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Inside: Check out our Outschool review after using it for several weeks and discover if it’s the right choice for your kids.
I discovered outschool.com when I was looking for an online summer camp for my son, now that all our summer plans were changed because of the pandemic.
We have a few learning apps that his teacher recommended kids to use during the summer vacation, but I wanted something more interactive.
What I love most about the classes on Outschool is that they are live classes where my son can interact with a teacher and other kids his age. This makes learning more fun, and the time he spends attending the classes doesn’t feel like “screen time” at all, like it happens with the learning apps.
What is Outschool?
Outschool is an online platform where you can book live online classes and camps for kids. The classes are held by teachers and usually take place with small groups of kids.
For now, we only chose classes based on his interests, so we focused on art classes and fun classes about animals, insects, or dinosaurs, and we didn’t explore many classes on literacy or math yet. I plan to do this closer to the school start to help him prepare for first grade.
I selected the classes mainly based on the reviews for each teacher and class, and if my son really enjoyed learning for one particular teacher, we booked more classes with them.
At first, I would stay in the same room with him during the class to hear some of the discussions and see how the class took place. After I made sure that the quality was great and that he really pays attention to the whole class (and enjoys it), I left him alone during the classes.
After every single class, he came happily to tell me what he learned or show me his drawings. For me, this is the best feedback I could get about the classes!
I noticed that he learned a lot about the topics he was interested in. Also, he used what he learned about the art classes to create many more artworks on his own.
Outschool review: What we like about the Outschool classes
- the interaction with the teacher and other kids
Taking into consideration that the next school year will probably include distance learning, it is very helpful for my son to practice participating in online classes.
I like that most of the teachers ask kids to share their opinions (if they want). Also, the kids are encouraged to ask questions during the classes.
I think that Outschool is a great way to help kids get used to online learning, especially young kids who are not used to video calls and online interactions.
If you have a child who will start kindergarten this fall, this can be an easy way to prepare them for the school start, in case the classes will take place online this fall.
- the variety of topics
Kids can take classes on many topics. The main categories are: Arts, Coding & Tech, English, Health & Wellness, Life Skills, Math, Music, Science and Nature, Social Studies, World Languages.
The platform offers learning experiences for kids ages 3-18.
How to get started with Outschool classes
1 – First, if you are using the platform for the first time, you can use this referral link to get a $20 credit towards your first class.
I didn’t use a referral link when I joined Outschool, so I don’t have a personal experience with it, but from what I read on their site, you will get $20 to use towards your first class.
The $20 credit becomes available upon signup, is only available for the first purchase, and you must first enroll, then claim the credit by email (and receive a refund). You can find more details on their website.
2 – After you sign up, you can start searching for classes for your kids. You select a schedule that works for you, make the payment, and then receive all the details per email.
3 – The live classes are held via Zoom. You will have a link in your account to join the call, and the login process is very easy.
If you need some inspiration, here are some of the classes my 6-year-old son attended and enjoyed:
- Nature Art and Science: Carnivorous Plants! (for ages 6-10)
- About Georgia O’Keefe and How to Make Your Own Flower Picture (for ages 6-11)
- Draw Robots Using Lines and Shapes (for ages 6-9)
- My Own Insect Creation (for ages 5-8)
- Fantastic Spider Bodies (for ages 6-9)
- Introduction to Reptiles: With LIVE Snakes, Lizards & Turtles (for ages 4-8).
- Nature Art and Science: Ants! (for ages 6-10)
- Nature Art and Science: All About Honeybees! (for ages 6-11)
As my son tries more classes, we will add here more of his favorites. Right now, he is also enrolled in a few camps, so I’ll come back with an update about those as well after he completes them.
In the meantime, here is the referral link that gives you a $20 credit for enrolling in an Outschool class and have your kids try it on their own.
If you decide to try the classes with your children, I would love to hear from you and find out if the kids enjoyed them!
photos from depositphotos.com
