Is Online Homeschooling the Future of Homeschool?

Moving Homeschooling to the Virtual World

For parents and children all over the globe, the sudden transition to online preschool was a fast — and oftentimes tumultuous — one! Parents had a lot to adjust to, being with their little ones home all day while work occurred; little ones also felt that shift, sometimes feeling a bit thrown off in terms of their academic year, while also trying to cope with less direct socialization with their peers. Due to this, many families have found that their child is now struggling with some effects of COVID-19 related learning loss. However, over the past several years, the online preschool platform has developed quickly and successfully, and has really started to revolutionize the homeschool experience. In fact, because of the opportunities that the virtual preschool platform has offered, online homeschool truly seems to be the new future of the homeschool learning environment!

What factors have contributed to this shift? Well, to begin with, online homeschool is incredibly flexible for both parents and little ones! In-person learning environments expect little ones to be at school five days a week on average, and some schools require little ones to be at school all day, similar to a full-time job. Some children enjoy this experience, but it doesn’t work for everyone. Homeschooling prior to the introduction of virtual preschool did help with making little ones feel more at ease, since home is generally an environment many young children are comfortable with. Now with the use of online homeschooling, the flexibility has only gotten better. Educational modules are able to be completed in a slightly less structured fashion, and there is a lot more room for flexibility and breaks if your little one needs them. This means that your child may retain the curricula from their online homeschool better than in times past! Online homeschool gives your little one some freedom within the format of learning. Additionally, lots of virtual preschools, such as Playgarden Online’s, offer many options for hands-on activities that are doable at home and keep little ones from feeling as if they’ve been lectured for hours on end.

In a similar fashion, with the betterment of virtual preschools and the transition to online homeschools also came the capacity for a lot more specificity for your little one’s education. Because of how structured in-person learning has to be, it can be difficult for educators to create a curriculum that is tailored to each individual child. While this is not inherently bad, it can be a challenge, as nobody learns in exactly the same way. Additionally, in-person learning itself may just not be the best way for your little one to retain information. Some children enjoy in-person school for its social aspects and not for the educational ones. Homeschool offers more options for specificity, and online homeschooling even more so. With the flexibility we discussed earlier in this blog, it is really easy to make a virtual preschool learning environment work very effectively for your little one. As we always say: nobody knows your little one quite like you do!

Finally, education, no matter the format, can be really challenging for some little ones. Many little ones all over the globe struggle with learning or schoolwork, and classes can feel daunting and more frustrating than fun. This isn’t an ideal space for anyone to learn anything, and can potentially be a damaging factor to their self esteem. This is not the case for every little one, but if it’s something you find yourself noticing about your little one as they attempt to learn, it can be a very good time to consider virtual preschool platforms. Homeschooling, as we mentioned, can feel like a much safer environment for little ones who are initially struggling with an academic curriculum, since it is a safe and familiar space for them. Online homeschool really broadens that perspective because it allows your little one to feel challenged within a comfortable space. With the flexibility offered by online homeschool, your little one can begin to enjoy and not fear those intellectual challenges, which in turn will make them more excited about learning! It will also boost their self esteem to have the opportunity to work through those challenges with the support of a parent or adult nearby. Virtual preschool can end up being a very viable long term option for you and your little one, or it can be a perfect short term solution to help your little one regain some confidence about their learning abilities.

While the transition into online preschool was a challenging one for almost everybody — parents, little ones, and teachers alike — there were so many benefits that came from the transition, the biggest of which were the new developments made to the online homeschool environment. Virtual preschool may not be for everyone, but if you find yourself struggling to get your little one excited about in-person learning, frustrated by the lack of flexibility offered by in-person learning environments, or just looking to try something new, it may be an excellent time to consider online homeschool. By giving this new option a try, you and your little one may find even greater successes than you did before, and may discover a fantastic new method of learning. Try Our Online Preschool for FREE! Playgarden Prep offers educational videos from real teachers, and numerous DIY projects that support early learning and development during preschool at home.