My 7-year-old was afraid of television until last fall. Yes, you read that correctly: my child was terrified of television. I’m talking about a phobia-level fear of TV.

Now, I have never been a huge TV person. I can go weeks without even turning it on. I could easily get rid of our television. In fact, I lived without a TV for years after college. That said, I am a total sucker for an amazing documentary or nonfiction series.

And, let’s be honest here, as a parent – and especially as a homeschooling parent with a husband who works long hours- educational programming can be a lifesaver. Now that my son is over his fear, I incorporate educational programming into our homeschool routine. Nowadays, I’m always on the lookout for quality documentaries and nonfiction series.

And that’s where CuriosityStream comes in. Have you heard of it?

Curiosity Stream: A Lifesaver for Homeschooling Parents

*Disclosure: I received CuriosityStream at no cost, and I was compensated for my time. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review. I only agree to share products that I would use with my own family.

What is CuriosityStream?

CuriosityStream  is the world’s first ad-free, on demand streaming service for quality educational programming. CuriosityStream delivers over 1,000 titles, including high-quality documentaries and series created by the world’s most accomplished producers. Educate, inspire, and entertain your family whenever and wherever you want to watch.

And, get this, folks… CuriosityStream was founded by John Hendricks, founder of Discovery Communications, the parent company of – among others- Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC and Science.

CuriosityStream offers the following categories of programming:

• Science
• Technology
• Civilization
• Human Spirit

Benefits of a nonfiction streaming service

There are so many benefits to an online video streaming subscription, including:

• Nonfiction – Encourage an early love of nonfiction
• Quality, on-demand content at your fingertips
• Convenience – as all you need is a TV, tablet, or computer.
• Ease of use – simply log onto the website anytime, anywhere!
• A break for mom – As a homeschool mom, I love the quality programming that CuriosityStream provides. CuriosityStream provides educational videos that my children love, and I am able to incorporate it into our homeschool routine- which gives me a little break.
• Affordable – CuriosityStream starts at just $2.99 per month!
• Perfect for information thirsty kids – Are you the parent of a gifted learner? It can be tough to keep up with these kids, and CuriosityStream is a wonderful source of information for these kids.
• NO ads! 

Using a nonfiction video subscription in your homeschool

We have fallen in love with CuriosityStream over here! I love that I have quality educational programming at my fingertips. My children are fascinated by the content, and I am confident knowing that they are learning. CuriosityStream has given me little windows of quiet in my home. That alone is priceless!

I love that I can use CuriosityStream anytime, anywhere…. and, believe me, we have! Here are some examples:

Here are just a few of the ways we’ve been using CuriosityStream in our homeschool:

• CuriosityStream is an excellent supplement to our curriculum. We are currently enjoying a variety of nature-themed books in our {Virtual} Family Book Club at My Little Poppies and CuriosityStream has oodles of high-quality nature documentaries. My children have enjoyed learning about ocean animals, hummingbirds, elephants, and horses.
• I’m a huge fan of using movies and/or documentaries in our homeschool, as a way to celebrate the end of a unit study. Recently, we were able to build upon our map skills unit study by watching A Curious World Changing Earth, which explained plate tectonics to my children.
• My 7-year-old is obsessed with encyclopedias. Obsessed! Recently, he has been selecting documentaries based on the encyclopedias he is enjoying. For example, the other day he was reading about Ancient Rome and he was able to find a program on CuriosityStream about rebuilding Ancient Rome.

Do you want to see what we have LOVED on CuriosityStream?

Check out our living list of CuriosityStream recommended documentaries here:

• CuriosityStream Recommendations

How to sign up for CuriosityStream

If you are interested in subscription streaming on demand, CuriosityStream is a wonderful service. Right now, CuriosityStream is offering a discount. Get your first month free plus 15% off the next two months with the code homeschool. This offer expires on November 1st, so don’t delay!

This discount is valid on either of the following plans:

• Standard Definition  (regular price $2.99) will be reduced to $2.50 each month for two months after the free trial month (total charge $5).
• High Definition  (regular price $5.99) will be reduced to $5.09 each month for two months after the free trial month (total charge $10.18).

To sign up:

1. New users need to head to CuriosityStream and click on the “Start your free month” button.

2. On the next page, select preferred plan (SD or HD), input email information, and create a username and password.

3. Once that is complete they will be prompted to input the payment information and will get the option to fill in a promo code box. With code homeschool, the 15% discount will be automatically applied.

Follow CuriosityStream

Do you like what you see here, folks? Be sure to follow CuriosityStream for all the latest updates. You can follow CuriosityStream on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and G+.