The real value is choosing material your child can stick with that fits their grade and learning style — enrollment routing cashback is just a bonus

Deep dives Published：2026-06-03 Updated：2026-06-21 18 min read

Choose a service your child can stick with that fits their grade — the sign-up cashback is just a bonus on top

Enrollment and resource requests for children's correspondence education services — including Shinkenzemi, Smile Zemi, Z-kai, and Kodomo Challenge — are sometimes listed as reward cases on point sites. Because these are monthly or annual subscriptions, you can target both enrollment case cashback and monthly tuition payment rewards, making this a category that works well with points earning.

That said, the most important thing in this category is not the size of the cashback. A service your child does not engage with just wastes the monthly or annual fee — that is the biggest risk. Whether to go with printed materials or a tablet, whether the difficulty matches your child's current grade and comprehension, and whether the format (grading feedback, game elements, parental support burden) will keep them going — these all need to be verified through resource requests and free trials before signing up. Keep the material selection separate from points earning. Decide the service fits your child first, then layer the enrollment cashback on top. That order is the prerequisite. This article covers the points specific to correspondence education: printed materials vs. tablets, service features by grade and goal, sibling contracts, how to read reward conditions, and the timing of cancellation relative to tablet fees. For adult certification courses see correspondence courses, for cram schools and lessons see lessons and classes, and for private tutors see home tutor.

Printed materials vs. tablets — choose based on your child's learning type

The first fork in the road when choosing correspondence education is printed materials or tablet-based learning. Neither is universally better; what matters is whether it suits your child's type and your household environment, as that determines whether they will keep it up. Different services offer "print only," "tablet only," or "both available," so narrowing candidates after clarifying your child's type helps avoid mismatch.

Format	Suits which children / households	Watch out for
Printed materials	Learns by writing; wants handwriting practice too; prefers to limit screen time	Materials can pile up; grading may take parental effort
Tablet	Engages in a game-like way; auto-grading reduces parental work; prefers video-based explanations	Device fee may apply (upfront cost); cancellation terms need checking
Print + tablet combined	Wants both handwriting skills and digital learning	Check cost and content balance service by service

Tablet-based services often provide a dedicated device, and cancelling within a set period may result in a device fee charge. This "tablet fee condition" directly affects when you can cancel, so confirm it before signing up (details in the cancellation timing section below). First try resource requests and free trials to see which format your child engages with more easily, then decide.

Once you decide the format, preparing the matching "tools and environment" too makes it easier to continue. For paper materials, getting pencils, erasers, and notebooks that suit the child lowers the hurdle to engage (stationery/office supplies guide). For tablet learning, it's important to set household rules — taking breaks, adjusting brightness, minding posture — out of care for the eye strain of long screen use. With either format, arranging "the environment for facing a desk (quietness, brightness, siblings' movement lines)" helps concentration last. More than the superiority of the format itself, building an environment where the child can engage every day without strain is the knack to not wasting the monthly or yearly fee.

By grade and goal — features and selection criteria of major services

Children's correspondence education services have strong individual characters by target age, difficulty, and style, and "which one you pick" directly affects whether your child keeps going. Check each service's latest fees and campaigns on their official sites and on Pointnavi case pages. Here we cover the axes for choosing.

Infants to pre-elementary age: Kodomo Challenge (Benesse) combines educational toys, picture books, and video into a comprehensive package that also covers daily habits and language development. Good for families looking for a game-like approach for young children.
Elementary school (building foundations): Shinkenzemi Elementary Course (print or tablet selectable) follows school curriculum closely, making it easy to use for previewing and reviewing lessons. Grading feedback from the "red pen teacher" is a distinctive feature. Smile Zemi is tablet-only with strong auto-grading and parent progress reporting, suited to households that want to reduce parental involvement.
Elementary to junior high (applied / exam preparation): Z-kai has a higher difficulty level, suited to families targeting thinking skills, written expression, and junior high school entrance exams. The grading quality is a draw. If the difficulty significantly exceeds your child's level they may give up, so checking with sample materials is important.
Junior high school: All major providers offer junior high courses. Whether you prioritise regular test preparation and grade maintenance or are aiming for competitive high school entrance exams will determine which service fits. Whether to combine with a cram school is also worth considering.

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The top priority when choosing a service is whether the difficulty matches your child's current grade and comprehension. Too hard leads to giving up; too easy leads to losing interest. Letting your child actually try the sample materials that arrive with a resource request — and seeing whether they feel "about right" — is the most reliable check. Compare point site cases after narrowing down the materials.

If you are considering combining with a cram school or private tutor, see also cram schools and home tutors.

