A COMPLETE OUTSCHOOL REVIEW AND GUIDE - IS OUTSCHOOL RIGHT FOR YOUR KID?

Post may include affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you use them at no cost to you. Disclosure.

THIS ULTIMATE GUIDE TO OUTSCHOOL WILL HELP YOU DECIDE IF OUTSCHOOL IS RIGHT FOR YOU. GET ALL YOUR QUTESTIONS ANSWERED HERE!

You may have seen ads for Outschool.com or heard about the site from a friend and are curious … What is Outschool anyway? Is it legit? Is it safe? There’s a lot to know and you probably have a lot of questions!

In this post I’m going to answer as many of your questions as I can as I share our experience with so you can decide if it’s right for you. Let’s dive right in…

This post is written in partnership with Outschool and contains affiliate links. I’m so excited to share my Outschool experience with you… let’s get started!

Quick Links to Information in this Post

What is Outschool?

Let’s start with the basics! What are outschool classes?

Outschool classes are virtual live classes from Outschool.com for kids age 3 to 18. You can find Outschool classes on almost any topic which is amazing! If your kid shows interest in a topic, chances are that you can find a class on Outschool.com on that topic!

I love being able to nurture my kids interests. Any time they express curiosity about something, I like to find books, shows, classes and games that relate to that topic. It’s such a great way for kids to learn!

That’s where Outschool could be useful for you and your kids! You could nurture their interest of the day, week, or year with Outschool classes!

How Outschool works

When you create an Outschool account, you’ll be prompted to add the name and age of your kid. If you have multiple kids, you’ll have a profile for each on their site.

Then, you can search for classes they might like by many great factors. I usually filter by age, date, class frequency and a keyword. I find that this let’s me quickly find age appropropriate classes.

You can then click on any class that interests you and your kid to learn more about:

the class
the teacher
when the class is offered
how many kids they accept per class
price
class frequency
if there will be any class materials
etc.

If you like the class and there is a good timeslot, you click your timeslot of choice and follow the prompts to sign up.

If there isn’t a class already offered at a good time, you can request another class time which I LOVE!

Then, when your class is a few minutes away, you (the parent) will get an email reminder that your kid has a class soon. When you click on the link, it will take you to your kid’s classroom for that specific Outschool class. They can then click to enter the class via zoom and off they go!

You are also able to download meeting invites for each class which is especially great for recurring classes. Or, you can add your entire Outschool calendar to your phone or PC so you can easily see when your kid(s) have outschool classes!

It really is a cool system!

How long are Outschool classes?

Outschool classes vary in length. Most of the classes we have enrolled in have been about 30 minutes to an hour. Some of the classes for older kids go up to 90 minutes but it really does vary.

It’s great to have the option for shorter classes – especially if you have a younger kid! My youngest gets a restless by the end of a 30 minute class but he does get through it!

preschooler on outschool class on his computer at home

Is Outschool good

Well, you may have already guessed it – we are definitely fans of Outschool! We have tried lots of online-class platforms, and Outschool is definitely our go-to.

Here are some reasons why we love Outschool and some things they could potentially improve…

Outschool pros and cons

Pros

Tons of fun class options on every topic you can think of – whatever your kid is into, there is likely a class for it!
Lots of class dates and times to choose from
Many options even for young kids (3 year olds)
Recordings that you can rewatch for many classes
Can sign up for classes minutes before the class starts
An alternative to after-school and weekend classes that may not be offered by your school or in your community
Lots of reviews from parents to help you pick classes
Lots of single session classes and recurring classes
Small group classes so kids can engage with each other and the teacher
Most classes are live and the teachers are VERY engaging
NEW: Self-paced options are now available which is a great way to still learn about a topic without committing to a set class time.

Cons

Some classes can be a little pricey
The best classes can sell out (but you can ask for addition slots)
Some teachers don’t teach a ton of different classes so if you are the type who likes to stick with a favorite teacher, that’s not always an option.

Why Outschool? Reasons you might turn to Outschool

There are so many reasons to turn to Outschool! We often use Outschool as a way for the kids to have fun and learn something new on vacation days! As I started doing research into homeschooling, I realized that you could also try homeschooling with Outschool – it would be a great way to supplement your course work! You could also enroll your kids in Outschool classes as enrichment!

Whatever your reason, Outschool is such a great way to help your kids really explore their interests and dive deeper into things that they really enjoy! Where else could you kid take classes in pasta making, forensics, zoology, coding, and personal finance in the same day from the comfort of their own home?

There are even classes on topics like:

Self confidence
Social clubs
Anger management
Baking
Art
Dance
Music

Outschool is such a great way for your kids to your kids to explore so many different interests when they are inspired with little commitment! Many classes only cost a few dollars, so it’s easy to give somthing a try and see how they like it without having to committing to a long expensive recurring class.

