Our Favorite Homeschool Tools
Are you thinking about homeschooling? Did you just decide to start homeschooling, or have already been homeschooling for awhile?
No matter where you are in your journey, I’ve prepared a homeschool section here to share a little bit about our journey. I’ll also include some of my favorite tools and resources.
I’m glad you picked our community to come to and learn more along with us! Thank you for being here!
*Updated August 10, 2022
Our Homeschool Journey
When I went to college to become a teacher, I never imagined I’d be using my degree to homeschool my kids. This wasn’t a thought that entered into my mind until my son was about 2 years old.
Before I continue, I just want to mention that you in no way have to have a degree in education to teach your children! If you are called to homeschooling, then God has equipped you with everything you need. Even with my degree, I keep diving into homeschool books to learn more and more.
Even though we started thinking about homeschooling when my son was young, we were still leaning towards a public school education. Our thinking was my husband and I both went to public schools and we turned out fine.
Fast forward to 2020 when… well you know.
It was like God stepped in and made the decision for us. At that point, it was an easy decision for us.
March 2020 I feel like was a turning point for our family in so many ways. It really made us simplify, focus on the things that were most important, and lean in to God’s calling on our lives.
We are still very new to the homeschool scene, but I wanted to share some of our favorite resources that I’ve found over the past couple of years. I’ll continue to update this list as we find new resources, tools, and books, so make sure to bookmark this post!
Favorite Homeschool Resources:
Here are our favorite resources to use and favorite places to find some great homeschool learning materials!
The Good and The Beautiful Curriculum
We have used the Pre-K, Math K, Handwriting K, Language Arts K, 1st, and now 2nd grade courses and have loved them all so far! This year will be doing the brand new version of the 2nd grade Language Arts course (which we love so far) along with the new Simply Good and Beautiful Math 2, the Safety Science Course, Handwriting 2, and Nature Notebook.
We also have their leveled readers and some other books in their library. I also have a list of the books I want to continue adding to our bookshelves! The stories and lessons shared in the books are such a great resources!
As we go through our school year, I reassess our needs and will grab more resources as needed.
Classical Conversations
This year we are starting Classical Conversations for the first time. I’ve heard such great things about this program, and we are excited for our first community day coming up soon!
I’ve heard this program is going to focus on a lot of memorization at the age my son is currently, and I’m excited to be able to learn alongside of him!
Khan Academy
This is a free educational tool you can use for math or reading! My son has loved going through the interactive lessons online.
Target Dollar Spot
I have found some great supplies and resources at the Target dollar spot. If you haven’t checked it out, then make sure to plan a trip soon to see all the goodies! We have found flashcards, lesson books, white boards, clay, glitter glue, calendars, school supplies, and more there!
Michaels
We used to have our homeschool room upstairs in the playroom, but last year realized the kitchen island works best for our family. Since we are now homeschooling downstairs, I’ve added some storage pieces to my office and now 1/2 homeschool room, so that we can easily grab our materials.
Three of my favorite supplies from Michaels have been this rolling cart that is great to store supplies and this latchmate storage box that I keep my son’s daily work and books in. The latchmate storage box helps us to have all the materials normally needed in one place that we can easily take with us to different rooms.
*Update: We have now converted my office into an office/homeschool room now that my daughter is turning 3. I love it because I can get some work done while they are quietly working on individual work and coloring.
We still have the carts to easily store their supplies in! They are so versatile and can really fit any space!
Dollar Tree
I was surprised at the amount of stuff you can find at the dollar tree! Sticker books, art supplies, construction paper, coloring books, flash cards, notecards, and so much more!
Hoopla
This is a free app that you can connect your library card to in order to borrow audiobooks. I borrow kids books for my son and daughter to listen to while coloring or working on handwriting.
Yoto Player
I’m always looking for helpful and simple tools to use with my kids. We have the Yoto Player Mini, and it has been such a great buy!
