If your child has an Education Savings Account (ESA) or is enrolled in a charter school that provides a learning stipend, you've probably asked yourself: what can I actually spend this on? The answer varies by state and program, but for many families, hands-on educational kits and curriculum materials absolutely qualify.

What is an ESA?

An Education Savings Account is a government-funded account that gives families money to spend on approved educational expenses outside of traditional public school. Depending on your state, this can include curriculum, tutoring, educational materials, therapies, and more. Programs like Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account, Florida's Family Empowerment Scholarship, and similar programs in other states have opened this up to a growing number of families.

Do educational kits count as approved expenses?

In most ESA programs, curriculum and educational materials are explicitly listed as approved expenses. Hands-on learning kits that are designed around educational outcomes, like early literacy, math, science, and fine motor development, typically fall into this category.

That said, every program has its own rules. Before purchasing, it's worth checking your specific program's approved vendor list or expense guidelines. Some programs require vendors to be pre-approved, while others allow families to submit receipts for reimbursement on qualifying purchases.

How T is for Tot fits in

Our kits are designed specifically around early childhood learning milestones for ages 3 to 6. Each one targets real educational skills including literacy, science, fine motor development, and imaginative play, making them a strong fit for families using ESA funds for preschool or kindergarten-level curriculum.

Our 12 Months Subscription Prepaid ESA is set up specifically for families using education savings account funding, making the purchase and documentation process straightforward.

What to do before you buy

• Check your state's ESA program website for the current approved expense categories
• Look for whether your program uses a marketplace (like ClassWallet or Odyssey) or a reimbursement model
• Save your receipts and any product descriptions that document the educational purpose of your purchase
• When in doubt, contact your program administrator directly — they can tell you exactly what qualifies

ESA funding exists to give families more flexibility in how their children learn. If hands-on, play-based curriculum is what works best for your child, there's a good chance your funding can help make it happen.