K5 Learning: An Online Reading and Math Program

K5 Learning: An Online Reading and Math Program, was made possible with access to K5 Learning for review as part of the Homeschool Review Crew. Affiliate links are present and may result in a commission when purchases are made through them.

UPDATE 2021: K5 Learning’s online program has been phased out.  The lessons were based on Adobe Flash technology, which is no longer supported by Adobe or the major browsers. They now offer learning opportunities through free worksheets and purchased workbooks in digital format. The material covered by the purchased workbooks looks to be about the same.

Sometimes a child can use reinforcement when learning basic skills in reading and math.

Even an exceptionally bright student benefits from practice to hone those skills.

But, a busy parent might not have the time to sit alongside their child providing daily practice.

That’s when you can look for an online reading and math program to help you bring reinforcement easily into your home.

About K5 Learning: An Online Reading and Math Program

K5 Learning was born when parents saw a need for children to use high-quality educational software in their homes.  

They sought out the best options available, often only seen in schools.

Then, they compiled them into an online reading and math program to enrich the learning of children.

This program is geared for children in grades kindergarten through 5th.  

It is NOT meant to replace curriculum, but rather is a supplemental program to allow for targeted practice.

The goal is to help children reach their full academic potential.

What’s Included in K5 Learning

There are 3 components in K5 Learning: K5 Reading, K5 Math, and K5 Spelling. All three are included in your subscription.

Phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, vocabulary and reading comprehension are skills that are covered in K5 Reading.

K5 Math encompasses numbers and operations, geometry, measurement (including time and money), algebraic thinking and data analysis.

And, K5 Spelling merges both the spelling of words with vocabulary.

When you begin the program, take the time for your student to do the reading and math skills assessment.

This will not only tell you where deficiencies may be, but it tells the K5 Learning program where to have them begin.

A Few Tidbits to Share

A parent can go to their own dashboard and adjust the level as needed for a student.

Each student has their own login. Alternatively, you can log in the student from the parent dashboard.

Lessons are considered complete when you see the page with the STOP option. Leaving before that point will have the system not count the work done.

When a lesson is complete, you will find a corresponding worksheet to download. These allow for more practice offline.

Parents can add custom words to a child’s spelling list. This is perfect for reinforcing any spelling in your regular curriculum.

Using K5 Learning as an Online Reading and Math Program for Practice

All of my boys love the opportunity to use the computer. My youngest is no exception.

As a homeschool mom, I try to balance the use of technology with the need to minimize screen time.

So, I constantly evaluate whether an online program we are using adds substantial value to their learning experience.

Sadly, there are many programs which do not have a good blend of educational value with a fun interface.  

Some have plenty of educational value, but little ‘curb appeal’ for the boys. Others are fun at first yet lose their luster after a while.

The way K5 Learning is put together has a balance of the two needs: educational and fun.

Portions of a child’s time online are very straight forward and focused on the skill.

Between those sections are fun games (e.g. catching a certain number of an object) that break up what could become monotonous.

Thoughts on Our Experience

Overall, J is enjoying his time working on all three areas.

We encountered a few times when he thought he’d fully completed (reaching a stop sign), but the system did not log it as complete.

It only took 2 times of this happening for him to be extra vigilant that he’d reached a stopping point.

Knowing that we have had periods of downtime in our active studies in phonics and math, I was not sure what to expect with his assessments.

I am glad to see that most of his reading skills are above his grade level.

Math is above grade level with some areas showing the need for improvement.

Although, I take that score with a grain of salt. The format of the assessment allows for a bit of ‘guessing’ which I watched him randomly do on problems he couldn’t work.

Spelling is the one component where I do not have J work alone.

We have done little formal instruction so far in this area. Rather, he likes to write and ask for my help as he sounds it all out.

His first time in the program had him doing the same approach. I have since decided to adjust his spelling to 1st grade instead of the 2nd grade selected for the other areas.

The program will ‘read’ sections to you upon request as well as provide instruction before a task is begun.

Between this and his ability to read many things on his own, J is able to work independently.

Is it Worthwhile in the Long Run?

If your child sees growth in their skills and enjoys spending short bursts of time on the computer, then yes.

We only get so many hours in our days and there never seems to be enough to get it all done.

Since students can work independently, a busy homeschool parent can be working with another child or tending to household tasks.  

J working on this online reading and math program while I fix dinner is a perfect approach for us. That way I can be productive in another area, yet still available if he needs my help.

While the program is definitely “work”, J is happy to log in and do it. He enjoys the daily riddle on his login screen And it will be a great way to keep skills from sliding backward while we take a break this summer.

Read our past review of K5 Learning as used with a 3rd-grade student.

Do your kids enjoy working on a computer?
Is the idea reinforcement of reading, math, and spelling online appealing to you?

Don’t just take my word for how we found this to be. Visit  K5 Learning Reviews on the Homeschool Review Crew website to see what other homeschooling parents thought about this book.