Time 4 Learning: Homeschool Online Educational Program

I have been looking for ways to help Goofy (1st grade) get some extra time practicing reading, writing, and math while at the same time not tying me up. You understand how that goes with everyone needing your attention! So when I was given the opportunity to review Time4Learning, I jumped at the chance.

Please note that I was given a free trial and compensated for my time in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my honest opinion and completely my own!

Right off the bat I want to tell you that although I only used Time4Leanring as a supplement to our homeschool, Time4Learning does thoroughly cover all subject matters and could serve as your sole homeschool curriculum.

What is Time4Learning?

Time4Learning is a home school or after school curriculum for grades Kindergarten through 8th grade.  It systematically presents material in a thorough and engaging way.  I appreciate that the material walks the child through everything from the teaching to the practice to the quiz to determine how well my child mastered the material.

I can really just set my son up on the computer and then leave him to work while I work with my younger children, prepare school lessons, or tended to the unending household chores (like that HUGE pile of laundry).  He really enjoys the independence of this online educational program and responds well to the fun and interactive learning.

Here Goofy is working on a 1st grade math activity learning about weight:

I sat through plenty of these lessons with my son to see what he was learning before I left him on his own. I was impressed with the quality, variety and thoroughness of the material.

1. The material is clearly explained in a variety of ways accompanied by a visual illustration. 
2. Then the child is given a chance to practice and review the new material in a fun game-like activity. 
3. Finally a test is given to determine how much my child has grasped.

There are lots of ways to customize the learning by setting how long your child spends at each lesson, how long they can spend in the “playground”, or scheduling out activities.

Since we are using it as a supplement I allow my son to move around throughout the different areas as he pleases as long as he completes the activities he starts so I can see how he is doing in the report section.

After the set amount of time I allow for my son to do his independent enrichment I can go to the parent login section and see what he has been working on and how well he has mastered the material (i.e. test scores). I love that!

 

After the set amount of time I allow for my son to do his independent enrichment I can go to the parent login section and see what he has been working on and how well he has mastered the material (i.e. test scores). I love that!

Want to see what all is included? It is truly a thorough, beefy program that will amaze you. You can see a personalized demo of Time4Learning here or what is included in the 1st Grade Curriculum here (or any other grade K-8th – as seen above).

What does Time4Learning cost?

Time4Learning costs $19.95/month for the first child and $14.95 a month for the 2nd child (remember it is customized for each of your children). 

Your monthly subscription includes a complete curriculum for Kindergarten through 8th grade including 1,000 interactive, animated lessons.  It makes record keeping and reporting easy for parents to keep track of what their children are learning and for state record keeping and homeschool reporting. 

There are no long term contacts and you can start and stop at any time. Perfect if want to just sign up during the summer as public or homeschool enrichment.

What did we think of Time4Learning?

Positives

1. Time4Learning is a great resource for homeschooling families!
2. I think it is great to have things explained to my kids by someone else in a different way. Sometimes it just clicks when things are explained differently.
3. I appreciate how thorough the program is and how well it is laid out – it makes using it a breeze!
4. It is interactive and FUN!
5. Great for summer enrichment, down time, or days when Mom is sick.
6. I really, really love that I can easily see how my child is doing through the reports.
7. Everything is covered systematically so if you are worried you might forget something in your homeschool – have no fear with Time4Learning.

Things to Consider

• If you have multiple children, it could get expensive to use for an entire year. It will cost you $239.40 for an entire 12 months for one child. Again, you could choose to do it only for certain months or as your sole curriculum. Just keep the bottom line cost in mind.
• If you and your child are use to playing other video or computer games like Disney learning software they may feel that the graphics or animation is not as polished. That however is not an indication of quality!

I was impressed with the variety and creativity of the different activities! For one of the 1st Grade Language Arts Chapters on Sights & Sounds there was a carnival dunk tank activity, puppet boot camp, spaceman rock sample, and a decodable story.

• If you are considering using it as your sole home educating source please make sure you add real books, hands on learning, and that you are still interacting with your child regularly throughout the day!
• Please remember that this program is web based. You will need to closely monitor your child or look at some safety features to ensure your child does not begin browsing the internet and encounter inappropriate material.
• The playground has various fun games for children to practice skills they’ve learned. The games include many from Time4Learning, but it will also open games from Veggie Tales and PBS as well. Your child will continue to have the Time4Learning banner at the top, but could spend time watching videos at those sights instead of playing educational games. I was also a little disappointed that the clever 1st Grade Math Game – Bus Math said the “the stupid bus driver” – our family doesn’t use that word and in the context the bus driver made a simple mistake. But overall – great practice for kids.
• Please note you will need a computer to use this program. You will want to be aware of how long your child is sitting at a time and integrate plenty of movement. You may also want to invest in an ergonomic keyboard and/or mouse if this is used as your primary homeschooling method. Time4Learning will not run on an Ipad as it uses Flash.