You might be wondering…

Is Outschool right for my kid’s age?

While it’s a bit more obvious that older kids can enjoy outschool, did you know that there are also many classes on outschool for preschool aged kids?

My 3 year old absolutley LOVES Outschool. Over the last year, he has seen his older brothers attend all sorts of virtual classes and he always tries to join in! It’s hard to keep him away from them and their computers when they are in class.

So, I went on Outschool not sure what I’d find for his age and how he’d do, and was so pleasantly surprised to find lots of options for kids as young as 3! He started attending some of these classes before he turned 3 and he still did great!

I credit the amazing teachers for being able to keep a preschoolers attention so well. Here are some of our favorite Outschool classes for preschoolers:

While I love all the options on Outschool.com for preschoolers, if your kids are older than preschool age, then there are even MORE options to pick from! I would guess that there are probably thousands of classes available on Outschool!

For example, here are some great classes on Outschool for 5 year olds:

And here are some of the best Outschool classes for 10 and 11 year olds that we’ve tried:

There are many really interesting looking classes for kids older and up to 18 years old but since my oldest is 11, I don’t have personal experience with those classes. That said, these look really interesting! If classes on Outschool.com for a high school aged kid, we’d probably sign him up for these!

I don’t know about you, but I’d be interested in taking some of these! If there’s an Outschool for parents, I’d love to know what it is and sign up myself! Until then, I’m thrilled there Outschool.com exists for my kids! I hope you’ll try some of these great classes out!

boy having fun during a virtual online class via outschool

Outschool tips and tricks

Hopefully by now you see why we love Outschool so much! I love to share tips, tricks, and hacks, so here are my Outschool.com tips and tricks to help you get started on Outschool…

Go to Outschool.com, click on “Find classes” and filter by your kid’s age and then scroll through the list with your kid (just the titles to start) and favorite the classes they express interest in by just the title by clicking the “heart” icon. This gives you a great place to start if you want to quickly find a class for your kid to join. It also gives you insight into the types of topics your kid would love to explore.
Once you’ve signed up for a few classes, click on “Schedule”, the “Subscribe” and connect your phone to an Outschool calendar so you can really quickly see all your kids’ classes and your other scheduled items in one place! This is especially great if like us, you sign up for a lot of classes during a vacation break!
Did your kid have to miss part of the class? Or maybe they want to rewatch parts of it? You can access a recording of the class in many cases and watch the class again!
If your kid absolutely loved a class, make sure to look into what other classes that teacher has and favorite them!
Filter by “Camps” if you are looking for something fun for your kids to do during breaks like Spring Break
Filter by “Empty classes” and your kid may end up with a one-on-one session for the price of a group session!

Is Outschool safe?

I first learned about Outschool through a Facebook ad. I’m usually skeptical of Facebook ads. I don’t know why but I am. So of course I wondered, if Outschool is safe? Is Outschool legit? Those are reasonable questions, right?

So for the first few classes my kids attended, I admit that I sat next to my kids to listen in and make sure that everything was okay. After a few classes I felt comfortable stepping away. From everything I’ve seen, Outschool is absolutely safe and legit!

Are Outschool classes recorded?

Yes! If you’re still unsure how safe Outschool classes are, know that Outschool records all classes for safety and quality purposes! I feel a lot better knowing that they do this and I also love that we can sometimes reference these recordings after the class is over!

Note: Not all teachers made recordings available to learners and to view the recording, you need to agree to terms that say you will not share the video. (Again, for safety purposes…)

What does Outschool cost?

So how much does Outschool cost? The prices range especially since some classes are one-time vs semester long recurring classes. I’ve seen Outschool classes cost just $5 per class to $33 per class. I don’t know that there’s a max cost per class but that’s just my observation.

That said, most of the classes we have signed up for have been in the $5-$15 range per class and we have felt that they were a great value! Especially because there isn’t as much of a commitment if any!

Is Outschool worth it?

So, is Outschool worth a try? I think so! I have 3 kids, age 3, 7 and 11 and we have taken countless Outschool classes over the last year! My kids have enjoyed every class and liked every teacher so far!

We love that there are so many classes to choose from on just about any topic! So whether you are looking to help your kid find their next passion, want to nurture their interests, need extracurricular or after-school activities, or want a virtual “camp”, Outschool has options for your kids!

Outschool is very affordable and low commitment too! Whether you want to find a one-time class to sign up for later today, or want a weekly class, they have that too!

Give Outschool a try!

Okay… You’re turn! Comment below if I missed a question you have! Do you love Outschool too? Comment and share why!