As the grade rises, it's a natural flow to expand beyond correspondence education into learning specialized by purpose. For example, against the backdrop of programming education becoming compulsory in elementary school, more families also use programming schools to learn logical thinking and digital creation (Programming Schools). Building the foundation of study habits with correspondence education while extending the fields the child took interest in through other learning is also an option. The premise here is the same: confirm "whether the child can continue and it fits their current development and interest" via materials requests or trials first. When combining multiple lessons and materials, routing each enrollment and application per offer means you won't miss rewards.

Using correspondence education for siblings — points earning with multiple contracts

In households with multiple children, each sibling may be in a different grade or using a different service. Some services offer a discount when siblings use the same provider, but from a points-earning perspective the key question is whether each child's enrolment can qualify as a separate case.

Each can be a separate referral: If each child has their own contract under the same service, it may be possible to put each enrolment through as a separate referral. However, some cases have restrictions such as "one per household" or "same payment method not eligible," so check the case description and terms on Pointnavi in advance.
Multiple resource requests may be possible: For cases where "resource request counts as completion," requesting materials for each child at a different grade level may result in multiple rewards. Apply the terms of use and case conditions to judge.
Payment rewards stack across siblings: Paying multiple tuition fees with a cashback-eligible payment method stacks the points earned. An annual lump-sum payment gets a discount plus the higher amount generates more payment cashback.
Unified service or separate services: Using the same service for all siblings simplifies parental management. But if grades and learning styles differ, separate services may be a better fit for each child. Weigh your household's management burden against each child's individual needs.

When using correspondence education for siblings, beyond the gain or loss of each individual contract, the viewpoint of taking a bird's-eye view of all the siblings' education costs within the household budget matters. When correspondence education, cram school, lessons, and enrollment prep overlap, education-related spending takes a large share of the budget. After deciding "where and how much to spend" as a household policy, aligning each enrollment and tuition payment to a reward-bearing payment and aggregating earned points to your main economic zone steadily lowers the real burden across total education costs. For household budgeting in child-rearing households and building points play overall, also see the parenting guide, and position the cost of correspondence education within the whole household budget.

Resource requests, free trials, and enrolment — reading the reward conditions

The most commonly missed detail in correspondence education cases is what action actually triggers the reward. Conditions vary widely across cases — "resource request alone completes the case," "enrolment required," or "must continue for X months" — and signing up without checking leads to outcomes like "I enrolled but got no points" or "I cancelled early not knowing about the continuation requirement."

Condition type	What it means	Watch out for
Resource request completes the case	Low-risk: cashback without enrolling. You get to check the content too	Duplicates (re-requesting to the same address) may be excluded
Enrolment required	A resource request alone does not trigger the reward	Confirm the service suits your child via a trial before enrolling
Must continue X months	Staying enrolled for a set period is required	Cancelling within that period means zero reward, and may trigger a tablet fee
Post-trial formal enrolment	Completing a paid sign-up after a free trial triggers the reward	Check whether referral must be tracked during the trial and when the transition happens

Resource request cases are the lowest-risk entry point — you verify the content and earn cashback at the same time. The ideal flow is: use a resource request case to check the content, then enrol once you judge it suits your child. If a free trial is available, always let your child try it before deciding to enrol. Check the reward conditions for each case on the Pointnavi case pages.

Cancellation timing and tablet fees — confirm "when and how to cancel" before signing up

A pitfall specific to children's correspondence education is the interplay between when you cancel and the tablet device fee. Discovering this after signing up can be costly, so confirm the rules before enrolling.

Tablet fee conditions: Services that use a dedicated tablet (such as Smile Zemi) often set up a structure where "the tablet is free or discounted if you continue for X months." Cancelling within the required period may result in being charged the full or remaining device cost. Before signing up, confirm "how many months of continuous enrolment are needed to avoid the device fee." Check the latest conditions on each service's official site.
When to submit a cancellation request: Most services have a deadline — end of month, end of term — by which cancellations must be requested. Missing the deadline means you are charged for the following month or term. Confirm "how many days in advance the cancellation must be filed" when you enrol.
Cancelling mid-way through an annual plan: If you paid annually upfront, cancelling mid-year may mean no refund for remaining months. Weigh the discount benefit of an annual plan against the risk of an early exit.
Cancelling after satisfying the continuation condition: If a points case has a "continue for X months" condition, confirm the reward has been credited before filing cancellation. Calculate the required period from both the service's perspective and the case's perspective.
Reconsidering if your child stops engaging: When materials start piling up, deciding early whether to continue or switch is the key to avoiding wasted costs. Rather than pressuring your child to keep going, periodically check together whether the current format still suits them.

