we offer apps that facilitate:
- Engaging with biblical stories: Kids absorb content that is packaged in age-appropriate ways. “King David’s Battles” explores the adventures of this mighty biblical figure. TruPlay offers Narrative Action Bible and other short videos that kids can listen and read about faith and prayers.
- Prayer and courage: Games such as “Benjamin and the Armor of Logos” instill in kids the importance of relying on God when we face challenges.
- Creativity: For the budding artists in your family, consider apps such as “Book of Imagination,” which offer soul-satisfying coloring while absorbing biblical truths.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Homeschool Apps
It is important to align your apps with your goals. Here are a few of the most important criteria for choosing the best homeschooling apps for your family.
Curriculum Alignment and Spiritual Value
First and foremost, the best homeschool apps should align with your existing curriculum, enhancing lessons you already teach. Spiritual apps should cultivate children’s morals in harmony with the Bible’s doctrines and your current religious curriculum.
When choosing games, look for those that actively promote Christian values and combat media toxicity.This helps parents insulate kids from inappropriate messaging, while also ensuring they have fun.
Not sure how to achieve this? Look for gaming platforms that were built by world-class developers, such as TruPlay. We work hard to ensure faith integrity and curriculum fit. Parents can trust in the content integrity by looking at partners & endorsements. Truplay partners with The Action Bible, the Book of God and is endorsed by Christianity Today, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Promise Keepers, Sam Rodriguez, Pastor Jack Hayford, PluggedIn by Focus on the Family, Candace Cameron Bure, and many others.
Age Appropriateness and User Friendliness
To work for your family, games must be both age-appropriate and user-friendly. Otherwise you will struggle to make them work and your investment won’t be worth it.
Parental Controls and Internet Safety
Again, in order for homeschooling apps to be worth it, they must enhance rather than detract from your curriculum and family routine. That means you need strong safety measures.
The best homeschool apps have no-nonsense parental controls. They prevent kids from chatting with strangers, and they don’t contain in-app purchases or ads. Make sure to explore parental control options from the outset, and set them up as soon as you download an app.
Device Compatibility
On a purely logistical level, your apps need to be compatible with the devices you’re using, otherwise they’re not very cost-effective. Make sure to source your apps from the appropriate stores – e.g. the App Store and Google Play.
Recommendations: Top Homeschool Apps for 2024
Looking for highly recommended homeschool apps? The following list is based on happy users and high ratings. These apps are also backed by our own team!
- Lamp Homeschool Group: This independent homeschooling group offers an online curriculum of all kinds to match Christian needs.
- CodaKid: If you want to inspire tech-savvy kiddos to code at a young age, this is a great app. It uses math, computer science, and fun to teach skills applicable in the real world.
- ChessKid: Chess has a 1,500-year history. In that time, it has been widely recognized as one of the best games in the world to teach strategic thinking. Do note that it provides some interaction with other kids through its optional multiplayer format.
- TypingClub: Typing is a critical skill in this day and age. This online service provides goals and objectives to help children improve, making it more fun.
- PBS Kids: Both educational and fun, PBS Kids offers tons of games to help kids learn about the natural world, math, and reading.
- TruPlay: In addition to imparting biblical wisdom, TruPlay can also help children gain confidence. Moreover, it has huge practical value for busy parents who want to encourage their children’s spiritual development but have many other tasks on their to-do lists.
Choosing the Right Homeschool App for Your Child
Finding the best homeschool apps for your child's needs can be tough. If you’re wondering how to match apps with your child’s learning style and your homeschooling goals, here are a few steps to take:
- Make a list of potential apps, sorting between educational options and biblical ones.
- Evaluate their relevance to your curriculum, discarding those that don’t match your needs or your child’s interests.
- Look for all-in-one apps to reduce how many you’ll have to manage and stick within your budget.
- Discard any app that contains chat rooms, ads, or in-app purchases.
- Select apps that offer a variety of media types in order to keep kids engaged and provide the most effective way that your child learns and intakes lessons, such as reading, watching, playing, or interacting.
Et voilà! An app selection plan that works for any godly family.
Discover TruPlay's Selection of Faith-Based Games
Imparting values and morals is just as much your job as a homeschool teacher as teaching math and English. If you have been looking for apps with a strong role in faith, homeschooling, and giving your child the best possible upbringing, it’s time to try TruPlay.
Our intuitive gaming platform provides an extensive selection of biblically inspired games to supplement standard curricula. Plus, it convinces children who love electronics to spend more time with God’s truth while enjoying their favorite hobby.
As one happy mom put it:
“I can’t say how grateful I am that this app exists. As a mother to an 11-year-old with a very creative mind, it’s all I can do to try and introduce him to entertainment that kids his age enjoy while still being connected to Christ. I asked him to try these games and unsurprisingly, he was reluctant and annoyed. But now I find him playing it all the time, and he admitted to me he really likes it. Thank you for helping a mother keep her son engaged in God’s message!”
Ready to explore TruPlay’s games for yourself? Check out our Games and More page now!
RESOURCE:
¹The National Center for Education Statistics
FAQs about Homeschool Apps
We believe our games promote strong faith while making life more fun for your little ones, but you might still have questions. Here are some of the most common questions and concerns about homeschooling apps.
Q: Do homeschool apps replace traditional methods of encouraging Christian values?
A: While the best apps for homeschooling cannot replace church, Sunday school, or family discussions, they can add meaning to the conversation. They can also give your children more time to engage with the morals and lessons of the Bible. Most kids spend 70+ hours a week in front of a screen but most only get 20-40 minutes of bible learning time a week at Sunday Schools. Bible centric apps like Truplay can easily help redeem screen time by having kids interact with God's word and values many times over.
Q: How can parents monitor and control children's app usage?
A: Parents can log into the TruPlay platform to track what their children are doing at any time.
Q: Are homeschool apps suitable for children of all ages?
A: There are many homeschool apps on the internet, though not all are appropriate for Christian families or all ages. For a range of apps that meet the whole family’s needs, consider the TruPlay gaming platform.
Q: Are there free homeschool apps available for families on a budget?
A: The best apps for homeschooling include numerous games under one low subscription. That way, your children can all log into the same platform and play unlimited games without worrying about the bank account. The best options, such as TruPlay, also offer a free trial period.
There are a few good free apps on the market for various age groups, such as PBS Kids, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Typing Club, Chess Kid, and the Khan Academy. However, most high quality homeschool apps are paid or subscription-based. To get the best deal on these paid apps, you could consider a platform that has multiple apps and games under one roof, such as the LAMP Homeschool Group.
Q: Can homeschool apps track student progress and performance?
A: Many apps do track student progress, but it varies from app to app. To ensure your homeschool app aligns with God’s truth and meets your needs, always choose a platform that allows you to oversee all users progress.
Q: How often should homeschool apps be integrated into the curriculum?
A: This is a personal choice and will depend on your curriculum, your personal beliefs about how children should spend their time, and your goals in integrating Christian games into your routine.
Q: What are the privacy considerations when using homeschool apps?
A: Many apps have chatrooms, ads, or in-app purchases that parents find concerning. You don’t want random people to have access to your kids, nor do you want them exposed to messaging you haven’t approved through ads. Choose homeschool apps that don’t leverage any of these approaches.
Q: How do I sign up for TruPlay?
A: Signing up couldn’t be simpler. Simply head to our user registration page to create an account for your family.