# Teaching Strategies Family — user reviews > 85 indexed App Store user reviews of Teaching Strategies Family by Teaching Strategies, LLC, rated 2.37/5 from 221 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/teaching-strategies-family/id1237797232/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/teaching-strategies-family/id1237797232.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 57 · 4★ 9 · 3★ 10 · 2★ 13 · 1★ 115 ## What do users think of Teaching Strategies Family? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Connects parents with teachers and child's learning - 💡 Concept of centralized communication platform is good - 📱 Accessible on multiple devices (web and mobile) **Cons** - 🐛 Constant app crashes and freezes requiring reinstalls - 📵 Messages and notifications fail to display or load - 🔄 Requires frequent reinstallation to function properly - ⚠️ Blank screens despite receiving notifications - 🔐 Login issues and forced Google SSO authentication - 📧 Email notifications don't match app content - ⏱️ Significant lag and delayed message delivery - 🖼️ Poor photo/video viewing experience (no zoom, can't hear audio) - 📊 Cluttered interface with unnecessary content (games, parenting tips, e-books) - 🗂️ Disorganized layout mixing photos, reports, and announcements - 🔍 Difficult to find specific child information or historical messages - 📱 Landscape mode switching issues - 🚫 Messaging system auto-sends mid-typing - ⏰ No real-time activity logs or check-in/out timestamps - 🖱️ Non-functional UI elements (X button not clickable) - 🎯 Missing basic features compared to predecessor apps - 👥 Limited multi-child account management - 📸 Cannot batch download images or view multiple photos easily - 🔧 Hasn't been updated in over a year **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes and becomes unresponsive, requiring reinstallation - Blank/empty screens despite notifications of new content - Messages fail to send or receive - Notifications appear but content doesn't load when opened - Login immediately logs user back out - App closes unexpectedly on startup - Gmail email addresses force Google SSO login - Apple ID login hides email, preventing child recognition - Scrolling resets to top of page before selection - Landscape mode doesn't switch properly - Daily notes stuck on 'refreshing' status - Photos not uploading or displaying - Video audio not working in app - Error messages on attachments and memories section - Network errors and HTTP failures - Messaging system sends messages automatically mid-typing - Enter key sends message instead of creating new line - X button in top left corner not clickable - App incompatible with newer iOS/Android updates - Cannot access settings or reset password - Date stuck on old month (e.g., November 2022) - Daily reports display code mixed with content - Cannot switch between multiple children accounts - Teachers unable to upload observations or comments - Invalid token errors causing sign-out during use **Most requested features** - Real-time activity logs and check-in/out timestamps - Ability to message teachers during the day - Separate messaging for director vs. teacher - Food tracking section restoration - Private messaging between individual parents and teachers - Photo carousel/swipe functionality for easy browsing - Batch image download capability - Chronological date stamps on all content - Separate tabs for enrichment content vs. child updates - Multi-language support beyond English - Ability to favorite child photos - Better organization of daily reports, photos, and memos - Video audio functionality in app - Easy account switching for multiple children - Improved teacher access and coaching tools - Password-based login without forced SSO - Return button functionality in messages without auto-send ## Newest reviews (14 of 85) ### 1/5 — Put us out of our misery and send an email *2025-05-20* I could not hate this app more. Everything is sent as an announcement, which makes it hard to know when something was sent. I also have to click on each photo individually to try to find my child versus the ease of scrolling between photos. I would love to know how much money our center is spending on this app. Adding another app to my life has not made childcare challenges easier, it has made it more difficult to find the correct information I need. Is it time for kindergarten yet?!? This app is a booger. 0 stars. ### 1/5 — Can’t See Anything or Reset Password *2025-04-23, version 15.1.2* Terrible app. Can’t see my child’s stuff. Not user friendly. ### 1/5 — Annoying for Parents *2025-04-16* Our daycare/preschool moved to this app, and it is such a headache for parents. I couldn’t hate this app more. Daily photos come out through announcements, and it is super irritating because you cannot swipe between photos. I have to look at a tiny thumbnail and see if I spot my kid and click/open every photo. The announcements on the main page also get clogged and don’t always show up in chronological order… Nothing is dated on the title, so it’s a headache trying to figure out what day they sent the info. I really wish they would have stuck with traditional email. There is also a lot of filler/content that just isn’t necessary. ### 1/5 — Stupid