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Reading is one of the first things we learn as kids. From apps to games to formal learning in schools, reading is a part of our lives. As kids, it is something that they enjoy doing. I have ecstatic learners! How bout you??
Kids love to Learn! When our family learned that schools would be closed for a time due to the virus pandemic (big fat eye roll), I quickly began doing some research.
This not so welcomed change has opened my eyes to the school district. But as such we will adapt and LEARN ON!!
What comes as no surprise most schools have now transitioned into what they call “hybrid learning?” What is this any way and why can’t we just get on the computer and figure it out.
Well y’all it wasn’t that simple!
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Online Learning
Initially, we had a plan to just go with what the school was offering which is a reading program as well but very time-consuming. The other option is a workbook. When we tried the workbook all we got out of it was coloring. Not a whole lot of fun for many reasons… but we forged on!
Having been forced into online learning, the school system barely had time to accommodate the learning for the kids. ARGH!! Needless to say, the online program that was given to us barely made a dent, as it became a sort of well… boring. To our kids anyway. And we needed to be present for every little bit of it.
Kids can be entertained by lots of online things these days. Seemingly so, its the way of the world of which we are sucked into. For instance Roblox, Kids YouTube, and Nintendo. To name a few of my kiddos faves.
That being said why not supplement their learning with an awesome app instead of games and watching other kids open presents all day??!!! Needless to say… I was pumped to have them do something other than the above mentioned.
Our Favorite Learning Apps
In comes ABC Mouse and Adventure Academy. Ya’ll, if you are not familiar with these apps, they have great learning potential and they are lots of fun! Our family had used ABC Mouse with our daughter when she was in Kindergarten just because it was fun for her! It was engaging, fun, and allowed her to explore all kinds of things.
The program offered Science, Reading, Learning activities, coloring, and much more! Needless to say, this program was a must-have for our little guy to continue learning.
What is the ABC Mouse APP
So let’s dive on in! What is ABC Mouse exactly? A tiny mouse that is portrayed on the screen that makes learning super FUN for kids!! To put it you straight, it is a web-based learning program that was built and put out by the Age of Learning Inc.
It is designed for ages 2-8 years old. Which supports pre-k, Kindergarten, and even early elementary. Our daughter used ABC Mouse in first grade when we were doing homeschool and she loved it!
To make learning at home even better ABC Mouse has a full online curriculum and it is designed with little ones in mind. In fact, ABC Mouse is the leading online curriculum for early education. What more could a mom want!
ABC Mouse has won numerous awards for the creative learning style that it has. This curriculum offers over 10,000 Books, art activities, games, puzzles, Math (that is fun), social sciences, and over 870 Lessons throughout the curriculum of your choosing!
The Best Educational Experience
To be honest I couldn’t have asked for a better program for my children. They were immersed in learning for several hours at a time and didn’t get bored with it. It has crazy bright screens and a great interactive classroom. Kids can really feel like they are in a classroom.
One of the things my kids loved about ABC Mouse is that they can create an avatar (someone that portrays them). They can even pick a classroom pet and name it. They even get the responsibility to feed and water it daily. Kids really enjoy this because it gives them some type of ownership.
Inside the classroom they can pick their learning paths. Each age group is assigned a learning path and assignments that best fit the age that your child is.
This was a great option for us because our child is in the middle of pre-k so we are still working on some the things that he needed prior to pre-k like letter sounds.
One other thing that the kids enjoyed was the fact that could go to the library on their home page and have books read aloud. Or if you have a reader as we do, they can access books in that age group.
The best thing about ABC Mouse is that more than 18 million children have completed over 4 Billion lessons within the app itself! WOW! That is amazing! The age of Learning has done a great job with this one! Now, Let’s check out Adventure Academy!
What is Adventure Academy
Although fairly new, Adventure Academy is an online web-based curriculum that is also designed by Age of Learning. It is a multiplayer educational game and it is massive. It supports grades elementary school to middle school or ages 8-13.
Adventure academy has many learning activities and thousands of fun topics. These include language arts, math, science, social studies, and so on. So really it picks up where ABC Mouse left off. Which is great for online learners that older.
Adventure Academy is designed in a virtual world and you can also design your avatar with this app. With Adventure Academy it brings the world of school to life and you can interact with your avatar and guide it where to go. The virtual world is a fun safe environment for kids to learn and explore. Our son and daughter both tried this game and loved it! It also builds on the critical knowledge of the essential curriculum and takes learning to a whole new level.
