Discover how this K-12 online homeschool program can help you get and stay on track and feel better about your learning adventures at home.
Homeschooling can be such an amazing experience for your kids and yourself. It can also be overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling different ages and stages. With the right resources, you can easily ditch the overwhelm and get on with making the most of these precious times with your children.
My younger boys have been using an online learning platform for kids that’s been a game changer for our family. I’m no longer stressing about the transition to the next grades. And they’re having a whole lot of fun while making incredible progress!
Disclaimer: I received this product for free and was compensated for my time. As always, I’m providing my honest opinions and was not required to provide a positive review.
I’m sharing our experiences with IXL Family Membership: Core Subjects (Yearly Plan). Thank you so much for reading our review and please let me know if you have any questions about this program!
Why We Chose an Online Homeschool Program for Summer Learning and Beyond
As our homeschool shifted into summer mode, I found myself thinking ahead about the upcoming year.
My two younger boys are rising 6th and 9th graders. I’ve been through these transitions before with their older brothers so I know how these grade levels can bring big changes, both academically and emotionally. I wanted to make sure they were ready to tackle the more challenging concepts and workload.
Summer tends to be a slower season in our year-round homeschool. I saw it as the perfect time to figure out where they were, reinforce key concepts, and prepare for next steps. Also, I had some life and work projects lined up. I needed something that could keep them learning in a meaningful way without me having to be hands-on all the time.
Enter IXL.
After doing some research, I chose IXL for both of the boys. I liked how this online homeschool program gave us what we needed: a more personalized and self-paced learning experience that challenged my boys in just the right ways.
What Makes IXL a Smart Choice for K–12 Homeschool Curriculum
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to homeschool curriculum. In fact, sifting through all of the resources and picking the right ones for your family can be overwhelming!
So, why did we go with IXL? Honestly, it checked all the boxes for what I was looking for and actually went beyond what I even thought was possible for our homeschool.
One of the first things that caught my eye was that IXL is a comprehensive online homeschool program. It covers all the core subjects (Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies) from Pre-K through 12th grade. That type of coverage makes it an amazing option for families with kids at multiple levels (like mine!).
The next thing that really impressed me was the immersive and personalized learning experience. IXL adapts to each child s level and uses real-time diagnostics to identify their strengths and the areas they need to work on.
My boys aren’t just clicking through random lessons. They have a custom learning path right there in the program that makes sense for where they are now!
How IXL Supports Busy and Large Family Homeschooling
As a homeschool mom of five, I’ve learned (the hard way!) that not every resource works well for large families. I need tools that are flexible, easy to manage, and actually lighten my load (not add to it). It’s one of the biggest reasons I’ve come to appreciate IXL so much in our homeschool.
With kids in different grades and learning levels, IXL’s K-12 coverage is a huge win. No more juggling multiple programs or platforms because everything we need for math, language arts, science, and social studies is in one place. (And the IXL Family Membership makes it a no-brainer – learn more now and get 25% off!).
It’s easy to set up each child s account, too. Once my boys are logged in, they can dive into lessons that are just right for them without needing my help. The personalized recommendations and diagnostics mean I’m not constantly trying to figure out what each child should be working on next. IXL takes care of that for me!
It helps me feel more like a homeschool coach or guide instead of being stuck in the weeds with lesson planning and grading.
Oh, and the app and mobile access have been lifesavers! We have a tendency to homeschool on-the-go, especially while running errands or waiting around at doctor appointments). The boys just pop on the app on a phone or pull up their IXL dashboard on a laptop and they’re getting work done!
3+ Ways We’re Using This Learning Platform for Students
One of the things I appreciate about IXL is how versatile it is. We’ve been able to use it in a variety of ways to support our homeschool goals this summer and beyond. Here are three ways we’re currently using (and plan to use) IXL in our home:
1. Summer Learning Fun: IXL’s ready-to-go Summer Adventures have been a total win! These lessons take the guesswork out of what to review or work on. My boys log in and follow the simple plan. I’m saving a bunch of time because I don’t have to plan it all out. And the boys are sharpening skills and avoiding the dreaded summer slide!
2. Core Subjects: We will be using IXL as part of our core homeschool curriculum. With subjects like math, language arts, science, and social studies all in one place, it will make things so much simpler.
