Help center
Questions, answered by a person
Read the quick answers below, or write to us. A real human replies, usually the same day. hello@podsquadschool.com
Getting started
How do I join?
Request to join from the homepage. A pod lead reviews it (usually within a day or two), adds your number, and texts you. Then you log in with a code sent to your phone.
What do I need to buy?
A one-time Home Starter Kit (about $150–250 if you own nothing; most families own half), an optional Wonder Lab kit with a kid's microscope, and a short list of fresh consumables each week. It's all in the portal under Materials.
What ages is it for?
Newborn to eighteen: ten stages, each with its own program, and every kid in your family on one account. Slide to your kid's age on the homepage to see their stage, then explore a sample month in their lane.
Do both parents get a login?
Yes. Up to four grown-ups per family, each with their own phone. Grown-ups are free; kids are the seats.
The program
What does a week look like?
Monday and Wednesday at home (seven short blocks, about 110 minutes), Tuesday with the pod, Thursday on an adventure, Friday Spanish play led by the teacher.
Why do I only see one week at a time?
Pods run on rhythm. Each week unlocks the weekend before it starts so everyone shops, prints, and plans together.
What's a lane?
An interest track for your kid (Explorer, Athlete, Builder, Healer, Creator, Naturalist). It adds one concrete tilt to each week; change it anytime on your Family page.
Is it screen-free for kids?
Yes. The portal is for grown-ups. Kids get bins, blocks, buckets, and each other.
Is the science safe for toddlers?
Every sensory bin is taste-safe by design, and every Wonder Lab card has a safety note. Anything smaller than a toilet-paper tube stays out of reach. You supervise; we make it easy to.
Membership & billing
When am I charged?
Never during your 14-day trial. After that, monthly or yearly on your start date, automatically, until you cancel.
How do I cancel or pause?
From your Family page, or email us. Cancel keeps access through the period you paid for; pause keeps your spot and everything you've saved.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes. If your first paid month isn't right, email us within 30 days of that charge for a full refund.
Can I use a scholarship?
Florida's PEP scholarship is for K–12 students, so not for the toddler stage. We plan to be a registered provider when older stages open.
Pods & leading
How do I start a pod?
Say so in your join request. We set the pod up, you get an invite link, your friends join through it, and you approve them from your Lead panel.
What does a pod lead do?
Shares the invite link, approves requests, posts announcements and the Friday teacher note, and keeps the hosting board moving. The curriculum and weekly releases come from us.
What do leads get?
A free membership while 4+ families in the pod are members, plus 10% off their bill for every family they refer, down to $20/month.
How does the referral discount work?
Every family you invite who becomes a member takes 10% off your monthly bill for as long as they stay a member. It stacks, and your bill never goes below $20/month. If a referred family cancels, that 10% comes back off.
Privacy & safety
Who sees my kid's info?
Only the families in your pod see grown-up names and phone numbers on the roster and hosting board, plus photos your pod uploads. Other pods see nothing about you.
How do texts work?
One-time login codes and occasional pod updates. Reply STOP to updates anytime; you'll still get login codes when you ask for them. See SMS Terms.