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Tablet-based services each have their own "continuation period × device fee" structure, so always check the latest terms on the official site. Signing up with an "I'll just try it and quit if it doesn't work" mindset can lead to unexpected tablet charges. Knowing the cancellation rules before enrolling is the foundation of not losing out on correspondence education points earning.

Children's correspondence education points earning — step-by-step

① Clarify your child's grade, learning type, and goals Note your child's current grade and comprehension level, whether they prefer print or tablet, whether the aim is exam prep or skill building, and whether combining with a cram school is in the picture. If you have multiple children, note each one's grade. See also children's education points earning overview.
② Confirm suitability via resource requests and free trials Request materials or a free trial from shortlisted services and let your child actually try them. If the case rewards a resource request on its own, go through Pointnavi before requesting.
③ Check cancellation terms, tablet fee, and reward conditions before enrolling On the official site and the Pointnavi case page, confirm the reward conditions (resource request / enrolment / X months continuous), the device fee and continuation requirement if a dedicated tablet is used, and the cancellation deadline.
④ Enrol through the point site referral Once you decide the service suits your child, open the case on Pointnavi, follow the referral link, and complete enrolment on the official site. Do not navigate away or use another referral after clicking through.
⑤ Set tuition payments to a cashback-eligible payment method Set the monthly tuition or annual lump-sum payment to a rewards-earning method tied to your main points ecosystem. Annual lump-sum costs less than monthly and generates higher payment rewards. Also confirm the refund terms for early cancellation.
⑥ Consolidate earned points and regularly check on your child's progress Move points earned to your main ecosystem and use them before expiry. If materials start piling up, decide early whether to continue or switch. See also lessons and classes.

Mini glossary — key terms to know before getting started with children's correspondence education points earning

Knowing the terminology around "material format" and "reward conditions and cancellation" helps you avoid wasted costs and unexpected tablet fees after signing up. Take a quick look before applying.

Term	Meaning	Watch out for
Printed materials / tablet learning	The format of the study materials (written / digital)	Continuation rates vary depending on the child's type
Grading feedback	A teacher reviews and comments on submitted work	Examples: Shinkenzemi's "red pen teacher," Z-kai, etc.
Dedicated tablet fee	The cost of the dedicated tablet device	Check the conditions under which you are charged if you cancel early
Reward condition	The action required to confirm the cashback in a case	Varies by type: resource request / enrolment / continue for X months
Cancellation deadline	The deadline to submit a cancellation request	Missing it triggers fees for the next month or term
Sibling contract	Enrolling multiple children in separate contracts	Check case restrictions such as "one per household"

With these terms in hand, you can judge "does this material suit my child and match their grade" before worrying about the cashback amount. Confirm suitability via resource requests and free trials, check the reward conditions, tablet fees, and cancellation deadlines, then enrol through Pointnavi — that is the tried-and-true approach to correspondence education points earning.

Frequently asked questions

How do I decide between correspondence education and a cram school?

If your child prefers learning at their own pace, at home, at lower cost, correspondence education is likely a better fit. If they need a teacher's guidance, learn better with peers around, or need an externally imposed schedule, a cram school often works better. Correspondence education lets you check fit via free trials and resource requests before committing, so start there if you are unsure. See also cram schools and home tutors.

What happens to the tablet device fee if I cancel a tablet-based service?

This varies by service, but many tablet-based correspondence education providers offer the device free or at a discount on the condition that you stay enrolled for a minimum number of months. Cancelling within that period may mean you are charged the full or remaining device cost. Check the latest terms on the service's official site. Understanding the cancellation rules before enrolling is essential.

Do I earn points from a resource request or only from enrolment?

It depends on the case. "Resource request alone completes the case" cases pay out even without enrolling. "Enrolment required" cases do not reward a resource request on its own. Some cases also require "continuous enrolment for X months," meaning signing up alone is not enough. Always check the reward conditions on the Pointnavi case page before applying.

If I have multiple children, can each child's enrolment earn points separately?

If each child has their own contract, it may be possible to route each enrolment as a separate referral. However, some cases restrict to "one per household" or exclude the same payment method used twice. Check the case terms and conditions on Pointnavi in advance; if uncertain, contacting the point site's support team is the safest approach.

My child has stopped doing the materials — what should I do?

First check whether the difficulty is a mismatch or whether the format (print vs. tablet) is not working. If it is too hard, switching to a different service may help. If they have lost interest, trying a different format can reignite engagement. If a points case still has a continuation requirement outstanding, check the impact of cancellation before deciding. Forcing a child to continue rarely builds habits; judging quickly that the service is not a fit and switching or cancelling is often the better way to avoid wasted fees. You might also consider picture-book subscription boxes as an alternative.