A Yoto Player simply plays audio books for kids. You can get cards to create your own or you can get cards that already have books loaded on it. The kids place the card in the Yoto Player or Yoto Player Mini to start listening! It gives the kids a safe place to listen to stories without having to worry about access to the internet.
They have been enjoying listening to good books and even music! They also have “make your own cards.” They are so fun and easy to do!
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Homeschool Books:
Here are just a few of the books I’ve loved so far regarding homeschooling. I have a bunch more on my list to read and will update this list as I find more I recommend.
- The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming the Wonder in Your Child’s Education, A New Way to Homeschool
- Homeschool Bravely
- Awaking Wonder
- Teaching from Rest
- Mere Motherhood: Morning Times, Nursery Rhymes, and My Journey Toward Sanctification
These are some books that other homeschooling mama’s have recommended that I’m planning to read.
Homeschool Tools
Here are some of our favorite homeschool tools and manipulatives to keep on hand.
- clock
- math cubes
- pom poms (these also work great for dry erase erasers)
- flashcards
- clipboards
- art supplies
Here’s a list of some favorite homeschool tools on Amazon!
Toddler Fun
My daughter is at the age where she is into everything while we are doing school, or she wants to do something too. I keep these on hand to keep her little hands busy.
I will make sure to keep this list updated with new resources and tools as we continue on our homeschool journey.
Daily Homeschool Schedule
These are going to look different for each family, but I’ll share what our days have been looking like (we’ve already started some of our school for the year).
We spent some time at the end of last year to really work on creating a schedule that worked best for our family. My son loves being outside, and I’ve found that when we go outside before he does his school work for the day, then it’s more difficult to get things done.
When we do school in the morning, then leave room for lots of play and exploring in the afternoon, the days seem to go smoother.
That’s at least how it is in this season we’re in, and I am always making sure to stay flexible and adjust as needed. This was one thing I’m grateful that I learned in college because flexibility is a good skill to have no matter what you decide to do.
Our Daily Schedule:
7:00 am- Breakfast
7:30 am- Homeschool (depending on the day we do handwriting, bible, typing, read aloud, literature, and math).
10:00 am- Snack/Break
10:30 am- Science or History/Finish up Morning Work
11:00 am- Start Lunch and Free Play
12:30 pm- Nap for my Daughter/Rest Time for my Son
2:00 pm- Free Time/Outside Play
5:00 pm- Dinner
Want some FREE daily, weekly, and yearly schedule templates for your homeschool? I created some and am giving them to you for free! Grab them here!
Homeschool Advice I’ve Learned
Here are some advice, wisdom, and thoughts shared with me by veteran homeschool mamas who have been in the trenches far longer than I have! I cherish all the mamas that God has placed in my life during this time to help me. It’s amazing how God brings in the exact people He knows you need at the right times!
- Just take it one year at a time. As long as it’s working for you and your family, then keep going. Re-evaluate when you need to.
- Homeschooling can look however you want it to look. You can adjust it to fit the needs of you and your family.
- Don’t be afraid to switch curriculums if it’s not working for your family. There are so many out there, and you can even in the middle of the year if you need to.
- Take breaks when needed.
- Enjoy these days because it goes by so quickly!
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Do you have any homeschool tools, resources, or advice you’d love to share? Let me know by leaving a comment below or sharing a comment or picture on my Facebook Page or tagging me on Instagram (@simply_reeni). I love hearing your feedback!
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Until Next Time,
Reeni
Want some FREE daily, weekly, and yearly schedule templates for your homeschool? I created some and am giving them to you for free! Grab them here!
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*I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products mentioned here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please do not ask me for medical advice.
Author: Simply Reeni
I am a Certified Essential Oils Coach, and the founder of Simply Reeni. I help empower women to take control of their family’s health by using natural solutions like essential oils! Get more articles like this (and a free diffuser blend ebook) sent to your email here!
