Tools To Help Your Child During Virtual Learning

By on July 28, 2020 0 1625Views

The start of a new school year is here and after experiencing the previous Spring semester, many families may be feeling a little anxious about the start of the Fall semester.

Kids will once again be home all day, with schools instituting virtual learning during this unprecedented time, but unlike the Spring semester when many parents were caught off guard and sent scrambling to provide the best possible at-home learning environment, and while not any more convenient than it was last school year, parents have a better understanding of what it will take to keep their children on pace.

From in-person online classes to virtual lectures, the entire process is not easy for kids or parents.

Thankfully, we live in a time with great technical gadgets that can ease the struggle a bit and aid in the process while we help our children succeed at virtual learning. Priority is making sure our students have what they need to succeed and setting them up with a space conducive to learning will help maintain some focus, structure, and routine.

From the basic back to school necessities to the extra tools that are nice to have, we have compiled a list of products that can help your child succeed with their online learning this Fall.

Timer To Set A Routine

Routine, routine, routine. It is not only good for kids but good for the parents who are also trying to manage their workload and home life. When kids learn in more of a relaxed environment, timers help kids to stick to a routine. Timers help structure the day, and for younger kids, it helps them understand how much time they have left on a subject or activity.

Time Timer Original 12 inch; 60 Minute Visual Timer – Classroom Or Meeting Countdown Clock

Classroom Timers for Teachers Kids Large Magnetic Digital Timer 2 pack

Secura 60-Minute Visual Timer, Classroom Countdown Clock, Silent Timer for Kids and Adults

Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Siblings, parents trying to work, dog barking, all causes that lead to the loss of focus for even the most studious learner. These types of distractions take your child’s attention away from their teacher, their work, and can affect productivity. Noise-cancelling help block everything else out.

Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, Noise-Cancelling, with Alexa voice control

Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones: Wireless Bluetooth Over The Ear Headset with Mic for Phone-Call

Apple Air Pods Pro


Sony MDRZX110NC Noise Cancelling Headphones

Webcam For Teacher Interaction

If the desktop or device your child is working on does not have a camera, you might need a webcam for interactions with teachers. All districts and schools vary, but some teachers require attendance via video, and kids may be asked to complete video projects. A webcam is also a great way for your child to talk to their teacher face to face if they are having schoolwork issues or if there is confusion on a particular subject.

Webcam with Mic PC Camera for Video Calling & Recording Video Conference/Online Teaching/Business Meeting Compatible with Computer Desktop Laptop MacBook for Windows Android iOS

Webcam with Microphone, 1080P HD Webcam Streaming Computer Web Camera – USB Computer Camera for PC Laptop Desktop Video Calling, Conferencing

Webcam with Microphone,1080P HD Webcam Desktop or Laptop, Streaming Webcam for Computer Widescreen Video Calling and Recording, USB Web Camera Built-in Mic, Flexible Rotatable Clip and Tripod

A Desk To Stay Productive and Organized

It is quite possible to have the entire household doing school and working from home these days and if that is the case, quiet workspace might be difficult to find daily. While most teenagers are tempted to stay in bed, lounge on the couch, and designate that location as their learning environment, it is not best for productivity.  A desk can help them separate school from leisure and actually signals their brain that it is time to learn. A designated, clean, workspace helps students stay organized while giving them a place that is clutter-free to write and work, similar to a regular school environment. Save their bed or the couch for downtime.

Writing Computer Desk Modern Simple Study Desk Industrial Style Folding Laptop Table for Home Office 

Quaanti Home Office Desk 40 inch – Students Study Writing Desk Wood Table

GreenForest L Shaped Corner Desk for Home Office Computer PC Table Workstation

OneSpace Adina 2 Drawers Writing Desk

A Portable Hard Drive

Portable hard drives can be very helpful for backup purposes. Many choose to save their work on the cloud, but work that is saved to the computer should also be backed up regularly. If work is lost, your child might waste hours having to do the work again, and their grade could suffer if the assignment is turned in too late.

Portable External Hard Drive 1TB 2TB Portable Hard Drive External Type C USB3.1 HDD Storage Compatible for Mac, PC, Desktop, Laptop, Xbox One

Seagate STHN2000400 Backup Plus Slim 2TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD – Black USB 3.0 for PC Laptop and Mac

Silicon Power 1TB Rugged Game Drive Portable External Hard Drive A62, Compatible with PS4 Xbox One PC and Mac

Strong Router To Boost Your Signal

You may think your internet speed is fine, but with multiple people fighting to stream a zoom meeting, the day to day learning process might be a frustrating one if the internet speed is slow. If your student’s online class is live, you will need a strong internet connection to engage and make sure they don’t miss any important information. A stronger home might be the answer to making sure Wi-Fi is reached in every room.

Google WiFi System, 1-Pack – Router Replacement for Whole Home Coverage

Linksys EA7500 Dual-Band Wifi Router for Home (Max-Stream AC1900 MU-Mimo Fast Wireless Router)

TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Router – Dual Band Wireless Internet Router, 4 x 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet Ports, Supports Guest WiFi, Access Point Mode, IPv6 and Parental Controls(Archer A5)

Classic School Supplies

Back to school shopping may look a bit different this year with not so many supplies initially needed. Regardless of online learning, students will still need to take notes and stay organized with their printed off paperwork. Necessary basic school supplies to be an active learner is still needed. Elementary-aged children will also still be working on their handwriting.

TICONDEROGA My First Pencils, Wood-Cased #2 HB Soft, Pre-Sharpened with Eraser, Yellow, 12-Pack

BIC Velocity Side Clic Mechanical Pencil, Medium Point (0.7mm), 4-Count

Oxford Spiral Notebooks, 1 Subject, College Ruled Paper, Durable Plastic Cover, 100 Sheets, Divider Pocket, 3 per Pack

Paper Mate Profile Retractable Ballpoint Pens, Bold, 1.4mm, Black, 8 Count

Their Own Device

School districts are doing everything they need to do to make sure students are prepared to take on virtual learning. One important tool that every student must have is a device. Most families are set up with just one home computer for everyone to share and that will be next to impossible with multiple students fighting for much-needed screen time. It will also get tricky when students have specific times when they need to log in or hard assignments deadlines. It might be time to consider adding a device to your home.

Samsung Chromebook 4 + Chrome OS 15.6″ Full HD Intel Celeron Processor N4000 4GB RAM 32Gb Emmc Gigabit Wi-Fi

Lenovo 100E Chromebook 2ND Gen Laptop, 11.6″ HD (1366 X 768) Display, MediaTek MT8173C Processor, 4GB LPDDR3 RAM, 16GB eMMC TLC SSD, Powervr GX6250, Chrome OS

Apple iPad Mini (Wi-Fi, 64GB) – Space Gray


Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) – Space Gray

We wish your family a successful start to the school year!