Skylight Calendar 2 review: A calmer way to run your household

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My life sometimes feels like a chaotic blur. When does my son need to be at soccer? Is my daughter's field trip today or next week? When are grades due for the class I just finished teaching? And, every night, what's for dinner?

At first, I scoured the internet for the best planners. Having a visual way to track everyone's schedules helped, but it wasn't enough. I tried Google Calendar, but my kids had no way to check their own schedules, which meant they were constantly asking me what they were doing that day. I was at a loss.

But then I started seeing ads for the Skylight Calendar 2 showing up in my social media feed, the second installment of the viral digital calendar. The ads promised that Skylight would solve my problems and streamline my family's schedule. I also heard other parents give glowing reviews. Something had to change, so I gave it a shot. Despite my initial skepticism, I was pleasantly surprised — though you'll have to get the $79 premium subscription to access my favorite features.

My review of the Skylight Calendar 2

Even the least tech-savvy parents can navigate setup.

Setting up my Skylight 2 was easy. To get started, I simply connected the device to WiFi and paired it with the Skylight app. I often get frustrated when setting up new tech and need to consult my kids for help, but setting up the Skylight 2 was easy. After creating my account, Skylight generated a unique email that I use to access the calendar's features, like mass calendar imports. I also made a profile for each member of my family and assigned them a color for an easy, visual way to keep track of everyone's schedule.

The Skylight 2 is an upgraded version of the original Skylight Calendar, with faster performance, magnetic frames, and a lightweight stand. All Skylight calendars can be displayed horizontally and vertically and have the same features. It's also possible to customize the Skylight's display to see entries displayed by day, week, month, or person. As a bonus, Skylight calendars can display photos, and I liked the idea of getting some of the thousands of family photos I have off my camera roll and displayed somewhere my family could enjoy them.

Syncing calendars is quick and easy.

Since my most pressing problem was getting my calendar under control, I started by getting a handle on the Skylight's capabilities. The Skylight 2 can sync with Google, Apple, Outlook, and Cozi calendars. I use a Google Calendar, and it was really easy to sync my calendar with Skylight by tapping a few buttons on the Skylight app. I selected two-way sync so items I add to my Google Calendar will appear on my Skylight 2 and vice versa. Although I only use a Google calendar, Skylight can sync with multiple calendars at once.

My favorite calendar feature is the ability to mass import items. Most parents know the pain of tediously entering school events and sports schedules into a calendar one by one. Not only is this time-consuming, but I always worry about inadvertently forgetting to log a day off or a playoff game. Skylight's Magic Import, available with a Skylight Plus subscription, takes care of that problem. Now, whenever I get an attachment or email with a list of dates, I simply forward the email to my unique Skylight email address. Then, the events appear on both my Skylight 2 and Google Calendar. This feature alone has saved me hours. I really like that Skylight sends you an email confirming what it put on the calendar. If there are any problems —which there rarely are —I can fix them with a few taps.

Another unexpected feature is that the Skylight 2 syncs with my Google Calendar to display more than just calendar entries. Shortly after setting up my Skylight, I saw a notification pop up that I should leave for my son's soccer practice earlier than I was planning because traffic was heavy. I would have missed this notification if I had not had a Skylight because I didn't have my phone on me.

I also love that I can glance at my calendar anytime I am in my kitchen for a quick update on the day (or week) ahead. I feel so much calmer not having to constantly check my phone. Another bonus is that my kids can help keep track of their own activities. After just a few days of having a Skylight 2, my kids started checking the calendar themselves instead of constantly asking me when they had scheduled that day.

I love the meal planning and recipe assistance.

I'm not proud of this, but I often let meal planning fall to the wayside. Thankfully, the Skylight 2 comes loaded with several recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Not only can I schedule meals by tapping the Skylight's screen or using the app, but I can add the necessary ingredients to a shopping list as well. Any step I can save in planning meals greatly increases the chances that my kids will eat something other than frozen pizza for dinner, so I really appreciate the streamlined process.

When I got more experienced using the Skylight 2 for meal planning, I also started taking photos of recipes from cookbooks and handwritten recipes from grandma to import. I discovered that I can also find recipes from links I found for meals I thought my kids would enjoy. Once new recipes are in the Skylight ecosystem, it's easy to schedule meals and create a shopping list, no matter how I added the meals to the system.

