Starfall REVIEW

I was very excited when I found out I was going to be able to review The Starfall Home Membership by Starfall Education Foundation. I had recently been considering what other supplements or curriculums I could use with my K5 daughter. I had wanted to try Starfall and was pleased that we could now check out the whole program and not just the free options.  I received a one-year membership that allows my whole family to access the program.  Currently, only my K5 daughter is using it since my other two are too old for the programs offered.  The Starfall Home Membership provides lessons and activities for language arts and math for grades pre-K to 2nd grade.

My K5 daughter has no problem navigating the app

The program is common core aligned.  It is an online program that is accessible from a computer, laptop or tablet.  They have an app for Android and iOS.  We downloaded the app on a Kindle Fire HD (I think 3rd generation, it is pretty old).  It has memory problems once in a while and locks up but not too bad.  I also downloaded it on my newer Kindle Fire HD 10 and it works perfectly on that.  Please also note that not all of the activities that are available on the desktop version are available on the tablet apps.  It seems that currently a couple of the short vowel activities and direct access to the 1st grade activities are not accessible on the app.  The icons for the 2nd-grade math skills are diff but it is available on both the app and the desktop versions.  The multiplication and division activities available on the desktop are not available in the app.  I know they are working on upgrades so I would think that the upper grades might be available on the app in the future.  Activities available in the app include:

• Math Songs
• Number recognition
• Geometry and Measurement
• Add & Subtract
• Selected 2nd Grade Math Skills
• ABCs, Vowels, Sign language
• Colors
• Reading (including learning to read skills)--LOTS of reading skills
• Phonics
• Nursery Rhymes (My daughter's absolute favorite!)
• Motion Songs
• Sing Along Songs
• ABC Rhymes
• Historical American Folk Songs (a little bit of history :))
• Calendar activities
• Holiday activities
• the activities are endless!

One of the many activities available, love this!

Seriously, there is so much to do and my daughter is just loving it.  She uses it every day.  In the few weeks that we have been using the app she has learned so much.  She already knows her numbers and letters but the activities have gained her so much more confidence and it is a joy to listen to her running around the house singing the new nursery rhymes she has learned.  The app is completely engaging for her and she never tires of it.  The variety of activities is so diverse and keeps her attention well.  It is also the perfect activity for keeping her busy while I work with the older kids!

Free download guides available

FREE Teacher Guides (full curriculum)

The really nice part that I have not had to time dig into yet is the Parent-Teacher Center available on the desktop version.  There is an option to purchase full curriculum for Pre-K and Kindergarten.  There are also Pre-K and Kindergarten teacher guides available for download.  You can purchase the teacher guides or you can access and download them for free from the website.  The guides are broken down into units and include curriculum for a full year.  Printables are also available in the resource area for free.  There are SO many printables available (for both English Language Arts [ELA] and Math) and even a worksheet generator that you can create your own worksheets.  It is very easy to use and the worksheets are great!  There are even instructions on how to change the font in the worksheets if you want.

sample worksheet

Word, Number, and Picture cards available in Resources

I honestly can't say enough good things about The Starfall Home Membership.  I really like it and my daughter absolutely LOVES it and that is a major win for me.  We give it a double thumbs up!  I started her in Kindergarten this year because she was ready but she is still young and I don't feel she is ready for 1st grade in the fall.  This curriculum will be so perfect for us to dig into over the summer to have her 1st grade ready hopefully by this time next year if not sooner.

Starfall Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  Take the time to read about them on the website.  I think it is a wonderful thing they are doing by providing both the free and membership options.  You can connect with them on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM.

Please also take the time to check out the other reviews by my fellow Review Crew members.