With many excellent attributes, Adventure Academy has a ton to offer for older kids. Learners are given the opportunity to roam around a huge campus that looks something like a castle (I wish we had schools like that).
The Best of Adventure Academy
You initially make your own avatar like with ABC Mouse. Aand with your avatar, you can earn money and buy stuff at the shops, like food or even clothing. Kids love this because they feel like they aren’t learning all the time and are more apt to stick with the curriculum.
Adventure Academy is FULL of hidden gems, everywhere you turn there is another door to be open. There are hundreds of learning activities and some that really test your knowledge (even as an adult).
The only downside was that our 6 year old had a hard time understanding some of the content so stick with the age bracket. Our daughter who is 11 loved the app and fell right into it! I highly recommend it for the older kids.
Adventure Academy is not compatible with many tablets. So try and download onto your desktop instead and you’ll have a better experience. All in all Adventure Academy was great! It was a fun interactive learning curriculum that our daughter actually enjoyed and would complete each day without hesitation.
With supplemental school subjects of course. We actually did see improvements in math with this app which was a huge relief for us. It offers a progress tracker similar to what the schools are using so you can monitor their activity and what courses have been completed.
How to get started with these Educational Apps
Like most parents, we are wanting what is best for our kiddos! AM I RIGHT??!! With all that is happening in the world right now and the future unknown for education, living, and basically everything. ABC Mouse is amazing with its online learning curriculum! The structure of the program itself is designed in a way that it is easy for kids to understand.
While Adventure Acadamy is aimed at older kids who are in elementary and middle school, it has a really great learning curriculum and is super fun and inviting for kids. With this in mind, the only thing you’ll need to get started is an email address! And they are both offering free Trials. ABC Mouse offers a one month offer which is great!
With the 49% off coupon, you’ll be on your way to learning in no time! ABC Mouse also offers 4 installment plans. I personally liked this offer because we are all facing some difficulties right now and maybe a lower payment is what you are looking for. Click here to check it out for yourself!
Adventure Academy also runs a special also that offers a full month free of online fun and learning. What a great opportunity for learning! Click here to get one month free! Or click the banner below!
Tips for Success in Reading
Here are a few tips for a Successful Experience with ABC Mouse and Adventure Academy:
- Make sure to allow kids the time to design their Avatars (super important) especially to them.
- Track progress if wanting to supplement learning from home/school work.
- For Adventure Academy make sure you have a compatible device that will work with the app.
- Print out the Coloring Pages or Number guides for little kids, they are fun!
- Allow kiddos to get stuff from the online store with their tokens.
- Set your kids up for success by digging in with them and having fun!
Common Questions/FAQ About ABC mouse and Adventure Academy
- Can I cancel my membership if I don’t like the product?
- Of course, you can! But you will definitely like the apps as they are very engaging. As stated before. Why not embrace in the joy of learning. If you are not completely satisfied there is a place to cancel under the parent section with no obligation.
- Can I add more than one child to the Apps?
- Yes! You can add up to three children on the account. Each child will need to create their own profile. Now you can have all of the learning in one area!
- If my child grows out of the learning path or completes it can he/she advance to the next level?
- Advancing to the next level is really based on the child. If you are involved with a school, which many people are, it will be based on what the teacher is seeing as progress for the child. If you feel your child is ready for the next level than you are free to adjust it accordingly to fit your child’s needs.
- Where Should I begin if I am just getting started?
- Once you first log in to the app there is a video guide that takes you on a tour and offers you a tutorial of the classroom.
- What devices are compatible with ABC Mouse
- There is an app available on Kindle Fire, Ipad, iPhone, or most android phones. You can also access ABC Mouse from your laptop or desktop.
- What devices are compatible with Adventure Academy
- iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Android. There is also an app available for these devices. You cannot access this on a desktop or laptop you will need an app to access the site.
The Last Thing You Need to Know About Educational Apps
With so many options out there to choose from for reading, science, or even math ABC Mouse and Adventure Academy definitely top our list as a family. So, What do we do next? When used alongside a school program it is even more beneficial for learning, and makes reading fun.
With rough times in our world, take advantage of the time that you have with your little ones. Embrace their joy for learning and learn with them! Challenge them to take on new and exciting adventures! Let’s be ready for whatever life throws at us next!
