This one’s for those of you who’ve found themselves on a new and unexpected career path…
Things are a little strange right now, especially for those of you eagerly trying to make home schooling a casual way of life. Teachers train for years to get where they are and now all of a sudden, you’ve been thrown 30 years back in time and have landed back at school.
Thanks to lockdown, your children are calling you Mrs or Mr instead of mum or dad and your days are filled with maths, English, science and more. While you can stick Joe Wicks on the telly in the living room to cover PE, there are some things you just can’t wing.
We thought we’d throw you a life jacket in the form of a list of the top apps that you can download, on your phones and tablets, to make home schooling a little bit easier. So, in no particular order, here we go…
1) Homeschool Helper.
This app is one for your tablets and is available for download on Kindle Fire, Nook, and Android. It’s the one to download if you fancy having your own teaching assistant with you at all times.
This app will let you plan lessons, track progress, and manage book lists, so if your mind is all over the place, the schoolwork doesn’t have to be! The app even has a setting that’ll let you upload photos or scan your little ones’ work in – so you can keep all their bits and bobs safe and sound.
Kindle Fire | Nook | Android
2) Family Time.
One of the main problems with home schooling, is the fact that unlike school, your children might think they can get away with spending lots of time on their phones. The Family Time app is perfect for sorting this out.
You can control their screen time allowance, the content they’re accessing, and their bedtime restrictions! The best bit about this app though, is it puts you in control. You can lock their phone in an instant, making those homework hours super-easy!
iOS | Android | Kindle Fire
3) Cozi.
This app is great for the whole family as we imagine structure and organisation may have gone out the window. Cozi is a family calendar app that lets you enjoy group to do lists, meal planning, and shopping lists.
Cozi lets you sync with the rest of the family, ensuring everyone stays on the same page. If you’re already a loyal Google Calendar user and have everything planned out for the next three months, you can sync this up with Cozi too and let everybody get in on the organisation.
4) Evernote.
If you’re anything like me, good ideas pop into your mind and are gone just as quick. We’re forgetful, it’s human nature and when there’s a whole pandemic happening around us, this is happening more often than ever.
You and your little ones can benefit from this one. When inspiration strikes, whether its about a recipe for tea or a home school idea, you’ll want to write it down.
Evernote lets you get everything down fast and sync them with your loved ones. You can literally share ideas with the whole family!
5) Kindle, iBooks, or Nook.
Downloading an e-reader will change your home schooling experience. Whether you’ve got a Kindle, an iPhone or you’re on your tablet, your children will be able to catch up on any reading they’d otherwise be doing in class, or general books that they’re interested in.
The App Store, Play Store, and Kindle Store have lots of free books available as well as ones you can pay for too. So, whether you’ve got a teenager at home looking for one of the classics or a younger child who’s mad on Disney, you’ll be taken care of.
Get your teach on.
We all want to be amazing at everything we do, but don’t be too hard on yourself with this one. Helping with homework is one thing but taking on an extra full time teacher job is another.
We’re hoping these apps will help make things a little easier for you and don’t worry, the Easter holidays aren’t that far away!
