Review of Time4Learning

A month ago we received a month-long membership to use the website Time4Learning.  It’s an online learning website for ages Preschool-Eighth grade and Algebra.  I had four of my kids use it.  Their ages were 4, 6, 8, and 9.  I am always looking for ways to improve my kids’ education and have never tried an online type of learning before (except for an individual subject such as typing.)  I do have some good things to say about Time4Learning.  But not all good.

My 4-year-old daughter loved it!  She finished almost the entire preschool level in just the one month!  There were a variety of activities–stories, counting, matching, patterns, coloring.  Everything a preschooler could ask for!  Since she isn’t too particular about high quality graphics, she enjoyed it very much.  If I decide to continue with Time4Learning, it will be for her level.

My 6-year-old didn’t enjoy it very much.  He would try a game and then switch it because he didn’t like it.  That happened quite a bit.  And then he never asked to do it anymore.  He preferred my educational iPad apps.  One thing I noticed in his level was a mistake in a science story about Jane Goodall.  They didn’t capitalize the subject name “English” in the quiz.  It’s really hard for me to use something to teach my kids that has mistakes in it like this.

My 8-year-old daughter also didn’t enjoy it very much.  One thing I did with her, which was very easy to do, was specify different grade levels different subjects for her.  She isn’t reading yet, so some of the activities were too hard for her.  But she did fine when I lowered the level to a more explanatory/non-reading level.

My 9-year-old daughter started out doing some of the science activities.  I immediately noticed the evolutionary bent.  I don’t mind if my kids are taught that “many scientists believe this way” or something to that effect.  But to teach a kid that there were these millions of years and eras is simply irresponsible.  Evolution is a theory–not a fact and shouldn’t be taught as if it were.  After that I had her just use the website for math.  Some of the games were fun for her.  She did a lot of the money ones.  But often the rules of the game were difficult to understand, and I had to help her figure out what to do.

Overall, I can tell that Time4Learning isn’t for our family.  We’ve gotten used to higher quality apps.  The graphics and sound are basic on Time4Learning.  I didn’t agree with the worldview expressed by it and was disappointed by mistakes I found as well as some of the confusing directions.

I would say, however, that there are lots of people out there who would like Time4Learning.  I’ve read other reviews by my fellow homeschooling moms who really liked it and many others use it all the time.  Check it out for yourself and see what you think!  There are free demos.  You can sign up to use Time4Learning for a low monthly price, and they do give an initial two-week money back guarantee if you decide it isn’t for you.

http://www.Time4Learning.com – Online interactive curriculum for home use, PreK-8th Grade.
http://www.Time4Writing.com – Online writing tutorials for high, middle, and elementary school students.
http://www.Time4Learning.net – A forum to chat with parents online about kids, education, parenting and more…