The holiday season is upon us and many are scrambling to find the perfect gifts for loved ones. I don’t know about you guys, but I am dreading more stuff coming into this house. One way to avoid this and improve your homeschool is through fantastic monthly homeschool subscriptions. Today, I am sharing some of our family’s absolute favorite homeschool subscriptions.
The Best Educational Subscriptions for Your Homeschool
Homeschool subscriptions are gifts that keeps on giving for the entire year. The following homeschool subscriptions have enriched our family learning, and I hope they will do the same for your homeschool!
Around the World Stories (Geography, World Culture, and a Dash of Foreign Language)
Around the World Stories is a monthly subscription service that delivers original, high-quality stories to your inbox. Each week, you receive one 25-35 minute story dedicated to the fun adventures of a child from a specific country, with a new country featured every 4 weeks.
These weekly stories draw young listeners into the fun adventures of children from other cultures and countries, bringing to life how the world’s children live, play, eat, think and learn. Each story comes with a parent guide including discussion points, country background, and an activity to make the story a truly memorable and educational experience… all for only $9.95 per month! You also have the option of buying a story pack for $99 which provides immediate access to all the stories already created already (24+), followed by every story to be released thereafter (52 total).
If you want to try it, head over to Around the World Stories and enter the code LITTLEPOPPIES30 for a free one-month trial. And stay tuned for a more in-depth review from us coming soon!
Over two years ago, I was introduced to a fantastic educational video streaming service called CuriosityStream.
And it was love at first sight.
Our family still uses CuriosityStream all the time.
CuriosityStream is the best $2.99 I spend each month.
For less than the cost of one of those fancy Starbucks beverages, our family has access to high-quality on-demand educational documentaries without commercial interruption.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. CuriosityStream offers 18 of their top documentaries for free (without any personal information required) and after you watch those, you can sign up for a FREE 7-day trial.
I am in the process of writing a CuriosityStream series. My goal is to show others how we use this amazing homeschool resource in our home.
Here are some of the posts in the series:
- CuriosityStream will Boost Summer Learning
- How to Use Educational Video Streaming in Your Homeschool
Field Trip Zoom (Virtual Field Trips)
Our family is loving this subscription! Field Trip Zoom offers oodles of LIVE virtual field trips. We have traveled all over while sitting at our kitchen island, eating lunch. Talk about amazing!
Membership is $49.95 per household for an “all inclusive” calendar of live streaming events that will help you learn and celebrate throughout the academic year. You can view current events here, and be sure to check back because we will be sharing our experience very soon.
Groovy Lab in a Box (Math, Technology, Engineering, and Science- STEM!)
Groovy Lab in a Box is a monthly subscription service that teaches STEMists (your children!) all about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Each month, they send out a themed box filled with investigations that are fun and hands-on. The investigations culminate into an Engineering Design Challenge, where your STEMists must apply what they’ve learned from the investigations (and use their critical thinking skills) to complete the challenge.
The boxes contain everything you need to complete all of the activities, including a groovy retro-themed lab notebook. When I say everything, I’m not joking! One of the activities for the weather station box called for a dime and several strands of human hair. I kid you not, they were included.
Raddish Kids (Cooking, Math, Geography, Culture)
Raddish Kids is a fantastic, award-winning cooking club for families. Families will cook together and learn in the process. Cooking is among the most important of life skills! You’ll be preparing your children for life. Be sure to listen to the interview that Kara and I did with Raddish founder, Samantha Barnes on The Homeschool Sisters Podcast. Sign up here and use the code r9cpdd at check-out.
History Unboxed (History and Geography)
History Unboxed is a monthly subscription service that provides hands-on history fun, delivered right to your door. I love that History Unboxed was created by a homeschooling mom of five children, educator, and history enthusiast. In other words, someone who gets this homeschooling thing. I also appreciate that there are two age options for kits: 5-9 years and 10-15 years, and that History Unboxed offers special pricing to those ordering for large families, co-ops, and classrooms.
The basic premise of History Unboxed is that two siblings, 13-year-old Ava and 8-year-old Zane, magically travel through time on a historical adventure, sharing hands-on fun along the way. When you sign your child up for this History Unboxed adventure, you will receive a welcome box. The welcome box includes:
- An interactive timeline
- An introductory letter from either Ava or Zane, depending on your child’s age, and an age-appropriate welcome comic strip created by an artist
- A Time Capsule kit to create your very own historic artifact
- Additional introductory materials for use with your subscription
* If you use the code mylittlepoppies at check-out, your family will receive 5% off your order.
Practicing the Phoenician alphabet!
Ivy Kids (Reading and Literacy and So Much More)
Ivy Kids is an award-winning monthly educational subscription box for children ages 3-8 created by teachers. I wish I had known about these kits earlier because they are right up our alley! Each kit includes a fantastic picture book and a wealth of activities, crafts, and games based on the book. The activities cover all academic areas, but your children will be having such a blast they won’t know they are learning! This kit provides a perfect way to incorporate play-based educational activities without all the work of planning.
Stay tuned because we have a review coming out very soon!
Making maracas as part of our Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin! kit
Sparketh (Art)
Sparketh is an award-winning creative learning platform for children and teens. Members have access to unlimited video courses taught by professionals. Courses are identified by level (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and type (technical, activity, project, creative, and challenge). New courses are added weekly, keeping content fresh and interesting. Members also have access to an inspiration art gallery, which my kiddos adore, as well as a blog. All necessary supplies are listed on the site as well.
You can join Sparketh for $25/month or $250 annually.
Psst!If you love art, I want you to know about two of our favorite art membership sites:
1. The You Are An Artist Clubhouse Annual Membership
We *love* Nana and her Chalk Pastel tutorials. Now, Nana has created an entire clubhouse for artists!
The Clubhouse annual membership includes:
- Instant access to oodles of video art tutorials
- A new art course added monthly
- A new art lesson each week
- … and Chalk Pastels at the Movies
You can read more or sign-up here.
2. Masterpiece Society Studio
I’m not at all surprised, but my kiddos are *loving* this membership site. My oldest was sick as a dog on Valentine’s Day. Everyone was grouchy (self-included) and feeling a little crummy that our day didn’t go as planned.
Are you looking for more gift ideas?
Look no further:
Now it’s your turn. Tell me: Does your family have a favorite homeschool subscription? Share here!
Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley
Cait co-hosts The Homeschool Sisters Podcast and is co-founder of Raising Poppies, a community for parents of gifted and twice-exceptional children. Cait is also founder of the Family Book Club at My Little Poppies, a fantastic community of book-loving parents and the Gameschool Community at My Little Poppies, a vibrant community of gameschoolers.
Cait is a contributing writer for Simple Homeschool and GeekMom. Her work has also appeared on The Huffington Post, The Mighty, and Scary Mommy. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram
and G+.
Latest posts by Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley (see all)
- CuriosityStream: How to make the back-to-school transition a fun one - August 20, 2018
- These Five Amazing Homeschool Resources Will Make You Smile - August 13, 2018
- Gameschooling 101: How to Homeschool with Fantastic Games - August 12, 2018
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