*We were given a subscription to starfall.com to help facilitate our review. All thoughts and opinions are based on our experience. They are honest and 100% ours.
I love spring. I love the warmer weather, beautiful flowers and I look forward to the MACHE homeschool conference held in April. Spring is also the time of year we assess where our kids are at in their learning journey. We determine if we will continue using our current curriculum or if we need to switch. I get excited as we sit down with each of our kids to discuss their goals for the year, what kind of books they want to read and to hear each of their passions, dreams, and goals. This sit-down time is also the time they tell us what they thought went well and the areas they felt frustrated or didn’t like. One of the consistent learning tools we have used is Starfall.com.
Online Safety
One of the things we consider when allowing our kids to use an online learning tool is how safe it is to use. Will they be able to navigate away from the game? Will ads pop up on their screen? Before I became a blogger, I was ignorant of the real power (both positive and negative) of social media. It was a fun tool I used to keep connected with friends and family. What is the harm in that? Now as a blogger and a social media manager, social media has the ability to terrify me as a parent. Stranger danger exists as much online as it does offline and it is disgusting.
While there is a real danger on social media, we want to train our kids to be technically savvy. We want them to know the ins and outs of social media, how to run a computer and other need to know tech. things they will need to know to be competitive in the careers they choose. Maddie has more freedom than Naomi and Titus, and they have more freedom than Timmy does. Their tech time and what they are allowed to do online is dependent on their maturity, self-control, and what they can handle emotionally.
Why do we love Starfall.com
One of the reasons I love Starfall.com so much is because I know it is a place all four of our kids will be safe to use. It does not require as much parental supervision, and I know they are going to be learning at the same time. For $30 a year there are games all four of our kids can play. We help Timmy with some of it, but for the most part, he can navigate it on his own. They are continually putting out new learning games, and they are currently working on adding learning tools for 3rd graders.
We can use it on Apple products as well as Android products. This works super in our house because we have a mix of tech. gadgets and it is nice to be able to download the app to multiple devices.
Which is better? The App or Computer version.
The apps are great, but the Starfall computer version has even more awesome games. The company is working to bring more games to the app, but like all apps, it takes time and patience.
Russell kid tested, Mama Russell approved.
Starfall.com is a Russell kid tested, and Mama Russell approved! Have questions? Leave a comment, and we will get an answer to you. Do you have a favorite online program you invest in for your kids? We would love to know about it.
Hi there!
Do you know how it compares to something like ABC mouse? I’ve debated getting a subscription to that one, mainly because of all the great commercials they run for it. LOL! But if I remember right, it seemed kind of expensive when I looked into it a few years back for my older son.
I have not used ABC mouse. I looked into that program, but there was not a free version that I saw and I had to pay for it without a trial period. That kind of thing always makes me leery. We loved the free version of Starfall.com so much already it was easy to pay the $30 for the paid subscription. I’m not sure how helpful of an explanation that is, but I do know others who use and enjoy ABC mouse. I would love to hear from those who do use it and what they think.