Netflix in the Homeschool

I have a Netflix account.  Right now you feel a common bond with me.

Or, you're praying that I get right  with God.

Either way, I have one.  I don't allow my children free access to it.  My husband or I choose what they see and when they see it.  They are not allowed on it without supervision.  So far, so good.

Why do I bring this up?  What does Netflix have to do with home-school?  In our life, quite a bit.

This year, we have found many documentaries and dramas that have supplemented what our children are learning in science, history, and language arts.  Is this a good idea?  I think so...being able to SEE what they are reading really helps to cement things in our students memories.  Think back to when you were in school.  We LOVED when a video/movie/film-strip (for us old-timers) were shown.  It was fun, out of the ordinary, and helped us learn.  I still remember the one I saw about Mount Saint Helens back in the late '80s (& have shown it to my kids)!

Some of our children are learning about ocean and land animals in their Apologia curriculum.  There are many documentaries that we have either ordered or watched instantly via Netflix.  Yes, some of them have evolution, but the kids are getting good at identifying the fallacies and appreciating God's creation.
     Coral Reef Adventures
     Dolphins: IMAX
     Wild African Cats: Wild Cats
     David Attenborough: Wildlife Adventures
     & many more

A couple of days ago, my son watched a documentary on Sitting Bull as he had just enjoyed and finished a biography about this "last indian" for his history assignment.  The children also enjoy "Liberty's Kids" and the show is basically right on concerning the founding of our country.
     The Best of the Real West: Sitting Bull
     Liberty's Kids

This week, my oldest son is reading a biography on Eric Liddell.  Wouldn't you know it?  Netflix has a documentary and it's on the way to our house.  (We're getting "Chariots of Fire" from the old-fashioned library.)
      Eric Liddell: Champion of Conviction
     A Man Called Peter (watched after reading excerpts of the book)

Netflix has provided several hours of schooling for our children this year.  It has more than paid for itself, in my opinion.  If you have an account, look at it as more than a means to entertainment, but another home-school resource.