With many educational programs and apps available for preschoolers, how do you know which ones are worth your time?
ABCmouse.com is a subscription-based, educational website for children ages 2 through 8. Created by a team of educators, it offers a full online curriculum for kids in pre-K, kindergarten, and early elementary school.
How ABCmouse.com Works
When you first sign on to ABCmouse.com, your child (or children—up to three can play and learn on one account) is prompted to create an avatar that represents them. After your child is happy with how they look (avatars can be changed), they are also asked to create a teacher for their classroom.
You then choose a learning path for your child based on age and academic ability. The Early Learning Academy is a full online curriculum for pre-K, kindergarten, and first and second grade, including more than 10,000 learning activities in reading, math, beginning science, social studies, art, and music.
The home base is the classroom, which is where all the learning begins. Children learn about a variety of subjects through online books, games, songs, puzzles, online art projects, and printable that cover 10 levels.
While there are learning paths that kids follow and work their way through, there are also sections on the site (including a farm and a zoo) where kids can play individual games and complete activities.
The site keeps track of what your child has completed, so you get a good feel for what they are learning. As a child completes an activity, they earn tickets they can redeem for virtual prizes.
Step-By-Step Learning
When you first start your child on ABCmouse.com, it can be a bit overwhelming because there are so many different things to choose from. Once you select an academic level that best matches your child’s needs, your best bet is to start them on the Step-by-Step Learning Path, a series of lessons that gives an overview of all the subjects on the site.
Even the lesson path itself is a learning experience. Set in different environments, kids can learn about different animals and facets of nature unique to that part of the world. As your child moves along the lesson path, the activities switch from subject to subject and get more challenging.
Once you and your child are comfortable on the site, you can build custom lessons for your child if there are particular things, you’d like them to learn. You can choose by subject, academic level, and even the order in which you’d like your child to complete them.
ABCmouse.com Review
ABCmouse.com is a good way to introduce a young child to using the computer. By following a learning path, a child will grow in confidence in using devices and with the subject material.
Not every activity is a game to play. Sometimes a child will simply listen to a song or nursery rhyme, or read along with a book. These types of activities keep the child engaged, but at the same time offer a bit of a break as they play.
The lessons themselves are visually appealing and feature games and activities that are fun and absorbing. They get more challenging as a child moves along a path, helping to keep them interested.
The ticket system is also a learning experience. Your child learns about saving tickets for something they want, introducing and practicing the concept of delayed gratification.
You are likely to use the site together if you have a young child. As they get more skilled, they’ll use the site independently. This is a great virtual destination to visit with your child, especially if you want to take an active role in their learning process.
ABCmouse.com Subscriptions
ABCmouse.com is subscription-based; you can pay for a year all at once or in monthly installments. It is ad-free and there are no outside links. In addition, subscriptions are available to public schools throughout the United States and Canada. For more information, visit ABCmouse.com.
