How to start homeschooling? First, I want to encourage you by saying you are wise to research and seek out counsel. I feel that one of the very best ways to start is by preparing your parent heart. Take time to shape your heart for homeschooling, first.
How to Start Homeschooling
Next start to research Homeschool Methods to see where your vision for your homeschool might fall. You may not know at all – and that is ok – but it is good to learn about the different approaches.
Next find your state homeschool convention, find out about the requirements for your state. Also spend some time at HSLDA.org for a wealth of homeschool information.
Then begin choosing your curriculum, the tools you will use in your homeschool. That is what we are here for at The Curriculum Choice. To make homeschool decisions easy!
From The Curriculum Choice Archives
Be sure to browse the tabs above to find curriculum reviews and features from our authors on how to start homeschooling. You might also enjoy these that we’ve selected from our archives.
- The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Homeschool Curriculum
- Vicki Bentley’s Home Education 101: Mentoring Program for New Homeschoolers
- Homeschooling 101: A Guide to Getting Started
- FREE HSLDA Membership for Families of Preschoolers
- Homeschool Made Simple by Compass Classroom
- Favorite Homeschool Tips by our authors
- 100 Top Homeschool Curriculum Reviews
- How I Homeschool
- A Review of Homeschooling Books by Ruth Beechick
- Homeschooling 101 by Kris Bales
- Homeschooling Book of Lists
- Home Learning Year by Year
How to Start Homeschooling From Curriculum Choice Authors
The Curriculum Choice authors have active blogs where they regularly offer ideas and experiences about their homeschool adventures. Below are their very favorite tips for how to start homeschooling.
Getting Started
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Homeschool Curriculum – In this Ultimate Guide to Choosing Homeschool Curriculum you will find all the advice and tips on Choosing Curriculum from our veteran team of homeschoolers both past and present here at The Curriculum Choice.
How Do I Get Started Homeschooling? – One of the most frequently asked questions I hear is, “How Do I Get Started Homeschooling?” When you are at the beginning, looking down the unfamiliar path of homeschooling, it can be a scary time. Trust me when I say, it gets clearer. You will make mistakes, you will change course, you will learn as you go. After over 18 years of homeschooling I am still doing all of these things myself. ~ Heidi Ciravola at Starts At Eight
How to Get Started Homeschooling – First, take a deep breath…Exhale…God’s got this. And you are in for the ride of your life. I am here to tell you it won’t be easy. It is refinement by fire. But I can say, after nearly 15 years, that a homeschooling lifestyle is a rich reward I wouldn’t trade – ever.
Imagine you have a young child in your charge. A child who is not yet school age, but who is getting closer by the day. Talk on the playground (among the mothers at least) has turned to schooling. Where, oh where is this young one going to study? What are the options really? This simple series helps you think about the first steps in homeschooling and helps you craft an action plan. ~Kortney at One Deep Drawer
Here here are 6 Tips for a Successful School Year that will work for every Christian homeschooling family, every year. I wrote this article at the beginning of the most stressful year we’ve experienced in almost 20 years of homeschooling, and its principles have made an enormous difference. ~ Annie Kate at Tea Time with Annie Kate
Helpful Books
My Favorite Books for Homeschooling Planning – These books for homeschool planning are ones you can use and return to every year for encouragement and guidance for your family. ~ Meredith Henning
Help! I’m Homeschooling! – Practical homeschool answers to these questions and more: How do you start a homeschool routine? What about the roaming toddler? How do you teach multiple ages? What about basic housekeeping? ~ Tricia at Hodgepodge
Shape Your Heart for Homeschool with Favorite Books – When I first started homeschooling I was desperate to learn how to do it. I knew it was easily an extension of parenting and reading books aloud to our eldest. But part of me needed details and examples. Fortunately, I have several long-time homeschooling friends who have mentored me. Those I can still call on for advice. But there are also books I read that shaped my homeschooling heart. These I share also helped form our hodgepodge homeschool method. And I am always continuing my education. During the summer months, I like to pull a few of these from the shelves and reread them in prep for the upcoming year. Often I come across just those nuggets I need to spur our homeschool on. I love how God provides just when we need it. ~ Tricia at Hodgepodge
When my husband and I began to think about homeschooling, we knew we needed to educate ourselves first. Our 4yo was more than ready and eager to learn. So we headed to the bookstore, to read up on homeschooling. One of my favorite resources there, was the Unofficial Guide to Homeschooling. It was full of tips and how to’s for getting started. Here’s the link to my review of this book. The Unofficial Guide to Homeschooling That was a big help. ~ Betsy at BJ’s Homeschool
If you are just beginning to homeschool, you have many big decisions to make. It may be tempting to copy what a friend or role model is doing, but remember that Each Homeschooling Mom and Family is Unique. I cannot think of a better practical guide to understanding how homeschooling can adapt to your family’s uniqueness than the first few chapters of Cathy Duffy’s 101 Top Picks (or its earlier version 100 Top Picks). ~ Annie Kate at Tea Time with Annie Kate
