Our Favorite Homeschool Resources

When people think about homeschool resources, it's easy to picture shelves filled with curriculum.  And while curriculum certainly has its place in our homeschool, some of our very favorite resources don't come in a box at all.

They are sitting on our bookshelves, growing in the backyard, waiting at the library, just down the road or simply outside our front door.  Over the years, I've learned that some of the richest learning happens when we give our children good books, plenty of opportunities to explore, and the freedom to be curious.

These are some of our favorite homeschool resources.

Books, Books, and More Books

Books are probably our most-used homeschool resource, I have always loved filling our home with them.  And while there are wonderful new books being published all the time, we especially love the classics.

There is something special about giving our children stories that have been loved for generations, books open doors to places we've never been, they introduce us to people we've never met.  They let us experience history, adventure, courage, kindness, and hardship from the safety of our own couch.

And sometimes one good book leads us down a rabbit trail that lasts for weeks, that's one of my favorite things about homeschooling.  A book doesn't have to stay inside the boundaries of the lesson plan, if something sparks curiosity, we follow it.

The Great Outdoors

Some days, our best homeschool resource is simply stepping outside.  Nature gives us endless opportunities to learn.  We can study plants, birds, insects, weather, geology, animals, seasons, and ecosystems.  We can watch clouds move across the sky, look for wildflowers, collect interesting rocks, identify birds, watch the horses or work in the garden.

There is always something to notice.  And perhaps even more importantly, being outside gives our children the opportunity to slow down and develop a sense of wonder about the world God created.

Parks and Playgrounds

Our local parks are another wonderful resource.  Sometimes we go with a specific lesson in mind, sometimes we don't.  We might observe trees and birds, practice identifying plants, bring along a nature journal, or simply let the children run and play.  And I think that matters too.

Children need time to move, they need time to explore independently, they need opportunities to figure things out on their own.  Not every learning experience has to be carefully structured.

Sometimes play is the lesson.

Rivers and Water

We are blessed to have beautiful places to explore, and the river has become one of our favorite classrooms.  

Water provides endless opportunities for curiosity, what lives beneath the surface?  Why does the water move the way it does?  What kinds of rocks do we find along the shore?  What animals live nearby?  How does the landscape change after rain?

And sometimes we don't ask any of those questions, sometimes we simply sit beside the water and enjoy God's creation.  That counts too.

There is value in simply being present in the world around us.

State Parks

State parks are wonderful places to turn an ordinary day into a field trip.  A hike can become a lesson in geology, a trail can become a geography lesson, a visitor center can introduce children to local history and wildlife, a picnic can become an opportunity to slow down and observe.

And the best part?  It doesn't have to feel like school, we're simply exploring, asking questions, discovering something new.  Learning because we're interested.

Local Museums

You don't need to live near a giant national museum to find wonderful learning opportunities.  Our local museums can teach history, culture, art, agriculture, science, and so much about the communities around us.

I love giving children the opportunity to see things they've read about.  A photograph in a history book is one thing, standing in front of an actual artifact is another.  It makes history feel real.

The Library

If I had to recommend one resource to every homeschool family, it would probably be the local library.  A library gives children access to an incredible world of knowledge without requiring us to purchase every book we might want to explore.

We can wander through the shelves, choose something completely unexpected, find books about a new interest, discover a favorite author, research a question or simply bring home a stack of books and spend the afternoon reading.

The library also teaches children how to find information for themselves, and that is a useful skill worth carrying into adulthood.

The World Around Us

One of my favorite homeschool resources is simply paying attention.  A trip to the grocery store can become math, a drive through the countryside can become geography, cooking dinner can become fractions and chemistry.  Caring for horses can become biology and responsibility, a thunderstorm can become a lesson in weather, a conversation can lead to history, a question can become an afternoon of research.

Learning is everywhere when we give ourselves permission to notice it.

We Don't Need Everything

One of the hardest things for a new homeschool mom can be seeing all the resources available.

There are books.  Curriculum.  Apps.  Workbooks.  Memberships.  Subscriptions.  Printables.  And enough homeschool recommendations online to make your head spin.

But I've learned that we don't need everything, we need good books, curious children, time, a willingness to explore and the freedom to follow the interests God has placed inside each child.

The resources are wonderful, but the resource isn't what makes the homeschool.  The relationship does.

What We Keep Coming Back To

If I had to narrow down our favorite resources, I'd probably choose:

Good books.  The outdoors.  The library.  Parks and rivers.  State parks.  Local museums.  Our own community.

And the biggest resource of all?  Time together.

Time to ask questions, to follow rabbit trails, to read one more chapter,  to stop and look at a wildflower,  to investigate something that caught their attention, to learn without watching the clock.

That's one of the greatest gifts homeschooling has given us, we have time to learn together.

You Don't Have to Recreate a Classroom

If you're a new homeschool mama, I hope you'll remember this, you don't have to recreate a classroom in your home.  You don't have to own every resource another homeschool family recommends.  You don't have to have a shelf full of expensive materials.

Start with what you have, open a good book, go outside, visit the library, take a walk, explore a park, find a local museum.

Ask your children what they're curious about, then follow that curiosity.  You may be surprised by how much learning happens when you simply make room for it.

Because sometimes the best homeschool resource isn't something we buy, it's something we notice.

And when we slow down enough to notice, we discover that the world around us is already full of lessons waiting to be learned.

🌿 Good books. God's creation. Curious minds. Time together.

That's a pretty wonderful classroom to me.

Until next time, may your coffee stay warm and your children stay little just a little longer.

-Maggie