Online Learning for Kids: A Guide for Parents
Today, online learning is as much a valid topic – and valid concern – for parents of young children as it is for high school students. Although educational websites or apps aren’t new, in the not-so-distant past they were used primarily for enrichment purposes. Now, online classes and virtual classrooms have become mainstream, both for children whose families opt for homeschooling and for those who cannot attend their neighborhood school due to illness or another reason. In cold, snowy areas, some school districts have begun to temporarily shift to online learning when the weather forces students to stay home rather than canceling classes for a snow day.
In this guide to online learning, you will learn about the differences in online and traditional learning, the benefits and drawbacks of each, and how to decide whether an online learning environment is right for your child.
Digital Tools
Online learning happens on computers, tablets and phones. In recent years, top technology companies like Google have released their own platforms and programs, and a number of ed tech companies have created educational apps to help kids learn math, reading, science, history and more.
Although how much technology is appropriate for children has been debated since TVs first were installed in living rooms, the more important factor is the quality of the technology. Although passive screen time isn’t healthy for children (or adults, some would argue), some technology – especially technology that actively engages kids’ minds and imaginations – can enrich a child’s educational experience and make learning more fun.
Helping children become more familiar with how technology works, and even assisting them to become proficient on a keyboard, will serve them well throughout their lives. Technology is not going away, after all; if anything, computers and technology will continue to take on even greater importance in our day-to-day lives in the future.
Online vs. Traditional Learning
Online learning offers a lot of flexibility. Whereas traditional, in-person educational experiences are usually structured to begin and end at a specific time and cover a set amount of material in between, online learning platforms are always open. Students may work at their own pace with the understanding that the material and instructor are available at any time of day.
For parents of younger children, that flexibility may offer an advantage or a disadvantage. Parents who do not work outside the home may find the flexibility freeing, as they can spend quality time with their children when they want and work on schoolwork when it is most convenient – maybe during a younger child’s nap time, for instance.
However, it may also be difficult for parents who are working from home or who have other priorities to supervise or assist children while they do their homework. Allowing a child to navigate schoolwork without a parent in the room may foster independence, but it also may leave them at risk of not understanding something they need to learn – or worse, put them in danger of interacting with predators on social media or the internet. Therefore, supervision is necessary at all times, especially for younger children.
Work at Your Own Pace
Online learning does allow children to work at their own pace and in surroundings where they feel comfortable. It could also encourage a child to become self-motivated. Older students, especially, may like virtual learning because they recognize it could be good preparation for college or the workplace, as it teaches them to work independently and manage their time based on their priorities.
However, the pandemic taught us that not all kids can handle online learning. Children with developmental delays and those enrolled in special education classes at school often regressed when forced to switch to online learning1. There were increased reports of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety2. Parents reported some children acted out more frequently and had trouble managing their emotions. In 2024, Harvard and Stanford Universities released the Education Recovery Scorecard3, a report that reviewed student achievement since 2020. The report showed that although third- through eighth-grade students in 8,000 school districts around the U.S. have improved math and reading scores, more needs to be done to help students reach basic proficiency levels.
Explore options for online learning, like Kumon Connect.
Personalized Learning
One advantage that online learning offers is the personalization of the educational experience. In traditional classrooms, teachers often “teach to the middle,” which may mean concepts are covered too quickly for struggling students and too slowly for students who are ahead of their peers.
The quick feedback that a child can receive with online learning allows them to move at their own pace. Children who understand something right away can zoom ahead, while those who need more practice can take their time and continue to work on a concept until it clicks.
Online learning is also conducive to self-directed learning. Parents can allow children to determine their own objectives – such as reading a challenging book or creating a science experiment related to a topic of interest. Because evaluation is an important part of learning, you may also let the student determine how they will demonstrate what they learned, whether through an essay, infographic, presentation or a written or oral test.
Learning Environment
You can help your child with virtual learning by ensuring the area where they study is a comfortable learning environment, quiet and free of distractions like background noise or clutter. It’s best to have them seated at a desk or table with a comfortable chair; try to avoid letting them work on a bed or they may fall asleep when they’re supposed to be studying!
Make sure the study area is well-lit – not too dark that it strains the eyes and not so bright as to cause glare on the screen. You may want to personalize it with some of the child’s favorite books or motivating posters or paint the walls a favorite color. Create organized bins or cubby holes to contain any pens, pencils, crayons, markers and other essentials.
To help your child establish a good routine, work with them to create a schedule that prioritizes time for online learning and also makes time for their other interests, like piano or soccer practice. You may want to schedule breaks to ensure children give their eyes a rest at regular intervals.
Computer Literacy
Students who possess traits such as being an independent learner, being self-motivated, being a good communicator, having self-discipline and having strong time management skills may be set up for success as online learners. However, nothing is quite as important as being computer literate.
An online learner needs to be comfortable navigating the digital landscape, which includes finding information on the internet, using apps and various programs and communicating in writing.
Strong Communication Skills Needed
Writing skills are a key part of this equation, because an online learner will rarely connect face-to-face with their instructor. They most likely will send emails or audio messages or otherwise submit work electronically and receive feedback in the same way. A student who prefers to talk face-to-face instead of type would not enjoy this method of exchanging information and ideas.
Although online learning can be used by students of almost any age, obviously the communication aspect would differ widely. Although almost any student can submit homework digitally, sending questions about a particular subject or difficult homework to an instructor via email would be challenging for younger children, who may not be able to express themselves that well yet. In that situation, the parents would likely have to intervene.
Online learning is not for everyone, but it does present a flexible, viable alternative for students who enjoy working independently and at their own pace, or whose health or lifestyle may make it difficult for them to attend traditional schools. Ultimately, parents must decide if their children can thrive in such a situation. Explore your options for online learning and decide whether you can commit to the time it would take to support that decision.
1 Masonbrink & Hurley, 2020; Valicenti-McDermott et al., 2022