feature policy *2025-03-25* What is the point for letting parents batch save all images from the browser but intentionally disable that feature on native mobile app if more than one child was tagged? You are ruining the entire UI experience, just learn from Procare, simple and clean. We, as parents, don’t look for any fancy stuff but simply want to know more how our kids are doing at daycare. ### 1/5 — Worst Ever, and Parents have no choice *2025-03-21* I thought Procare was bad but this app is next level bad. It’s missing simple functionality like real time activity logs and it doesn’t have a timestamp in app for when you drop off/pick up your child, messages are user. These are some really basic features that are critical to parents wanting to check in on their kids throughout the day. ### 1/5 — Horrible *2025-03-12, version 15.1.2* It never allows me to see everything the teacher sends ### 1/5 — Can’t send messages *2025-02-18* I everything was working fine until about a month ago when I was not allowed to message the teachers it would say 100% but would not send anything so when I would try to let teachers know my kids would be late they never got the message I told the teachers but the daycare said they need to use this app but what’s they point if I can’t get ahold of my kids teachers I’ve tried every uninstalling and reinstalling I’ve check for updates but it still does not work **Developer response:** I apologize for the issues you are experiencing with sending messages to your teacher! Please reach out to our customer support through the app or by contacting us at +1 866-736-5913 or support@teachingstrategies.com so we can fix this for you. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2025-01-23* I get emails often about new notes or things regarding my child but when I click to open, not one new thing has popped up since the beginning of the year. It never has shown me what the notification is actually for. It just opens the app and doesn’t take me anywhere. Then there is nothing new to see when I scroll. **Developer response:** I apologize for the issues you are experiencing! Please reach out to our customer support through the app or by contacting us at +1 866-736-5913 or support@teachingstrategies.com so we can help! ### 1/5 — Terrible *2025-01-17, version 15.1.2* Awful app. I have to constantly delete the app and redownload to see what the teacher has sent. It will work for maybe a week then it won’t update anymore with the teachers comments or anything they send out. Very frustrating as a parent to make sure I’m keeping up what’s going on in the classroom. ### 1/5 — Terrible app *2024-11-22, version 14.11.15* Everytime there is an update, the app breaks. There is always some glitch preventing my child from showing up in my account. Therefore I cannot communicate with her teacher. This app is horrible ### 1/5 — Can I give 0?? *2024-11-07* This app is horrible. I’m stuck with it because the daycare has it but I can’t even message the teachers in the infant room - they actually said they either are not allowed or can’t!! What is the point?? Other than the other glitches mentioned in other reviews, I have an infant and I want to see what is happening throughout the day. But I can’t get a report until the day is over and I pick him up, only to find out he didn’t eat lunch and is hungry. Or I go to pick him up and he’s asleep!!! The daycare used to have a sensible app that updated throughout the day… so you can see if he’s awake, has eaten, been changed etc. For a toddler I wouldn’t mind so much but for a baby, I need to know. I wish they would switch back to the other app. ### 1/5 — Not great *2024-10-28, version 14.10.7* This app, at first, was great and easy to use. Now it keeps telling I have notifications when I don’t even though the teacher has been sending me messages/photos that I’m not receiving. So if they’re important good luck because you won’t be getting all of them ### 1/5 — This doesn’t work at all *2024-10-24, version 14.10.7* Not sure where to start. Think the reviews are quite clear. Not helpful. Is anyone working to fix the app? ### 1/5 — Last Update “1y ago”?!?! *2024-10-21* My daughter’s teacher has been sending updates and newsletter attachments through the app. The last several she’s sent only show the date they were sent, no messages, no attachments even though the email notifications indicate that there are messages/attachments. When I try to access the attachments from the “Memories” tab instead of the “Messages” it goes to the login screen and gives an error message: “Error Network error: HTTP error.” Once that message goes away the login screen has the little spinning wheel but never logs in. I noticed that this app hasn’t been updated in at least a year. Cell phone manufacturers regularly update their operating systems and sometimes these updates render them incompatible with older apps. I imagine that’s what’s happened here since the app worked on my phone in the beginning and now no longer works. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Bad *2026-04-20, version 16.1.28* After a couple days, you have to delete the app and re-download it so that you can read messages. Otherwise you’ll be notified but receive a blank screen. ### 1/5 — Confusing *2026-03-02, version 16.1.28* If you switch your kid from one place to another, good luck. And tech support is useless. Sad. