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Playgarden Online & ABCmouse®
Which is right for your family?
What are the key differences between Playgarden Online and ABCmouse®?
Researching homeschool programs for preschool and Pre-K can be difficult. As a parent, you want choices to complement your child’s daily learning routine, but which choices are the right ones? Whether you’re a homeschool family looking to start your child’s educational journey, or your child already attends in-person preschool, Pre-K, or daycare, both Playgarden Online and ABCmouse® have their own unique benefits that are important to consider.
If you’ve been doing your research about the two sites and still aren’t sure how they compare, look no further; below you may find a comprehensive comparison of Playgarden Online and ABCmouse®.
CURRICULUM COMPARISON
Playgarden’s award-winning online preschool and pre-k curriculum uses video-based lessons, live Zoom classes, hands-on activities, worksheets, printable games, and more to enrich young minds and prepare them for kindergarten. ABCmouse®’s program uses an incentivized reward system with animated lessons and activities to teach students from preschool through 2nd grade. See how the two curriculums compare below:
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|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | ||
| Ad-free | ||
| Printables & Worksheets | ||
| Book readings | ||
| Large Music Library | ||
| Progress Tracking | ||
| Developed by Experts | ||
| Peer Interaction | ||
| Parent Support Forum | ||
| Feedback from Teachers | ||
| Do it yourself projects | ||
| Hands-on Materials | ||
| Live Zoom Classes | ||
| Real, Certified Teachers | ||
| Digital Games | ||
| Customizable Characters | ||
| Incentivized Rewards System | ||
| Mobile App |
PROS & CONS
Playgarden Online |
ABCmouse® |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| PROS | CONS | PROS | CONS |
| Specialized focus on early childhood education for preschool/Pre-K | Program is only suitable for up to age 5 | Larger catalog of activities for Pre-K through 2nd grade | Incentivized learning (earning virtual gifts for activities) has been proven to be ineffective in the long run, especially for young children |
| Lessons and activities are taught by real teachers | Minimal digitally interactive (touch-compatible) activities | Lots of digitally interactive (touch-compatible) activities | Minimal activities featuring real people, animals, items, etc |
| Multiple enrollment plans/price-points, with each account including UNLIMITED student profiles, and the option to pay either monthly or annually | Higher price-point, since the program operates more similarly to a real school | Multiple payment options to choose from (monthly, annually, or “short-term”), with each account including up to three student profiles | Only one enrollment plan available |
| Students receive workbooks from A-Z, specialized pencils, and a Playgarden Prep backpack delivered to their home with the Online Preschool plan | Students do not have as many options for customizing their account virtually | Students can personalize their account with custom animated avatars and by adding fish to their classroom “aquarium” | “Gamification” can inhibit learning and distract young children |
| Lessons are structured with a weekly plan of videos, activities, worksheets, and live classes. At the end of the year children receive certificates of completion. | Customizing your daily lesson routine too far from the recommended structure might require some additional/manual record keeping for homeschooling | Older/more established program with lots of information and reviews available via online search | No opportunity to speak in-depth with a teacher about the program, child’s progress, etc when reaching out to customer support |
| Program operated out of a real preschool, making it easy to contact the Playgarden team about curriculum, recommendations, scholarships, refunds, etc | Newer program that’s only been in operation since 2021, meaning less information available via online search | More opportunities offered to interact directly with the content (quizzes within lessons, etc) | No peer interaction offered on the platform |
| Peer interaction opportunities provide little ones with social experiences and emotional connections | These interactions are not intended to entirely replace in-person connections | Can be used supplementally with programs that offer Zooms | No live classes with other students/teachers offered. |
| Zoom Enrichment Classes allow teacher-child interaction and layer learning styles for whole-child development | Zooms are scheduled weekly rather than daily, meaning that you might not be able to attend the same class at the same time Monday through Friday (View Schedule HERE) | Teachers can use ABCmouse for group instruction | Interface and design is a bit outdated compared to other learning platforms |
| Hands-on learning materials to strengthen understanding | Additional cost of printing, DIY making or buying learning materials | Easy to print child's account and progress | No in-depth curriculum breakdown provided |
| Evidence of program completion, with curriculum covered by each child. | Certified by Playgarden Prep, which is registered as a NYC preschool and pre-K program | Parents can choose lessons or let their child follow an automated sequence | The amount of options and gamified features can be overwhelming to some parents, and learning to navigate the site on their own can be tricky for many young children |
Playgarden Online |
|
|---|---|
| PROS | CONS |
| Specialized focus on early childhood education for preschool/Pre-K | Program is only suitable for up to age 5 |
| Lessons and activities are taught by real teachers | Minimal digitally interactive (touch-compatible) activities |
| Multiple enrollment plans/price-points, with each account including UNLIMITED student profiles, and the option to pay either monthly or annually | Higher price-point, since the program operates more similarly to a real school |
| Students receive workbooks from A-Z, specialized pencils, and a Playgarden Prep backpack delivered to their home with the Online Preschool plan | Students do not have as many options for customizing their account virtually |