When is a good time to start children's correspondence education?

"Earlier is better" is not necessarily true — the right time is when it fits your child's development and your family's approach. Some rough guidelines: ① For infants to pre-school age, comprehensive programmes combining educational toys, picture books, and daily habits (such as Kodomo Challenge) are the main option. This stage is more about building the habit of sitting at a desk and nurturing curiosity than formal study. ② Around the start of elementary school, many families begin using correspondence education to establish basic skills (hiragana, numbers) and a study routine. ③ Starting in a later grade is also fine — courses exist for every level, so there is no such thing as starting too late. ④ Rather than "everyone else has started," the best trigger is when your child shows interest or when you notice them struggling with something. What matters more than the start date is whether your child can keep it up without stress. Let your child try the materials via a resource request or free trial first, and only enrol once it feels like a good fit. When you do enrol, go through a Pointnavi case to earn cashback.

Is it fine to just request materials or do a free trial without enrolling? Will I get pushy sales calls?

Requesting materials or doing a free trial without enrolling is perfectly fine — in fact it is the smart way to check whether the service suits your child before committing. From a points-earning perspective, if there is a "resource request alone completes the case" offer available, you can earn cashback even without enrolling, making it a very low-risk entry point. On the topic of sales contact: ① Major correspondence education providers may send a DM with the materials or follow up by email or phone with enrolment information, but aggressively pushy sales approaches are not generally common. ② If you are concerned, look for an opt-out field when placing the request and note that you prefer no phone contact. ③ Unwanted DMs or emails can be unsubscribed from. ④ It is also fine to request materials from several providers at once for comparison. When the materials arrive, go through them with your child and check whether the difficulty level and format feel right before deciding to enrol. For resource request cases, confirm the reward conditions (i.e., that the resource request itself counts as completion) on Pointnavi before clicking through.

Both parents work full-time and we don't have time to grade work or give support — what should we do?

Choosing a service with features that reduce the parental burden is the practical approach. Key points: ① Services with tablet-based automatic grading and scoring (such as Smile Zemi) require little or no parental grading effort and are well-suited to dual-income households. ② Services that send progress reports and learning updates to parents let you stay on top of how your child is doing even when you are busy. ③ Services with video lessons and game-like elements that children can work through independently are easier to keep going without a parent sitting alongside. ④ For print-based services that include a grading and feedback service (such as the "red pen teacher"), a third party handles the marking so you do not need to do it yourself. One thing to bear in mind: completely hands-off tends not to work — brief encouragement ("you did great today") or a weekly check-in makes a real difference to motivation. Use resource requests and trials to find a low-effort format, then enrol through Pointnavi to earn your cashback. For household time-saving tips, see also household chores and cleaning.

What's the knack when preparing enrollment items (a school bag, etc.) and correspondence education together for a new life?

The timing of elementary enrollment is when a school bag, school supplies, and correspondence-education enrollment tend to overlap. Even if purchase and application channels scatter, routing the point site right before each purchase or application lets you take rewards separately for both the supplies purchase and the correspondence enrollment. Enrollment prep tends to be large in amount, so the loss from forgetting to route is also large. It's best to list out "when, what, and where to buy / apply," and route through them in order. How to advance the prep of a school bag and enrollment items is summarized in the school bag/enrollment guide, so planning together with the whole enrollment prep aggregates rewards efficiently. Choose materials with "whether the child can continue" as the top priority.

When eyeing exams like junior-high entrance exams, how should I use correspondence education?

Even when eyeing exams, first confirming "whether the difficulty fits the child's current understanding and aspiration" via trials and samples comes first. Correspondence education has materials (high-difficulty courses, etc.) that train written expression and thinking ability at home, and can be used as the axis of home study alongside cram school. On the other hand, many families rely on cram school for target-school measures and securing practice volume, so exam style is chosen by compatibility with the child. Since materials, mock exams, and cram school overlap in the exam period, routing each application and purchase per offer and aligning payments to reward payments curbs the real burden. For building exam-student points play, see the exam-student point guide, and always route enrollment and applications through Pointnavi for rewards.

Compare children's correspondence education enrolment cases → Children's education points earning overview

This article was written from publicly available information on each point site as of 2026-06-21. Cashback rates, campaign terms, and redemption rules can change without notice — always check each site's official page for the latest. This site uses each point site's referral program, but going through a referral link never changes the rate you receive.