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2026-02-03, version 16.1.28* I receive the emails that there are updates all the time, but when I access the app there is nothing visible to see. The app has been blank since I’ve logged on ### 1/5 — Messages do not work *2026-01-12, version 15.11.25* I’ve had to to delete and re download this app like to get the messages to actually come through As the messaging is the main thing ppl use it for this is obviously not good ### 1/5 — Back to the drawing board *2025-11-11* The app sounds great in theory, but is about as poor in execution as I’ve encountered with an app. Messages don’t show up, notifications appear that there is an update but can’t access them once opening the app. There’s basically no point in using it, you’ll just end up having to text teachers anyways. If it functioned properly I’m sure it would be a great resource, but currently is just an icon taking up space on everyone’s phone and serving no purpose. ### 1/5 — Terrible *2025-10-02, version 15.8.26* This app is absolutely terrible. I got three emails today about updates that were posted but I can’t find them anywhere. Every time I click the link, it just takes me to the app store even though I already have the app. ### 1/5 — I can’t see what the teachers are saying *2025-09-19, version 15.8.26* I get notifications when things are shared by they never show up on the app. So I am missing out on cute pictures and regular updates. TSF is horrible. ### 1/5 — Ughhh *2025-09-19, version 15.8.26* So I can no longer add my child’s food for the day. I have to add it as a note. What was the point of removing the food section? This app isn’t parent friendly at all. I should be able to communicate with the director & teacher separately. ### 1/5 — Super Glitchy *2025-06-04* Any time I try to check on the daily notes it says refreshing so I have to open and close the app a few times. I will get messages late from teachers. You can’t see multiple pictures on the daily report. They have to be sent through messages which is annoying. The UX of the daily tracking is terrible and an eye sore. ### 1/5 — Worst School App Ever *2025-06-03, version 15.5.19* This app never functions properly and I’ve wasted a whole year trying to use it. Much better options out there! ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great tool *2020-09-09, version 10.8.21* Connects me with the teacher and all of my child learning! ### 3/5 — X Out Issues *2025-06-03, version 15.5.19* When you go into a screen, the X out button in the top left hand corner is not clickable. Have to exit out of the app. ### 3/5 — Frustrating *2025-05-21, version 15.5.9* The app opens for two seconds and then just closes on its own. I have never experienced this issue before. ### 3/5 — Quedtions!? *2024-09-04, version 13.7.24* Hello, I would like to know if the conversations I have with the teacher are private on this platform or if other parents can see what is being discussed. ### 3/5 — No time clock *2023-07-05* Would be helpful if it displayed when child is clocked in and out on the daily report. It posts it the day of but no other place to keep track. Most daycares charge if you’re over hours or miss clocking your child in/out. **Developer response:** Thanks for your feedback! We will consider this enhancement for the future. ### 2/5 — Needs Bug Fixes *2026-04-28* I constantly have to reinstall the app. I’ll get pop up notifications that there have been updates or messages from the teacher, but when I open the app it is stuck and isn’t showing anything. After reinstalling, the issue is fixed, but you should not need to constantly reinstall an app at least once or twice a week in order to utilize it, especially when it’s an app that is supposed to keep you updated on your child while they are in school. ### 2/5 — The idea is amazing *2025-09-17* But the execution.. not so much. The app seems to have issues switching in and out of landscape mode. This issue seems minor, but it’s very inconvenient having to close and reload the app because it isn’t switching properly. Scrolling through the library is weird. I scroll and then the page goes back to the top before I’m able to select anything. Again, minor issue that makes the app inconvenient. ### 2/5 — Lots of room for improvement. Clunky *2025-08-28* Not as user friendly like brightwheel or others, also not clear what day messages or pictures were sent, and if child goes to two different schools or daycares not clear how to view both or which is which ### 2/5 — Needs an update *2024-12-12, version 14.11.15* This app would be great if the messages would upload in appropriate timing There is so much lag ### 2/5 — horrible messenger system *2024-05-13, version 13.7.24* everytime i open the conversation it just goes all the way to the top and in the middle of typing it just sends it by itself when i was still typing. when i hit enter it just goes all the way of the top of the conversation. it’s a nice app to keep the convo between parents and teacher but i feel like this should be fixed --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*