This year school is going to be tricky for many families. Because of the ongoing coronavirus, many parents are finding themselves in limbo as to what to prepare for this next year. I have been receiving several questions about homeschooling lately, so I thought I would reshare some of my favorite resources that have worked well in my family. There are so many excellent curriculum choices out there that can make your head can spin debating which options are best! Know this; there is no one “right way” to do school.
Many moms who are considering homeschooling are overwhelmed with the idea of choosing a curriculum. They have a fear of not knowing where to start and worrying that they will completely mess up their kids’ education. If that’s you, here is the best part, as you look at my favorite recommendations below, know that these curriculums were designed by experts. They are proven and time tested. The best part about homeschool is that you get to be creative and have fun with your kids as you implement these curriculums in a way that fits your family. Also, with a world full of curriculums out there, make sure that if you don’t love it… leave it!
Below are my top five choices for my earliest learners, but we have a large arsenal of curriculums we have used and loved for my K-6th grade kiddos. If you have questions about homeschooling, please email me at hello@holdlooselylivefreely.com. I would love to help you in any way I can!
Trust God with the year. Trust God with your people. HLLF – Melissa
1. Learn to Read in 100 Easy Lessons — We used this with my first little man at the beginning of Kindergarten, and it seemed to be a no-fail way to learn letter sounds and combine them to form words and eventually phrases. It really is 100 “easy” lessons, and I was amazed at the progress that each one of my kiddos has had with it. I always combine this with phonics; I choose to use Saxon for Kindergarten and first grade, but whatever you decide I highly suggest this as a starting point after your little one has learned their letters! Even if you don’t homeschool, this is a great book to create eager, early readers!
2. Saxon Math — I accidentally started with Saxon 1 with my kindergartener, not realizing “1” was for first grade (not my greatest comment sense moment 🙂 ). Still, it worked great, and I would recommend starting here. It builds slowly for every lesson, and it is extremely easy to teach and follow!
3. NEOE Science — Okay, this is a no-brainer for science. It is amazing. It breaks down the worlds of Chemistry, Physics, and Biology into three different year-long subjects and then has age ranges from the early kiddos on up. The best part about it is that all of the science experiments are prepackaged in individual bags! You are given the option of a two or four-day science curriculum guide to follow, and it all comes to you in a large magic box directly to your house! It combines the Charlotte Mason teaching with classical education for a really great curriculum. For example, in Physics, we learned about the different laws of motion, gravity, etc. and then read books (also in the magic box) about famous scientists who contributed to their specific scientific areas. It’s fun and so well laid out for the entire school year.
4. Veritas History — I start Veritas History with my kids when they hit second grade, and they love it! I started it because I needed some independent learning for my oldest to do, and he loved it. It begins with the Old Testament and lays out Ancient History right along with Biblical History, which is terrific because curriculums often separate the two. I love how Veritas makes it into a complete picture. My boys have way surpassed my knowledge here, and it is so fun to see them love and understand Christian and World History! There are daily conversational videos followed by games, quizzes, and tests so you can track your child’s grade. It’s also an excellent way for your child to learn about grades (since most early homeschool years do not track actual grade point averages).
5. Writing with Ease — One thing that was important to my husband and me is that our kids would be able to read something, digest the information, and come to their own understanding of the material. Writing With Ease does a great job of teaching this lifelong skill. The excerpts in it are from classical and fun writings that the kids love listening to or reading. Then the kids have to answer questions about the passage and write something memorable or summarize the reading depending on their appropriate level. It also has copy work for grammar learning and dictation exercises later down the road. It encourages listening and reading for comprehension in an engaging way.
