After you have officially chosen to homeschool your children, the next biggest decision you have to make is choosing a homeschool curriculum that fits your family’s needs. This is vital as it will shape both you and your kid’s learning experience.
For beginner homeschooling parents, this could be a tough task. Choosing the best homeschool curriculum was a tough task for me, and it took months of research.
First of all, I had to completely understand how homeschooling works, as well as what homeschooling path I wanted to take, and finally whether I wanted to use a curriculum or not. If you are still comparing education styles, our guide to worldschooling vs traditional school can help you understand the difference.
How do I choose the right homeschool curriculum?
- Understand your child’s learning style.
- Identify your child’s strengths and interests.
- Set a realistic homeschooling budget.
- Choose a teaching method that fits your family.
- Compare curriculum options before buying.
Choosing a homeschool curriculum starts with understanding your child instead of searching for the most popular program. Every child learns differently, so the best curriculum is one that matches their learning style, strengths, and interests. It is equally important to consider your own teaching style, your family’s budget, and whether you prefer an all-in-one curriculum or a mix of different resources. Taking time to answer these questions before making a purchase can save money and help create a more enjoyable homeschooling experience for both you and your child.
The Best Homeschool Curriculum
When choosing a homeschool curriculum, make sure to ask yourself the questions below.
What is your child’s learning style?
Every child will understand the same concept in different ways. The approach to learning must therefore be different and unique to each child, which is one of the amazing things about homeschooling.
If you have more than one child, you may find that one child likes to do project-based learning while the other loves reading books. Their understanding will be the same, but the style will be different.
Once you know what your child’s learning style for your kid is, you will be able to structure a curriculum that is based on their strengths.
What are your child’s strengths?
You need to understand what your child’s strengths are and purchase curriculum around that. For instance, you might find that your child is exceptionally good at Science or Mathematics but not as strong in English and Social Studies.
When creating his/her curriculum, they will need to prioritize the subject they need more help in. Remember to mix that with a little bit of what they love and excel in so that they do not feel overwhelmed or get bored.
It is okay for your child to be at the first-grade level; however, working on second-grade mathematics and fourth-grade English. Purchasing the best homeschool curriculum for your child simply means keeping all these things in mind.
It is also important to remember that each child will have a different strength, so if you’re homeschooling more than one child, you absolutely have to keep that in mind. That’s the best part about homeschooling, being able to tailor each child’s education to fit their needs.
What is your budget?
Homeschooling can be as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be. If you decide not to use a charter school that provides homeschool funds, then you will need to purchase curriculum, educational materials, and more on your own. Plus, if you are trying to keep costs low, our guide on how to homeschool for free can help you find free and affordable resources before buying a curriculum.
You will need to find out places you can find great discounts on the best homeschool curriculum, such as garage sales, and save some money on the curriculum.
There are also plenty of Facebook groups such as Homeschool Curriculum Marketplace, Homeschool Curriculum Marketplace 2, and African American Online Co-operative, as well as plenty of websites like Homeschool Buyers Coop that offer free and discounted homeschool curriculum for you to choose from.
You need to determine your budget for homeschool curriculum beforehand and then buy materials according to your budget, or the budget offered by your homeschool charter.
When purchasing homeschool curriculum, make sure to take the time to read the reviews as well as browse through it to make sure it is a good fit for your child. You do not want to spend money on a homeschool curriculum that will prove to be useless afterwards.
Yes, it is possible to homeschool on a budget; however, that will determine the type of curriculum you can purchase.
What is your teaching method?
As much as you consider your child’s learning interests and styles, you will also need to consider which teaching method defines you the most.
Remember,r you will be completely engaged in their learning, and therefore, you need to find the best homeschool curriculum that matches your teaching style.
You also want to ensure that your teaching methods align with yourkids’s learning methods because that will ensure they learn as efficiently as possible.
Most parents find working with flashcards a great way to learn, and some don’t. If you are an outdoor person, you can consider teaching a few classes outside the home. The kids will love it!
How do you start homeschooling?
- Check your state’s legal requirements.
- Choose a homeschool method.
- Pick or build a curriculum.
- Set a flexible daily rhythm.
- Connect with local homeschool groups.
