5 Parent-Friendly Tools for Supporting Learning at Home

PUBLISHED: 12.01.2026

Your child’s learning doesn’t end in the classroom (at least, it shouldn’t!). They bring everything they’ve learned with them at home, so make sure they can keep their skills sharp with digital tools.

We’re going to share a slew of low-cost or free tools that you can incorporate into your child’s home routine. Whether they do some homeschooling or just need to stay sharp, these tools will help them develop lifelong skills. 

1. Howtosmile 

Does your child have an active interest in math and sciences? You can prepare them for a future in the STEM field with Howtosmile, an online resource for STEM activities to enrich learning at home. 

This free online collection of activities is flexible enough to meet different learning styles, age groups, and interests. Parents can filter through all kinds of interesting videos, tutorials, apps, topic pages, and more to supplement their children's homework. 

Not only does this site have plenty of topics revolving around math and science, there’s also an impressive collection for cooking, health, and even astronomy. 

Who Should Use This:

  • Parents who want to encourage their children to pursue a career in STEM
  • Children with an active mind who need to study more at home 
  • Families who want to enjoy more enriching activities together after school

2. Evernote

Does your child struggle with taking notes and needs a leg up? This productivity app is widely used by both parents and children who want to stay engaged in class and make sure they don’t forget anything important. 

Evernote goes beyond simple bullet lists in favor of a diverse toolkit that supports executive function, working memory, and long-term retention. Children can take advantage of useful features like automated tasks, note organization, and project to-do lists during their classes.

Another great detail about Evernote is how flexible it is in multiple stages of life. Supporting childhood development also means exposing children to tools they’ll likely need when they head out to college. 

Who Should Use This:

  • Children with executive function or memory difficulties who need help
  • Busy parents who want to help their children with retention and recording

3. Duolingo

If your child is learning a second (or third!) language, you can’t go wrong with Duolingo. This free language learning app has taken the world by storm with its creative approach and shows no signs of slowing down. 

Duolingo’s greatest strength lies in how it adds a game-like structure to the language learning process. It turns lessons into bite-sized chunks of information through interactive stories, short quizzes, and challenging puzzles. Parents can customize language learning for their children by committing to a certain amount of study time per day, such as five minutes or twenty minutes. 

Instead of expecting children to simply remember phrases or words, Duolingo adds additional context to learning through storytelling. With its memorable characters and entertaining layout, children will be eager to test their skills day after day. 

2024 statistics found that over half of Duolingo test takers do so to improve their language learning not only for day-to-day life, but their graduate studies. When your child picks Duolingo, they have the opportunity for lifelong learning and expanding their careers after graduating.

Who Should Use This:

  • Children learning another language that need more practice
  • Parents who want to add more fun to home study sessions 
  • Families considering adding language learning to their childhood development goals

4. K12Reader

If you need to do a little home tutoring with your child, K12Reader will be your one-stop shop for learning materials. This free site has a slew of printable educational materials for your child’s entire school journey in areas like creative fiction, spelling, grammar, and book lists.

This site only supports mainstream curriculum standards and research-backed study methods. Parents worried about untrustworthy sites can browse for new materials and worksheets without worrying whether or not they’ll fit your school’s standards.

Who Should Use This

  • Children who are struggling with reading, spelling, or writing
  • Parents who plan on more tutoring sessions at home 
  • Families who enjoy reading and studying mainstream books together

5. Discovery Education 

Who says parents can’t also use some of the resources schools are already using? Discovery Education bridges the gap between families and educational districts with a free online platform that functions as a community and a learning hub. 

This app is filled with educational online games, virtual tours, and hands-on lessons that parents can enjoy with their children at home. The site covers everything from art to science to encourage a well-rounded education in children of all ages. 

Their efficacy of their science-backed program DreamBox Math was evaluated by Harvard in 2016: students who used the program during the school year showed a 2.5 percentile increase on their NWEA Map assessments. 

Additionally, parents can follow their resources and content updates to stay ahead of the latest educational news and cutting-edge technology. 

Who Should Use This

  • Children with an active interest in multiple subjects 
  • Parents keeping up with educational news

5 Tips for Choosing a Learning Tool at Home

Learning at home is exciting, but can potentially be overwhelming if your child already has several things on their plate. Try these tips to make sure you’re choosing the right tools and using them effectively: 

  • Don’t overwhelm your child with too many learning tools at once. Just one or two is more than enough to help them further their education at home.
  • Be patient. Learning a new app or program can take days or even weeks to get comfortable with, so embrace setbacks and encourage your child to have fun.
  • Encourage feedback. If your child is struggling to use it even after a lot of practice, you may need to switch to a new one that fits their learning style better.
  • Get everyone involved. Learning at home should mimic the collaborative environment at school, so get other family members involved in lesson plans, virtual tours, or lessons. They can provide constructive feedback or just encourage your child to do their best.
  • Make sure they’re applying their knowledge in day-to-day life. Life lessons and new skills shouldn’t be restricted to homework. Think of creative ways to incorporate what they’re learning into their home life, such as cleaning, cooking, or crafting. 

Learning at home has never been easier. If you’re thinking of ways to support childhood development, these tools will go a long way toward sharpening their skills and expanding their horizons. 

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