Time4Learning vs ABCmouse®: Pros and Cons
Before making any final decisions about the homeschool curriculum you want to use, you need to know both the pluses and minuses of any program you are considering. Let’s take ABCmouse.com® Early Learning Academy, for example. You may have questions like:
- What age is ABCmouse® good for compared to Time4Learning?
- What devices does ABCmouse® work on compared to Time4Learning?
- What does ABCmouse® cost compared to Time4Learning?
In other words, before deciding if the curriculum is right for your student and your family, you need to know the pros and cons to make an informed decision.
Homeschool Pros and Cons: It’s Not Always Simple
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could line up the pros and cons of any homeschool curriculum and the longest list would become our go-to choice? The truth is that the pros and cons of homeschooling curriculum can be tricky business. That’s because no two families have the same reasons for homeschooling, the same way they want to approach their child’s education, or the same goals for their students. So, when perusing the ups and downs of any program, you’ll want to personalize that information as much as possible. The very curriculum that has the longest “pro” list for one family may be at the top of the “cons” list for another.
Teaching with ABCmouse® vs Time4Learning
When comparing ABCmouse® and Time4Learning, for instance, you’ll have questions like:
- Can ABCmouse® be used for homeschool?
- What learning style does Time4Learning work best for?
- Does ABCmouse® offer foreign language instruction?
- Does Time4Learning track my child’s progress in all activities?
Browse the chart below to discover the pluses and minuses of ABCmouse® vs Time4Learning to help you decide which one meets the majority of your student’s and your family’s needs.
Homeschool Use |
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| Advantage | Disadvantage | |
| ABCmouse® | Larger catalog of early learning activities since the program is geared specifically to grades PreK-2. | Incentivized learning (earning virtual gifts for activities) can be distracting for some students and reduce homeschool effectiveness. |
| Time4Learning | Can be used as core or supplemental homeschool programs for grades PreK-12. | Price-point is higher monthly due to availability of 10 additional grade levels of material. |
Pricing Structure |
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| Advantage | Disadvantage | |
| ABCmouse® | Several payment options to choose from. Each account includes up to three student profiles. | Depending on payment option, families may have to budget long term. |
| Time4Learning | No large up front purchase; cancel at any time. All core subjects are included for one low monthly price. | Recurring payments mean budgeting long term instead of once a year. |
Lesson Style |
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| Advantage | Disadvantage | |
| ABCmouse® | Both ABCmouse® and Time4Learning offer multimedia lessons, activities, learning games, and printables to teach concepts. | Assessment of student mastery requires an additional monthly subscription fee. |
| Time4Learning | Both ABCmouse® and Time4Learning offer multimedia lessons, activities, learning games, and printables to teach concepts. | Subject paths can be more repetitive since T4L is more mastery-focused. |
Recordkeeping |
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| Advantage | Disadvantage | |
| ABCmouse® | Students can personalize their dashboard with customizable avatars and add fish to the classroom aquarium. | Busy interface with multiple options for clicking can be distracting to students. |
| Time4Learning | Lessons can be specifically chosen and assigned by parents via the activity scheduler. | Because Time4Learning is more mastery-focused, the dashboard is not as customizable. |
Worldview |
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| Advantage | Disadvantage | |
| ABCmouse® | Can be used by any homeschooling family regardless of worldview. | Families wishing to teach faith-based topics may have to supplement with other programs. |
| Time4Learning | Secular curriculum can be used by any homeschooling family. Parents have option to skip any content they find objectionable. | Lack of religious content may mean that families would have to supplement with outside material. |
Finding It Hard to Choose?
What if you have done your research and found out how much ABCmouse® costs, how Time4Learning handles parent recordkeeping, and all the other things that are important to you, but you still can’t choose between the two programs? The great news is that you don’t have to choose. Many families have discovered that the ideal solution for their homeschooling is to utilize both Time4Learning and ABCMouse® in their homeschool plan. Visit our page on How to Use Time4Learning with ABCmouse® Curriculum for more information.
Want to know more about how Time4learning compares with ABCmouse® for homeschooling? You might be interested in:
- Homeschool Curriculum Review: Time4Learning vs ABCmouse®
- Time4Learning vs ABCmouse®: Features Comparison
- Homeschooling Cost: ABCmouse® vs Time4Learning
- How to Use Time4Learning with ABCmouse® Curriculum
Online Curriculum for Homeschool, Afterschool and Summer Use
If you are just learning about Time4Learning, we’d suggest first looking at our interactive lesson demos.
Sign up for Time4Learning and gain access to a variety of educational materials, which will engage and challenge your child to succeed. Make Time4Learning a part of your children’s homeschool resources success.
