Tech & tools
Software worth knowing about
Tools Florida homeschool families actually use, grouped by subject. Most of these are free. None of them paid to be here.
How to read this page
- We are not affiliated with any of these and earn nothing if you use them.
- Pricing changes. What is free today may not be — check before you commit.
- Nothing here is approved for scholarship spending by us. Confirm eligible purchases with your scholarship administrator.
Music
MuseScore
Free · open sourceMusic notation. Write, hear and print sheet music. The free score library is enormous, which matters if you are teaching an instrument without buying a book for every piece.
Desktop · Windows, Mac, Linux
musescore.orgSoundtrap
Free tier · paid plansA recording studio in the browser. Good for a teenager who wants to make something rather than practise scales, and it needs no install on a school Chromebook.
Browser · any device
soundtrap.comMaths
Khan Academy
FreeFull maths sequence from counting to calculus, with practice that adapts. Many families use it as the spine and add a physical book for problem sets.
Browser · K through 12 and beyond
khanacademy.orgDesmos
FreeGraphing calculator that makes algebra visible. Drag a slider and watch the parabola move — that one interaction explains more than a page of text.
Browser · middle school upward
desmos.comGeoGebra
FreeGeometry, algebra and statistics in one place. Strongest for construction work — the sort of thing that is painful with compass and paper.
Browser and desktop
geogebra.orgScience
PhET Simulations
FreeInteractive physics, chemistry and biology simulations from the University of Colorado. Circuits you can wire wrongly without consequence, which is the whole point.
Browser · upper elementary upward
phet.colorado.eduStellarium
Free · open sourceA planetarium for your screen. Set it to tonight and your postcode, then go outside and find what it showed you. Florida’s clear winter skies make this an easy win.
Desktop and browser
stellarium.orgReading, writing and languages
Anki
Free · paid iOS appSpaced-repetition flashcards. Unglamorous and extremely effective for vocabulary, Latin forms and anything else that has to be known cold.
Desktop, Android free · iOS paid
apps.ankiweb.netDuolingo
Free tier · paid plansDaily language practice that children will actually keep doing. Best as the habit layer alongside a real course, not as the whole curriculum.
Browser and mobile
duolingo.comCoding and making
Scratch
FreeBlock-based programming from MIT. A seven-year-old can build a working game in an afternoon, and the concepts carry straight into text languages later.
Browser · ages 8 upward, Scratch Jr for younger
scratch.mit.eduTinkercad
FreeBrowser 3D design, circuits and code blocks. If a local library or makerspace has a 3D printer, this is how you get something to print.
Browser
tinkercad.comKrita
Free · open sourceDigital painting built for artists rather than photo editing. Pairs well with an inexpensive drawing tablet for a child who draws constantly.
Desktop · Windows, Mac, Linux
krita.orgKnow something better?
This list is short on purpose — every entry is here because families told us they use it. If something is missing, say so in the community and we will look at it.
Open the communityLast reviewed 8 August 2026. Links go to the makers’ own sites. We do not host, resell or support any of this software.