SIX FREE PLACES TO START
When your child gets stuck,
try this.
A different way in can help you see what to try next. Pick one situation below and give one small idea a go together.
START WITH THE CHILD IN FRONT OF YOUYou do not need to try all six. Start with a few minutes, notice what your child does and says, and adjust. If a resource adds frustration, close it and try the paper version or another approach.
Access checked November 2, 2026. These are outside resources, not a complete curriculum. Some providers sell optional products. All links and activities below are open; no email signup is required here.
01 · TRY A DIFFERENT WAY IN
Fractions are not clicking
Math Learning Center — Fractions
Try this
Make two equal-sized bars. Show one half on the first and two fourths on the second. Ask, “What do you notice?” Let your child move the pieces and explain before trying another pair.
Free browser tool; no account or installation needed.
Know before you click
Keep the wholes the same size. This is a set of visual tools, not a lesson sequence or an automatic assessment.
02 · TRY A DIFFERENT WAY IN
Sounding out a word is hard
UFLI Foundations — Home Support
Try this
Choose a sound–spelling pattern your child has already been taught. Follow the parent guide and use paper letter tiles to build and read a few words together. Keep the practice short.
Free English and Spanish home guides and printable materials.
Know before you click
These are companion practice materials. The instructional manual is sold separately. Match the practice to what your child has learned rather than choosing only by grade.
03 · TRY A DIFFERENT WAY IN
The story will not get started
ReadWriteThink — Story Map
Try this
Invite your child to invent a character, a setting, a problem and a resolution. Choose a map in the tool, or draw four boxes on paper. If writing is getting in the way, write down your child’s words while they tell the story.
Free browser interactive; the paper version needs no account or screen.
Know before you click
Keep the ideas and wording your child’s. Print or save work before leaving the tool; do not rely on cloud autosave.
04 · TRY A DIFFERENT WAY IN
Science feels invisible
PhET — States of Matter: Basics
Try this
Choose one substance. Ask what might change when you add heat. Try it, describe the particles’ motion and arrangement, then cool the substance and compare. Ask what the model helped you notice.
Free browser simulation for non-commercial family learning.
Know before you click
Use a supported desktop browser, Chromebook or iPad; Android browsers are not officially supported. Offline apps cost extra. This is a model, not footage of actual atoms.
05 · TRY A DIFFERENT WAY IN
History feels like a list of dates
Library of Congress — Main Streets
Try this
Pick one photograph. Find three visible details, offer one possible explanation and ask one question the image cannot answer. Read the date and description. What would you need to learn before comparing that street with yours?
Free public photo collection; browse without an account.
Know before you click
Separate what you can see from what you are guessing. One photograph offers evidence, not the whole story of a place or its people.
06 · TRY A DIFFERENT WAY IN
The assignment feels too big
Goblin.tools — Magic ToDo
Try this
A parent can enter a general task such as “Make a three-slide presentation about frogs.” Ask for smaller steps, remove anything unsuitable and let your child choose one small action to start.
The core website is free; mobile apps and optional Pro features cost extra.
Know before you click
AI suggestions can be wrong or a poor fit. Review and edit them. Leave out your child’s name and identifying details; a general task is enough.
ONE SIZE FITS ONE
What did you notice about your child?
Did moving pieces help? Was telling the story easier than writing it? Was the first step still too large? Those observations can help you choose what to try next.
Ruby’s free sample map shows how one fictional learner’s interests, level and pace can shape a plan.
See the free sample map