Summer Learning Ideas for Upper Elementary Homeschoolers: Online Learning
Online Learning Roundup: Free Trials and Discounted Months
We don’t use any solely online curriculum (it’s all paper, books, and pencils here!). However, we do use online resources in a supplemental way, especially for fun, gamified math, reading, and other subjects.
With that in mind, I think summer is the perfect time to try out new or different resources for online learning to see what fits! Here’s a roundup of different online curriculum or learning platforms that have free trials or discounted months so you can easily and inexpensively try them out for the summer, and even get in some fun and covert learning time for the kids.
I focused on mid-to-upper elementary into middle school — not much in the way of learning to read or preschool options here!
Please note: I am not affiliated with any of those online learning platforms. I am just sharing resources. However, I am an Amazon Associate, so if there are links to additional resources I curate from Amazon, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you .
Adventure Academy
(ages 8-13)
Adventure Academy is an online world just for kids. Designed for older kids 8-13 years old, the platform combines quests and games with lessons in reading, math, science, and social studies. Students create their character, design their home, visit the marketplace, and go on quests for rewards. As a parent, you can customize the grade level and subjects, as well as the level of social interactions allowed in the game.
Free trial or discount? Yes, if you’re a new user, you get a 30-day free trial before a monthly or annual membership is required.
Prodigy
(Math: grades 1-8)
(ELA: grades 1-6)
Prodigy is most typically known as a fantasy-style math game, though there is also a separate creative game mode for ELA. In the math role-playing game, students are motivated through battles, quests, and rewards. They practice and answer math questions in order to battle, gain energy, and interact with other elements of the game. In ELA, students answer reading and language questions to gain energy and create their own world. Parents can set the curriculum level, track the students’ progress, and even get notified when students master a skill or hit a challenge.
Free trial or membership? The game is 100% free to play. There are optional premium memberships available if your kids get really into the game offerings.
Boddle
(grades K-6)
Boddle is similar to Prodigy as a fantasy, role-playing learning game. It is most often associated with math, but also includes ELA and science content. There are pets, levels, and in-game rewards that keep kids engaged.
Free trial or membership? The game is 100% free to play. There are optional premium memberships if your kids really love it!
Epic Books
(all ages)
Epic Books is a digital library offering thousands of ebooks, audiobooks, and read-alouds. They even have short educational videos for kids — my oldest loves learning random facts in the Colossal Question video series and my youngest is obsessed with the Jonathon Bird’s Blue World videos on sharks and underwater creatures.
Free trial or membership? There is a 7 day free trial for new families, but then a month or annual subscription is required.
Reading Eggspress
(ages 7-13)
Reading Eggspress is a level of Reading Eggs, an online literacy program, that is especially designed for ages 7-13. This level focuses on building confidence in reading, vocabulary, comprehension, phonics, and spelling through games and e-books.
There are other levels of Reading Eggs that focus on early literary from age 2 and up. It also has a corresponding math component called Math Seeds that focuses on early math skills from ages 3-9.
Free trial or membership? New families can get a 30-day free trial with access for up to four children, before requiring a monthly or annual paid membership.
Note: If your family enjoys the online program, there are also grade-level workbooks that contain comprehensive spelling, grammar, reading exercises, and more that could be used as an supplement for independent work during the school year.
Night Zookeeper
(ages 6-12)
Night Zookeeper is a unique online platform in that it primarily targets writing skills, while also practicing vocabulary, grammar, and reading. It encourages students to write stories, complete challenges, and participate in gamified activities. While there are skills games that practice grammar or spelling, the core writing portion would require that students be proficient at typing (or at least in the process of learning typing) in order to best use the online platform.
Free trial or membership? There is a 7-day free trial of the program that can be used prior to selecting a paid membership.
Note: If your kids get really into the “night zookeeper” theme, there is even a 4-book series for kids about the night zoo, written by the creators of the online program.
MiaAcademy
(grades K-8)
MiaAcademy has become well-known across families schooling at home as an online learning platform all core subjects plus electives through interactive lessons and rewards. MiaAcademy is very customizable. Parents can select exactly which skills or assignments they want their students to complete, even so much as customizing different grade levels for each subject.
Free trial or membership? New users can try the platform for $1.99 for the first month, and then decide if they want to continue with a paid subscription.
Beast Academy Online
(ages 6-13)
Beast Academy is marketed as an advanced, conceptual math curriculum that teaches problem-solving and mathematical reasoning for gifted students. There are multiple books that create a complete curriculum (guide books A-D + practice books A-D per level), but the online component can also be used as a stand-alone, self-paced supplement with interactive lessons and challenging puzzles.
Free trial or membership? While there is no free trial, there is a demo version you can use to test out the online platform, and after you sign up for a paid subscription, you can request a full-refund within 14 days if you aren’t satisfied.
ABCya!
(grades PreK-6)
ABCya! is a website and app covering a variety of subjects —no lessons, just lots of education games! The platform does have multiple options suitable for upper elementary students, including games that focus on skills like USA geography, parts of speech, and math facts.
Free trial or membership? There are a rotating number of games available for free on both desktop and the app. To unlock all games, a paid subscription is required.
XtraMath
(grades 1-6 or older)
XtraMath is a website focusing on building math facts fluency. It cycles students through all four operations — addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division — tracking student progress and reporting until they achieve 6-second and 3-second fluency, depending on the settings. We use this during the school year, but it can definitely be a summer supplement, especially for those working on basic math fluency in the mid-elementary grades. I also appreciate that detailed progress reports and achievements get sent to my email weekly.
Free trial or membership? This is 100% free. However, there is a premium subscription that offers greater customization and support.
Note: After the required XtraMath session, students can unlock a game platform called “Awakening” (if parents enable access). This game has a similar feel to Prodigy or Boddle where students practice math skills with an avatar and engaging in quests and adventure game-play. This can be a strong motivator to complete their required math facts practice!
IXL
(grades PreK-12)
IXL is a comprehensive, online practice platform covering math, language arts, science, social studies, and Spanish with detailed progress tracking. Membership is subscription-based, though limited free practice questions are available each day. This is an excellent resource to practice state-aligned skills as needed to meet or prepare for any state testing requirements.
Free trial or membership? While there is no free trial, there are tiered memberships, the most inexpensive being about $10/month to try one subject up to $20/month for all core subjects, with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
Note: For offline practice, IXL offers multiple workbooks that correspond to the skills tracking in the online platform. There is even a series of summer workbooks.
Kahn Academy
(grades PreK-12)
Kahn Academy is a free educational platform offering lessons and practice in math, ELA, science, history, life skills, and more. It’s an excellent option for summer review, enrichment, or filling skill gaps if no cost is important for your family. Of note, there are various math pathways, including “Get Ready for … Grade Math” courses intended for summer learning. Parents can create free accounts, add each child account, and manage assignment and progress.
Free trial or membership? This is a 100% free learning resource.