Homeschool Curriculum Options
There are so many different types of homeschool curricula. As soon as you can answer all the questions above about choosing the best homeschool curriculum, it is easier for you to look into a curriculum.
Some people prefer to buy curriculum sets, and others prefer to mix and match. As long as you cover all the necessary areas, you should be good to go. The block contains unexpected or invalid content.
Online Homeschool Curriculum
When looking at homeschool curriculum options, it is important to think about whether you want an online homeschool curriculum that is solely on the computer or an online homeschool curriculum that you can print out and write on.
Some kids thrive better working independently in front of a computer all day, and some don’t. You know your child best, so think about that when choosing an online homeschool curriculum.
Here are a few great options for online homeschool curriculum:
- K-12 Online
- Outschool
- IXL Learning
- Monarch Online
- Time 4 Learning
- BJU Homeschooling
- Connections Academy
- Schoolhouse Teachers
- Bridgeway Homeschool Academy
Homeschool Curriculum Sets
These are a few different options to get you started on your search for the best homeschool curriculum.
The homeschool curriculum options below come in the form of an entire set. To make your homeschooling life easy, you can just purchase a set that covers all the necessary subjects.
If you don’t want to purchase a homeschool curriculum set, then you can pick and choose what you want and build something tailored for your child.
- A Beka Homeschool Curriculum
- Timberdoodle Homeschool Curriculum
- Horizons Homeschool Curriculum
- Bookshark Homeschool Curriculum
- The Good And The Beautiful Homeschool Curriculum
- ShillerMath Homeschool Montessori Curriculum
- Easy Peasy All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum
- Brave Writer Homeschool Curriculum
- Moving Beyond The Page Homeschool Curriculum
- Oak Meador Homeschool Curriculum
For reviews on all the curricula listed above and more, make sure to check out Cathy Duffy Reviews.
She does a good job of reviewing each homeschool curriculum, so if you are overwhelmed and still figuring out what curriculum to pick, reading her reviews will definitely be helpful.
What Homeschool Curriculum Did I Choose?
I asked myself all the above questions and was able to figure out what would be the best fit for the kids. With that being said, I decided not to choose any homeschool curriculum and to go the unschooling route.
The kids are learning and thriving and doing so well, so I didn’t see any need to change that.
PS: There is no right or wrong decision as far as choosing or not choosing a homeschool curriculum is concerned. Just make sure that you make the best choice for your child.
For Preschool and Kindergarten, instead of purchasing homeschooling curriculum, I got educational toys, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) toys, writing materials (crayons, pencils, books), and art supplies such as dab and dot markers, paint, and coloring books for the kids.
I also ordered a few kits such as Little Passports, Legacy Kits, Kiwi Crate, Ivy Kids, and Raddish Kids. You can watch the video below and see how engaged they are with their Little Passports subscription box.
You can check out the links below to see detailed lists of what I ordered with our educational funds, as well as other educational toys we have at home:
After you’ve made the decision to homeschool, learning doesn’t stop. As a parent, you will need to keep doing research so you can stay updated on best practices and changes to homeschool curriculum.
One of the best ways to do this is by finding a support community of other homeschooling parents in your area. Finding a homeschool charter, purchasing curriculum, deciding to unschool,l etc is just the starting point. The journey lies ahead of you, and it can be as exciting as you make it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum
1. Is homeschooling better than public school?
Homeschooling is not automatically better than public school. It depends on your child, your family’s lifestyle, and the type of learning environment your child needs. Some children thrive with flexible, personalized learning at home, while others do better with the structure and routine of a traditional school setting.
2. How many hours a day is homeschooling?
Homeschooling does not usually take as many hours as a regular school day. Many families spend about two to five hours on focused lessons, depending on the child’s age, grade level, and learning style. Reading, projects, field trips, and daily life can also count as learning.
3. How much does homeschooling cost?
Homeschooling costs can be very low or very expensive, depending on the curriculum and resources you choose. Some families use free online resources, library books, and community programs, while others pay for full curriculum sets, online classes, tutors, supplies, and extracurricular activities.
4. Do homeschooled kids socialize enough?
Yes, homeschooled kids can socialize enough when parents are intentional about creating opportunities. Many children join homeschool groups, sports teams, co-ops, church groups, volunteer programs, classes, and field trips. Socialization does not only happen in school, so families can build it into everyday life.
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