3. Test Prep: My rising 9th grader plans on taking the PSAT. IXL has a fantastic tool to help with his test prep. It also has test prep resources for SAT, ACT, and more. Homeschool laws in our state require testing for grades 3, 5, and 8. Although my rising 6th grader doesn’t have to take a standardized test this year, I will have him do some prep work so he’s ready when the time comes.
An additional way that we may be using IXL Family Membership is with Spanish. Both boys have expressed interest in learning this foreign language. I figure it’s a good time to see if they like it since it’s only $30 more a year with this limited time offer!
My Boys’ Experiences with IXL
Or as my youngest wanted me to call this section: Straight From the Horses’ Mouths!
I thought it might be helpful to share what my boys think about using IXL in our homeschool. I did a little Q&A with each of them to get their feedback.
My youngest (Xman – age 11) has found IXL to be “challenging but fun”. He’s working on IXL Summer Adventures which covers math, language arts, science, and history in preparing him to go from 5th to 6th grade level work. Although Xman does well with this homeschool work, he has a tendency to do the bare minimum. He’d rather be riding his bike or tinkering with a project than sitting at a desk with a book.
When asked what he likes the most, he said, “Oh by far science! It’s my favorite subject and I like all that IXL covers. There are some really cool examples.” His least favorite is language arts (no surprise there for this mama!) because “there’s a lot to read and it takes longer plus you know it’s really not my favorite thing to do”.
I got such a kick out of this feedback from Xman: “I wasn’t sure I was going to like IXL but I really do. It’s like an all-in-one package so instead of having to open up a bunch of different things or try to find books, it’s all right there for me. I can see what I have to work on. And I like to see what rewards I earn that day and my progress.”
Bear (age 14) is my rising 9th grader. He’s a big reader and I often have to nudge him to put down his book (or multiple books if he’s “cross-referencing”) and go outside for some fresh air.
Bear also has found IXL to be “more challenging but in a good way”. He added, “I don’t get as bored with it”. He’s found language arts to be easy (again, no surprise there!) but good for test prep experience with review of concepts. Also, Bear thinks the videos in the math lessons have been helpful.
Why I Feel Less Stressed When Using IXL in Our Homeschool
Although I’m a relaxed homeschooler, I still get stressed about making sure that my boys are getting all that they need. Maybe it’s just my personality but I like to think of it as my way of caring deeply about their success in all areas of their lives 😊 And I have a tendency to squirrel so getting and staying on track is important to me!
By using IXL with my younger boys this summer (and our plans to continue to use it throughout our homeschool year), I feel like the stress has melted off my shoulders. It’s amazing to know that they’re being challenged and making progress without any heavy lifting by me.
For our busy and (sometimes chaotic) homeschool days, IXL gives me peace of mind because I know that my boys are staying on track and zooming along. We all have extra breathing room and that means plenty of time for fun stuff like guitar lessons, swimming, and just being kids.
At times, I also feel like I could cry for joy when I see one of the boys dealing with those perfectionistic tendencies and working their way through the feedback and support found in IXL. Although I have a background in psychology and mental health (and have worked with them on growth mindset skills), I was starting to feel like I was talking until I was blue in the face. The boys needed to have guidance from something other than me. I’m glad that they’re getting these experiences here at home before they go off into higher education or careers!
Ready to Stress Less in Your Homeschool? Try IXL for Yourself!
If you’re looking for an online homeschool program that actually makes your life easier (without sacrificing quality learning), IXL might just be your new favorite tool.
With IXL, you can start at any time of year. We started early summer but I would have loved to have found this last fall when some of my doubts were creeping in (and I realized that some of the curriculum we were using just wasn’t cutting it). It can also work as a supplement to other resources you use. I would just cut back on how many subjects are covered in a day (or tweak based on your schedule).
Whether you’re homeschooling one child or juggling multiple grades, IXL offers the flexibility and guidance to make learning effective, engaging, and stress-free. From summer learning to test prep to core subjects, it’s an online homeschool program that truly grows with your family.
Curious to see how IXL could work for your homeschool? Learn more now about IXL and see how this online homeschool curriculum can help you stay on track and stress less so you can spend more time enjoying this amazing journey together.
Oh, and for a limited time you can get 25% off the IXL Family Membership! No discount code required – those savings are automatically taken off the Yearly Family Membership!!
What do you think? Do you have any questions for me about this online homeschool program? If so, let me know in the comments area below and I’ll be happy to help!
