Summer learning loss is real. Many children spend long weeks away from school and receive far less reading and structured learning. With busy family schedules, finding quality educational resources can be a challenge — that’s where Zoobean can help. Zoobean curates apps, books, and activity suggestions tailored to your child’s interests and learning level.
This summer is my first with a school-aged child—well, preschool-aged—but I already notice the difference in the learning he gets at home versus what teachers provide during the school year. During the academic months I partnered with his teachers at home to reinforce skills, but summer feels like it’s all on me.
Summer camps are a great option for structured learning and socialization. My son attended art camp and loved it. We’ve seen camps focused on princes and superheroes, sports, and educational programs at museums. Budget limits meant we could only fit a week of camp into our summer, and he’s also trying VBS for the first time.
That leaves me responsible for keeping him engaged and learning through the rest of the summer. Finding activities that are both educational and fun, without causing burnout, can be tough. Pinterest is full of ideas, but how many saved pins ever get completed? I needed help finding activities and resources that matched my child’s interests and level — not just lists of projects.
Zoobean Expert made this summer much easier. For $25 a year (often available at discounted rates), Zoobean assigns a personal curator—typically a parent, educator, or librarian—who recommends books, apps, and activities for your child each week based on a profile you create. When searching for suitable apps and books online, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Zoobean does the research and delivers age-appropriate, interest-driven recommendations.
Once signed up, you have direct contact with your child’s curator by email or phone. That ongoing communication lets the curator tailor suggestions as they learn more about your child’s habits, strengths, and areas that need support. Our curator has been very responsive, offering practical ideas when I mentioned my son needed help with memorization and making recommendations that align with his interests.
In our first week, the curator assigned a book lesson using “Nino Wrestles the World!” that we borrowed from the library. Zoobean provided a reading guide with discussion prompts, vocabulary activities, and a craft idea to make wrestling masks to complement the story. My son loved coloring his mask but didn’t want to wear it while we read — a helpful insight into his comfort with being the center of attention that I shared with our curator.
The second week we received an app recommendation: Avokiddo ABC Ride, an engaging alphabet app that helps children learn letter sounds with interactive play. Priced affordably, the app features appealing graphics and characters that kept my son engaged. Along with the app suggestion, our curator sent a guide with warm-up ideas, such as alphabet flash cards and alliteration exercises, plus hands-on activities like making “ABC Soup” or playing rhyming I-Spy to extend learning beyond the screen.
Currently we are working through “Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed” and the accompanying reading guide. I bought this book because the local library didn’t carry it. The discussion starters from Zoobean helped turn our reading into a meaningful conversation, and the recommended activity will be our next hands-on project.
Zoobean also offers learning kits accessible through your profile. Each kit bundles book and app recommendations, discussion prompts, hands-on activities, and multimedia resources around topics like transportation, ancient Egypt, gardening, and more. These kits provide a ready-made, cohesive way to explore a theme with your child.
One kit I bookmarked focuses on firefighters and is tailored for ages 3–5. It contains a curated reading list, key facts about firefighting, discussion ideas, and suggested activities like a “Five Little Firefighters” painting project or a firefighter sensory bin. The kit also includes family-centered ideas, such as visiting a local fire station or organizing backyard “firefighter training,” plus song suggestions and other supportive resources.
Zoobean Expert will be valuable for summer and the school year. I plan to share our smart lists and activities with my son’s teachers so they can see what we’re exploring at home. The ability to contact our curator for targeted advice—whether to support a learning challenge or turn a current obsession like superheroes into a literacy opportunity—is especially helpful. These curators empower parents with practical resources that build children’s literacy and imagination.
Parents and families have the greatest influence on a child’s literacy development, but that responsibility can feel overwhelming. Zoobean provides support and structure to make it manageable and enjoyable. I appreciate having curated recommendations, activity guides, and a responsive expert to work with throughout the year.
This sponsored post reflects my personal experience using Zoobean. The opinions and text are my own.