What Homeschooling Looks Like in Our Homeschools
What Do Homeschool Methods Look Like in Real Life? – Come with us as we take a look at how the various methods play out in real homeschools, going beyond just a basic definition and supplying you with tons of resources for each homeschool method. ~ Heidi Ciravola at The Curriculum Choice
Homeschooling at Hodgepodge – Our homeschooling method is one that came about over time. Would it surprise you to know that our methods truly are a hodgepodge? One ingredient added. Another sifted in. Mixing slowly. Seasoning to taste. The roots of our method are classical. There’s a healthy dose of Charlotte Mason enrichment. Plus, the unit studies help us all learn together. And the whole-hearted approach speaks of each child’s relationship with the Lord. ~ Tricia at Hodgepodge
Don’t be afraid to try out different methods. Over the years, two seem to have intertwined themselves in our home, so that the what we do – read great books, study nature, dive deeply into history, immerse ourselves in other cultures (geography and language studies) – is highly influenced by the writings of Charlotte Mason; and the how we do it – through conversation and leisurely, child-led exploration – is influenced boy the writings of John Holt, Sandra Dodd, and other unschooling advocates. ~ Eva at EvaVarga.net
But what does homeschooling really look like? Do families study at the kitchen table all day? I found out that homeschooling could happen everywhere, at the park, cuddling with a good book on the couch, in the car, and of course on field trips, exploring science in the backyard, etc! Where Our Homeschool Happens, shows how we do it at BJ’s Homeschool and it is different everyday! ~ Betsy at BJ’s Homeschool
Our own homeschooling method was developed over the years, and focuses on hand-on learning, child-led exploration, while covering the bases of a quality strong education. We love Oak Meadow, which focuses on project based learning and nurturing the child, head, hands and heart, with a gentle, creative approach to learning, similar to Charlotte Mason. Betsy at BJ’s Homeschool
The Intuitive Homeschool explores life-giving practices that can sustain your homeschooling work, rhythms and routines that make it easier to do all that needs doing, what Wendell Berry calls “patterns made in the light for the light to return to.” ~ Kortney at One Deep Drawer
One of the biggest fears families have before beginning their homeschool journey is how to connect with other families. A great way to develop friendships with other homeschoolers is through a homeschool co-op. Co-ops can be an enriching, rewarding experience in the home education journey. How to Start a Homeschool Co-op ~ Eva at EvaVarga.net
It will make a real difference if you determine what makes a good day for your family and then consciously plan How to Have More Good Homeschooling Days. ~ Annie Kate at Tea Time with Annie Kate
101 Reasons in Favor of Flexible Homeschooling – a collection of reasons in favor of flexible homeschooling not only from me, but from my children, and some other fellow homeschool moms. ~ Heidi Ciravola at Starts At Eight
Homeschooling By State
My sister introduced us to her homeschool support group, and there we found out all our our state law, and met others who encouraged us on our journey. Finding out about your state law is an important step to take. To learn about your state homeschooling law, check out my post on Homeschooling in Washington. ~ Betsy at BJ’s Homeschool
Meeting other families, at my sister’s homeschool support group was also key. I encourage you to find out about Homeschool Support Groups in your state. ~ Betsy at BJ’s Homeschool
Homeschooling in Florida – Before you begin homeschooling you really need to understand the homeschooling laws in your state. We live in Florida and I have put together a whole post to help you homeschool in Florida too! ~ Megan at Education Possible
Homeschooling in New York State – I have been homeschooling in NYS since 2006. Here I tell you all about the regulations, navigating the homeschool paperwork (There’s a checklist cheat sheet for you!), help you find field trips, and more. ~ Heidi Ciravola at Starts At Eight
Homeschooling in Georgia – An absolutely FREE ebook by Jamie Worley and Tricia Hodges – to encourage you, our fellow Georgia homeschoolers! Includes topics like: the Georgia Homeschool Laws, required documentation, graduation requirements, homeschool conventions, where to buy curriculum and supplies and more! ~Tricia at Hodgepodge
You know your kids best! You can do this!
The Curriculum Choice Review Team Features
- We have a Pinterest board dedicated to How to Get Started Homeschooling.
- Have you enjoyed this special post from our review authors? Our Curriculum Choice review team features a topic monthly. You can see all that our authors have shared on electives, math, curriculum choices and more under Review Team Features.
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE so you won’t miss any reviews from our team of veteran homeschoolers! Plus you will receive our Ultimate Homeschool Planning ebook for free.
~ Hosted by Tricia, Hodgepodge and originally published 2015.
One of the best thing about homeschooling is that there is freedom to make your children learn in ways that aren’t possible in an institutional setting, so learn more about what might work best for your family.
Exactly – it is the ability to adapt, and to exactly what your child wants and needs at the moment!
It is so true – each parent knows their kid best. And their kid can help direct learning to what they are interested in and motivated to learn, which means they learn so much more. This was so much more important with our autistic son. With autism and other learning difficulties , it can be very difficult to get them to do things they don’t want to do