Homeschooling Must-Haves for a Successful School Year

Studying nature can give kids a lifelong love for animals, science, and outdoor activities. Standret/Shutterstock

Ah, it’s that time of year again. The beginning of the school year is just around the corner and I always get so excited just thinking about all those freshly sharpened pencils and a fresh, new homeschool planner of possibilities.

With that in mind, I’d like to share some of my all-time favorite homeschooling must-haves for you to consider.

Library Card

A public library card is a priceless tool for every homeschooling family. You can borrow homeschooling how-to books as well as supplemental fiction and nonfiction books to enrich the curriculum. Some libraries also have textbooks from respected homeschooling publishers such as Abeka, Bob Jones University Press, and Saxon Math.

That library card is also an invitation for you and your kids to participate in a variety of free programs, such as seasonal arts and crafts workshops, the annual summer reading program, preschool storytimes, stem classes, and the ever-popular Read-to-a-Dog program.

Additionally, public libraries across the country now allow cardholders to borrow things such as sewing machines, telescopes, musical instruments, cooking and baking supplies, gardening tools, board games, and so much more.

Whiteboards

Whiteboards are available in various sizes, and I recommend purchasing a large one for the wall to help you better explain concepts and illustrate lessons.

It’s also handy to get each child a portable, magnetic whiteboard. These are great for practicing spelling, working out math problems, or doodling during read-aloud time. I like the ones that have a frame around the outside so your kids can personalize their board with stickers, paint, and mini trinkets.

Bulletin Board

In our homeschool, we put up a large 5-by-5-foot bulletin board on our dining room wall.

During the school year, our bulletin board served as a display area for schoolwork, seasonal poems, art prints, and interactive activities I created, such as Bag a Part of Speech, when our kids would cut out words from magazines and newspapers and drop them into the correct bag. And in the summers, it was the focal point of unit studies. When we studied the country of France, it held a map, photos of famous landmarks, some basic French expressions, and more.

Every evening at dinner, our kids loved to test their dad’s brain power and try to stump him with a fun new game—What’s New on the Bulletin Board?

Laminated US and World Maps

During a stop at a local office supply store, our daughter spotted a bin of laminated wall maps. We bought both a U.S. map and a map of the world and hung them up on another wall in the dining room.

I cut out mini airplanes for each of us, mom and dad included, and we personalized them with markers. I made up travel games, and the kids marked major waterways and landmarks, highlighted the paths of explorers, labeled Native American settlements, and more.

Nature Guide

My beloved and well-used “Handbook of Nature Study,” by Anna Botsford Comstock, is still my go-to guide for all things nature. In the chapter on teaching nature-study, Comstock wrote that it “gives the child a sense of companionship with life out-of-doors and an abiding love of nature.”

Comstock will guide you as you teach your kids all about animals that buzz, hiss, fly, and swim; the sun, the moon, and the stars; trees, wildflowers, and weeds; and the earth, climate, weather, water, and so much more.

Scope and Sequence

A scope and sequence is like a road map for your homeschool; it lists the topics to be covered for each grade and the order in which each topic should be taught.

If you need help, the Homeschool Legal Defense Association has a helpful how-to article titled “Scope and Sequence.”

When we first began homeschooling, I borrowed a scope and sequence from our local school district to help guide me and ensure I covered all the essential skills and concepts. These are typically free for the asking. After doing a little research, I discovered other options that were a better fit because they were created specifically for homeschoolers. Rebecca Rupp’s book “Home Learning Year by Year” is an excellent choice.

Keyboard Skills Program

Kids today need to be technologically and digitally savvy, and having excellent keyboarding skills is key.

We used “Keyboarding Skills” by Diana Hanbury King. The spiral-bound flip-top design was a big hit with our kids, especially since the book came equipped with a cardboard stand they could set up next to the computer for practice made easy.

Also, while perusing a used book sale at a homeschool convention, our kids spotted a Mario Brothers and a Mavis Beacon typing CD, which offered both lessons and games.

Another great option is online programs such as Typing.com and Type Racer, which are both super child-friendly and free to use.

So there you have it. Having the right tools and resources like these will enhance your homeschool and help you and your kids be more productive and successful.