Every child has different learning styles and preferences. It can be hard to tailor your homeschool to the varying needs of your children with an “all in one” or “open and go” curriculum. That’s when homeschooling online shines. With so many web-based options, choosing which one to go with is overwhelmingly complicated. That’s why I am excited to share BrainPOP with you!
A leading educational technology company created BrainPOP. It is used by over six million educators in both traditional and home education settings. BrainPOP is like many other online platforms. You have a dashboard and create an individualized class with up to 4 learners. However, what makes BrainPOP so unique, in my opinion, is its appeal to neurodivergent learners.
Disclaimer: I received this product for free, and I was compensated for my time for this post. As always, my opinions are honest and true to my personal experience with these products and services.
Homeschooling a neurodivergent child is no small feat. I am not a doctor, and I do not have any specialized training. But two of my three children are neurodivergent. Additionally, I was diagnosed with ADHD earlier this year. So, when I find a resource that appeals to this group of kiddos, I want to shout it from the rooftops! BrainPOP does just that.
Every learning topic in BrainPOP Homeschool is introduced with a “movie.” I use quotations because these are engaging short animated videos. Throughout the video, there are questions for the learner to answer to ensure they understand the topic.
As a parent, you can tailor these questions to your child’s grade level. Right off the bat, learners are visually stimulated, and their comprehension is immediately evaluated. This creates an active learning experience from the start.
Additionally, BrainPOP encourages high-order critical thinking skills. This focus is vital for developing executive functioning skills for neurodivergent kids. Making a concept map, creating a movie, and inventing a new game by coding are all ways executive functioning skills are stimulated and practiced. It is pretty awesome, if I do say so myself!
So, I bet you are wondering if BrainPOP Homeschool is designed for core subjects or supplemental learning. While all subjects are included, this curriculum is best viewed as supplemental learning. Designed in units, you and your learner can choose topics like Greek Gods, Weather, Algebra, Conflict Resolution, Grammar, and more. Seriously, there are so many great topics. However, you would need more for an entire year’s curriculum.
Furthermore, BrainPOP showcases a “Topic of the Day” on your homepage, and they will even give you recommendations based on your child’s grade. When you sign up, you can choose from BrainPOP Homeschool, BrainPOP Homeschool Jr., or BrainPOP Homeschool Combo, depending on your family’s needs.
While BrainPOP Homeschool is meant for all kids, I am impressed with how their lessons and format appeal to neurodivergent kids. Because neurodivergence is a core characteristic of our family, I am constantly viewing resources through that lens. BrainPOP gives kids autonomy in learning and ownership over their experience, which is a big deal to neurodivergent learners. When you sign up for an annual membership, you get two weeks free AND 28% off, so check out BrainPOP today!
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I have not seen Brainpop yet, must check it out!