How to pick the best homeschool curriculum for your kids

Every child is unique and will learn in their own way, and in their own time.

Hey Mama! I have lots of great info to share with you today! One of the many benefits of homeschooling, is you get to pick the curriculum that’s right for your child/children.  This can also be one of the most stressful parts, especially if you’re just starting out.

I remember when I first started, I was so overwhelmed! There were literally thousands of different curriculums to choose from. That hasn’t changed, but now that I have been homeschooling for several years, it has gotten much easier.

Today I am going to share with you a few tips to help you pick out the curriculum that’s best for your homeschool.  If you keep the tips I have to share with you in mind, they will help you when picking out curriculum for any grade level. This can be such a rewarding time for you and your family, try not to stress too much and enjoy it!

TIPS TO HELP YOU PICK THE BEST CURRICULUM FOR YOUR FAMILY

• KNOW YOUR STATE STANDARDS

This is important because if you don’t know what the laws are in your state then you won’t know what you should be teaching your kids. Each state has a different set of standards. You can find the laws for your state here.

You can click on your state and find the homeschool laws easily. The subjects like Math, Science, History, English, Health, Music, Art, and PE are basic subjects that are included in all standards. It is always best to check first just to be sure!  Some states also require yearly testing. Maryland does not. This will also be listed under the laws of your state.

• REMEMBER THERE IS NO PERFECT CURRICULUM

Something I want you to remember going into this is, there is no perfect curriculum. You will find curriculums that you love and curriculums that frustrate you. There will always be something that you don’t like or something your kids may not be happy with. Do your best to focus on what your child needs. Remember, If something is so frustrating to the point it is causing tears or you just hate it, you can always switch! This is also one of the reasons I recommend not purchasing a complete bundle curriculum. Look around, find what you like and don’t be afraid to mix things up a bit.

• CONSIDER YOUR CHILDS AGE

This may seem like common sense, but it’s important.  Always consider your child’s age when picking out a curriculum. For me, I didn’t purchase a curriculum for pre-school. I didn’t feel that it was necessary. I just printed a few worksheets, played with my son a lot, read to him and we spent a lot of time exploring outside.

Also for Math, reading and language arts. Make sure they are age appropriate. For example, if your child is in Kindergarten, your not going to pick out a math curriculum that’s geared toward 2nd graders. If you feel like your child is advanced and you want to challenge them more, you can always supplement with more challenging math or reading. You know your child best so you can decide!

• THINK ABOUT YOUR CHILDS LEARNING STYLE

Like I said above, you know your child better than anyone. How does he/she learn best? My youngest son is a visual and auditory learner. He does well with videos and worksheets.

My seven-year-old, he is very hyper and rambunctious, he does best with hands-on activities, like board games and flashcards. He also does better with short lessons any lessons that take longer than 10-20 minutes, I will lose him! Keep this in mind when picking out your curriculum. Does your child have a short attention span? Then pick something with short lessons, or break the lessons in half. Make it work for your child.

• CONSIDER THE DIFFERENT TEACHING METHODS

When it comes to homeschooling you are not limited to how you can teach. If you’re not familiar with it yet, there are so many different teaching methods!

Some of the most popular teaching methods are:

1. RELAXED SCHOOLING
2. UNSCHOOLING
3. CLASSICAL
4. CHARLOTTE MASON
5. MONTESSORI

I personally use all of these in my homeschool. Our days are never the same! Maybe that’s because I have ADD? ha! Not sure, but it works for us! You have to find what works for you and your family. And always keep your child’s learning style in mind too. One teaching method may work better with your child than another.

The very first thing I did before I started homeschooling was, I read The Well-Trained Mind. My neighbor recommends it and let me borrow the book. It is by far the best book I have ever read! Even if you’re not taking the classical approach it’s an awesome book. I recommend it! It’s a little pricey to me, so check with your library or any other homeschoolers you may know first and see if you can borrow it.

• WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU

You can pick and choose what you want to teach your child about. History for example, if American History is important to you, you can teach your kids American History right now instead of Ancient Egypt.  If you just want to cover all the Presidents, go for it. It is up to you! I noticed that we were spending a lot of time at ball games and singing the National Anthem. I wanted my boys to really understand why it was so important to us. So I put together this unit study here to give them a more in-depth understanding. I chose to do this myself and you can choose to teach your child what you feel is important to you. Also remember, if you are teaching multiple kids, you can do history and science together, no need to purchase more than one curriculum!

 

I put this together myself, with a free book and movie from the Library and I created the worksheets myself.

• THINK ABOUT THE COST

Another factor you must think about is the cost.  There are some really expensive curriculums out there. Make sure you always search around and see if there is another alternative or another way to go about teaching a particular subject or topic to your child. There are so many resources out there! Here is a great post with 20 smart ways to save money on curriculum. If you don’t have the money to buy a $200 curriculum. Don’t do it! Don’t worry, you can find other ways to teach your kids the exact same information. Just in a much cheaper way. And as I mentioned above, if your homeschooling multiple kids, you can use one curriculum for science and history. You can also do this with geography if that’s something you want to teach your kids.

 

• LOOK INTO A CO-OP.

A co-op is a group of homeschoolers that get together to learn. This is not something you have to do, but maybe something you’re interested in. Most co-ops at least offer Music, P.E, and Art.  Some are free and some may cost you. Check in your area to see what may be available. We have chosen not to do co-op, only because it didn’t really fit into my schedule. However, there are so many homeschool families who enjoy it! If your new to homeschool, this is also a good way to meet other homeschool families around your location. And a good opportunity to chat with other homeschool moms!

• REMEMBER THAT ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE HOME COUNT

This is something I like to remind others of. Any activities you do count toward your homeschool. If you go to the beach today. Don’t just go swimming, explore things! Talk with your kids about what you see, this is considered science for the day! Talk about what part of the ocean you are swimming in and show them on the map, this counts as geography! Any cool historical sites nearby? Go explore them, this is learning History! Want to document it for your homeschool portfolio? Take a picture and have your kids write about what their favorite thing was!

Learning does not have to just be from a book. Get out and explore the world with your kids!Click To Tweet

I know this may seem a little overwhelming to you, but I promise its so worth it. Just sit back and relax, keep these tips in mind when picking out your curriculum and try not to worry too much. Just figure out your state standards to start, write down whats important to you, how much you can afford to spend and dive in!

I am so excited for you and your family! Homeschooling is a great adventure and totally worth it. If you ever have any questions please let me know, I am always here to help! You can leave a comment below, or contact me through my contact page!