TOS Review - Big IQ Kids

Big IQ Kids is a web based program that focuses specifically on Spelling and vocabulary, math, and geography. The first time Nathan saw it he mentioned that he could see how this could be useful for our children. Obviously it's not a whole curriculum seeing as who it doesn't cover every subject, but it does provide a good supplement for the subjects it does cover.

This program can be used with children from Kindergarten and even up through adults. Their website professes being useful for K-99 :-). I can appreciate that! They've added spelling and vocabulary list that cover SAT words, so I'm sure older children will find this program useful and a nice break from rote memory.

I think what I really like about this program is that it has both a free and premium option. The difference is laid out here directly from their website:
"Our older spelling+vocabulary program is ALL FREE. Our math, spelling junior, states programs come with a FREE and PREMIUM version. The primary differences between the BigIQkids FREE and PREMIUM programs are the ability of the PREMIUM program to monitor the progress of the student and advance that student only when mastery of the subject matter has been achieved. Additionally, PREMIUM members have their progress tracked, saved, problem areas identified and these findings are reported via email to parents and/or teachers. The PREMIUM program offers students customized buddies, full game page access and the ability to save game coins and gaming high scores. These functions help double the fun while mastering core academic subject matter. The PREMIUM program has very LIMITED advertisement an no ads are displayed during lesson interaction."

So, even if you aren't able to afford the premium version, you child can still enjoy the lessons that BigIQ Kids has to offer. As long as we're talking money, premium programs start at $7.99 a month and a detailed version of their pricing per program and can be found here. (Yearly memberships make the monthly amount cheaper). You'll notice if you go to the website that the way the pricing is set up you can pick and choose what programs you're interested in and only pay for that. Which is great for me because....

I didn't like the math program :-). I know, I know, there's always something with me! It's really not them, it's me. The math curriculum that we use doesn't really mesh well "math drills". Obviously there is nothing wrong math drills, it's just not something that we do in this house, so we didn't play with this too much and we wouldn't buy a subscription for it.


I did really enjoy the geography program! The children were shown each state and learned major facts about them. They had a chance to click on where they were, practiced spelling the state names and also the capitals. I would use this one in the future for sure! I even learned a bit :-).



I also liked the spelling program. I was able to enter the words from our spelling curriculum into a database that then allowed the children to play games with the words they were already working on.

K.... now for more of my opinion. There are "teachers"/tutor figures that pop up on the screen to talk to your child about whatever it is that they're doing. These people drive me nuts! *laugh* They have these mechanical/robotic voices that seriously play with my brain. The children don't seem to mind, but it sure annoys me! Again, just my humble opinion, you can check it out for yourself and see what you think!

The other problem that I had was that this program allows children to earn coins that they can then use to play games. As I've mentioned before, my oldest child will do whatever he can just to get to the game.... and that doesn't necessarily mean that he'll focus in on the lesson to get there! He'll do the very least possible to get the coin and move on. So, that's more a personality thing, I don't know how your child will handle a program like this, but it's worth giving it a try! I also find it kind of funny that you're constantly bugged to get a "buddy" for your chid and then they can customize it etc., but that requires a coin :-)

Okay, and maybe I'm a little technologically disabled, but I find their website to not be very user friendly. They have great content, but the way it's put on the page and moving between subject etc., makes my brain hurt.... which means I'm less likely to use it.

Overall the actual information on this site is pretty useful and there is a lot that can be done with just a free account.... which I respect a lot. Go give Big IQ Kids a look and if you'd like to see what other bloggers are saying about the program you can go here.


*As a member of the 2011 TOS Homeschool Crew I was provided a free copy of this product in exchange for my honest review of its content. I have not received any other compensation for the opinions stated here, and they were not promised a positive review.**