Another unexpected feature of the Skylight 2 is the "Fridge Photo" feature. One night, when I was exhausted and couldn't decide what to make for dinner, I simply took a photo of the inside of my refrigerator from the Skylight app. Skylight analyzed what I had in my fridge, suggested making turkey wraps with the ingredients I had on hand, and generated a recipe.

My family has been eating better since I started using my Skylight 2, although these features are only available with a subscription.

My kids can check off their chores and earn rewards.

My youngest son has a hard time remembering everything he is supposed to do each day.

Using Skylight, I was able to enter reminders for him each weekday. Now, when he comes home from school, he can check the Skylight 2 and tick off his tasks. Using Skylight's reward system, my son earns a star each time he completes a task. Once he earns enough stars, he can redeem them for a reward I choose, which is also displayed on our Skylight. We have used all kinds of rewards from movie night to ordering pizza.

Assigning tasks is useful for kids of all ages. For example, I can assign my older kids the task of emptying out the dishwasher, taking out the trash, or cleaning their rooms. However, so far, only my youngest has been motivated by the possibility of getting rewards.

It keeps track of your to-do lists, too.

The Skylight 2 also lets you add lists by uploading a photo with a to-do item, taking a photo of a handwritten list, or speaking into the mic in the Skylight app. The app comes preloaded with entries for a grocery list and a to-do list, but users can add any type of list they would like.

After experimenting with using Skylight's lists, I can see how it would be useful for some people. However, for met, I decided to stick to using a tasks app because I find it easier than having to navigate through the Skylight app to find my lists. Whereas with my Google Tasks app I can start entering items immediately, in the Skylight app I need to navigate through a few steps to reach the part of the app where lists are housed. It's not difficult, but it is more time-consuming than I would like. I wasn't sure I wanted my entire family to see my embarrassingly long and detailed to-do list on the Skylight display anyway. Nevertheless, because I have started using Skylight for meal planning, I use the app's integrated shopping list regularly.

Cons to consider

The Skylight 2 isn't cheap. I was hesitant to make the initial investment in the digital calendar. However, after seeing how useful the Skylight has been to my family, I regret not taking the plunge sooner.

Another downside to Skylight calendars is that some premium features require purchasing a $79 annual Skylight Plus subscription to unlock. Without the subscription, users cannot use meal planning, rewards, personal photos as screensavers, or use different import options, including using their personalized Skylight email address to add calendar entries. In my opinion, these premium features are really what sets Skylight apart from other digital calendars, so I am committed to paying an annual fee to continue using them.

Although the Skylight 2 does not support voice controls, after a bit of digging I discovered that I can enable Alexa in the Skylight app. It's easy to say, "Alexa, tell Skylight to add…" and then see the item appear on screen. I would prefer being able to use voice controls to add items to my Skylight directly from my device. However, using my app to do so isn't a huge inconvenience.

What are your alternatives?

Skylight has several different models. I used the Skylight Hearth & Hand with Magnolia, a Target-exclusive 15" calendar with a brass frame. The larger Skylight Max is perfect for families who want to hang their Skylight on the wall. It is available with an aluminum, black, charcoal, or white frame. I also recommend the Skylight Frame, which only displays photos. Check out all Skylight products on its site and on Amazon to find the calendar that's best for you.

The Amazon Echo Show has a large display that can display your calendar, but it doesn't have all of the same features as the Skylight. The Echo Show is equipped with Alexa, which can be a pro or con depending on your needs. I once had a similar device in my kitchen, but I had to remove it because my kids were using it to watch videos more often than I liked. Those already in the Google ecosystem can consider the ApoloSign. This interactive digital calendar comes equipped with Google Play and can be integrated with Google Home. However, neither of these options has the same functionality as the Skylight. However, they may be good options for those who want the convenience of a digital calendar but don't expect to use Skylight's other features.

The bottom line

Overall, I really enjoy using Skylight. It's a must-have for busy families or those with a chaotic schedule. After integrating it into my home, I feel much more organized and calmer. My favorite features are how easy it is to sync calendars and add items to the calendar, especially complex school and sports schedules. I also like that the Skylight clearly displays tasks for my children, and that I can offer rewards for completion. Although I didn't expect to use Skylight's meal planning features, I am glad I tried them because they have been very helpful.

However, before buying a Skylight, take a close look at the features that are only available with a Skylight Plus subscription. That way, you won't be disappointed by the device's basic features or surprised by the annual fee necessary to unlock premium features.