| Lessons are structured with a weekly plan of videos, activities, worksheets, and live classes. At the end of the year children receive certificates of completion. | Customizing your daily lesson routine too far from the recommended structure might require some additional/manual record keeping for homeschooling |
| Program operated out of a real preschool, making it easy to contact the Playgarden team about curriculum, recommendations, scholarships, refunds, etc | Newer program that’s only been in operation since 2021, meaning less information available via online search |
| Peer interaction opportunities provide little ones with social experiences and emotional connections | These interactions are not intended to entirely replace in-person connections |
| Zoom Enrichment Classes allow teacher-child interaction and layer learning styles for whole-child development | Zooms are scheduled weekly rather than daily, meaning that you might not be able to attend the same class at the same time Monday through Friday (View Schedule HERE) |
| Hands-on learning materials to strengthen understanding | Additional cost of printing, DIY making or buying learning materials |
| Evidence of program completion, with curriculum covered by each child. | Certified by Playgarden Prep, which is registered as a NYC preschool and pre-K program |
ABCmouse® |
|
|---|---|
| PROS | CONS |
| Larger catalog of activities for Pre-K through 2nd grade | Incentivized learning (earning virtual gifts for activities) has been proven to be ineffective in the long run, especially for young children |
| Lots of digitally interactive (touch-compatible) activities | Minimal activities featuring real people, animals, items, etc |
| Multiple payment options to choose from (monthly, annually, or “short-term”), with each account including up to three student profiles | Only one enrollment plan available |
| Students can personalize their account with custom animated avatars and by adding fish to their classroom “aquarium” | “Gamification” can inhibit learning and distract young children |
| Older/more established program with lots of information and reviews available via online search | No opportunity to speak in-depth with a teacher about the program, child’s progress, etc when reaching out to customer support |
| More opportunities offered to interact directly with the content (quizzes within lessons, etc) | No peer interaction offered on the platform |
| Can be used supplementally with programs that offer Zooms | No live classes with other students/teachers offered. |
| Teachers can use ABCmouse for group instruction | Interface and design is a bit outdated compared to other learning platforms |
| Easy to print child's account and progress | No in-depth curriculum breakdown provided |
| Parents can choose lessons or let their child follow an automated sequence | The amount of options and gamified features can be overwhelming to some parents, and learning to navigate the site on their own can be tricky for many young children |
Still Not Sure?
Maybe you’ve done your research on ABCmouse® and Playgarden Online, and are still having trouble deciding which program is right for your child as they begin homeschool preschool or homeschool pre-k. Many parents find themselves in a similar situation; the good news is that you don’t have to choose! Some families have learned that the perfect solution is to use both Playgarden Online and ABCMouse® to set up their ideal online homeschool experience.
Playgarden Online is FREE for your first 15 days!
Sign up for Playgarden today, and you won’t pay until after your first 15 days are up. Better yet, we offer a 100% money back guarantee—so sign up for your free trial now, and if you aren’t satisfied with your experience, you can cancel at any time before your first 15 days are up at no cost. If you want to cancel after your trial has ended, simply reach out via call, text, or email, for a full refund.
Find out why hundreds of parents love Playgarden Online as their child’s homeschool preschool and homeschool pre-k!
“This program has been absolutely amazing and has gifted my son. At kindergarten registration they believe he might even be able to skip right to first grade with how advanced Playgarden Prep has helped him!! Thank you again!”
Tessa
Brady’s Mother
“As an educator myself I am consistently impressed with the amount of care placed into
every aspect of Playgarden's online content. The curriculum is thoughtfully planned out
with activities perfect to engage young children. Their program has helped set a
foundation for education for John and has proven to be invaluable for learning at home.
We could not have found a better online learning environment for our son!”
Lexi
Mom of John (4)
“My daughter loves learning with Playgarden Prep Online! She wants to watch every day
and we feel safe knowing she is getting a daily dose of learning in every sitting!”
Vivian
Mom of Harper (2)
“Playgarden Prep is the best place for young children online! We did not know how much
Henry would absorb through an online preschool and are blown away by how much he is
learning! We would highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to prepare their
child for school.”
David
Dad of Henry 3
“Playgarden Prep teachers are a god-send! Charlotte loves to watch her favorite teachers
and we love that she is learning so much!”
Marybeth
Mom of Charlotte (3.5)
“Our daughters have learned so much with Playgarden Prep, not only educationally but
socially too. The curriculum is impressive, flexible and well rounded. Our daughters
also adore the Playgarden songs and listen to them every day. These songs and the
Playgarden Prep teachers have become a part of our family.”
Jackie
Mom of Sienna (4) and Chloe (2)
“I never thought I could be in love with my child’s online preschool until he started at
Playgarden Prep. This program has set the bar for me for online learning. The teachers
are warm, incredibly engaging and introduce so many subjects! The educational materials
are impressive and it is a gift to see my son enjoying learning so much!”
Stacy
Mom of Liam (4)
“You guys are amazing... my daughter knows letters, numbers, continents & planets before
she even turned 3 and that barely scratches the surface! Thanks for helping parents give
their kids real learning at home!”
Rachel
Mom of Gabriella (3)
Want to see for yourself why families choose Playgarden?
Start your 15 Day Free Trial to begin your homeschool journey today!
