When you decided to homeschool there are so many options. The list of supplies and bits and bobs you need to buy feels endless! I remember when I first started homeschooling I thought I was so on top of everything and I bought every thing I thought we would possibly ever need. I signed up to every educational program on offer. You name it and I probably signed up to it.
Now that we are well into our homeschooling journey I have realised how much money I could of saved! While some things have stuck around for the long term others have been short lived but still sucked money from my account until I got around to cancelling them. I am curious to know how long the average person maintains a subscription they no longer use!
Here is my list of essentials that I need to homeschool. These are things that make my life easier and a more productive and efficient teacher and mother. They are also the things that I know I could provide my children a quality education with if that was all I had. Everything else is just a bonus.
Printer
Every homeschooler needs a printer. There is always printing to be done. Even when you buy a boxed up curriculum where you think you won’t need to print a thing, there is always printing!
Printers these days are pretty smart and can function as photocopiers and scanners. These also come in handy many times throughout the year. I use the scanner to scan copies of my kids art work (before it it eventually makes it’s way to the trash…You can’t keep it all), also to scan test scores and other pieces of work that you want or need a digital copy of.
You really should invest in a good quality printer. It does not need to be top of the line but definitely somewhere in the middle. My super nice printer died when my two year old jumped on it while moving house. We now have a $40 printer and it is the most frustrating and migraine inducing piece of equipment I have ever owned. I don’t know what I still put myself through it’s torture. The printer I am looking at buying is the Brother Laser Printer. I have never had a laser printer before but when asking on a homeschooling forum of over 5k members the resounding vote was for this printer. Laser printers use toner instead of ink to print. The toner is more expensive in outset but it can last for over a year and works out much more cost effective in the long run. I saw it for a great price on Amazon so definitely go have a look if you are having printer migraines like myself.
Audible
I love Audible. We use it all the time while at home or out on long drives. Unfortunately for us we live right on the outskirts of the city so getting anywhere takes a good amount of time.
Audible if you didn’t know is a subscription for audiobooks. There are a tonne of free books and books for .99c but you also get a free credit each month that you can use to buy some of the pricier books. We did a month long road trip in New Zealand earlier this year and listened to Harry Potter the whole way. Even after driving 5 hours straight we still sat in the car in the driveway for another hour to finish the book!
Audiobooks are a great way to replace that screen addiction or habit. They are entertain like screens but don’t have all the negative effects we so often see in our children. If my kids are having a hard time or just need some chill out time they can chuck on some headphones and listen to a book. These headphones are awesome for this because they block out all the other noise so you really can immerse yourself into the world of your book.
One of the other reasons I really enjoy audible and recommend it is because it is fantastic for children who aren’t yet reading yet or well enough on their own. Children are able to understand language at a much higher level that what they can read at. Even my 3 year old will sit for over an hour to listen to a story be read. Audiobooks let children be exposed to so much language that reading becomes much easier for them. They also learn to love books, this is especially true for struggling readers. When you take away the pressure and just allow them to enjoy the book magical things happen. You could also purchase the physical book for them to follow along with too.
Planner
Homeschooling is busy. I have always been a head planner. There was a time when I used to be able to keep everything going on well organised in my brain and rarely forget anything. That is not the case anymore! After four kids in six years my brain is well and truly mush.
If I did not have a planner I would be constantly missing events, appointments and probably forget a kid or two if I am honest.
Taking a few minutes each day to go over what needs to be done and when just makes your whole day go so much smoother. You are able to prioritise more efficiently, and accomplish so much more.
Next year I am going to try out bullet journalling. This is mainly because I am yet to find a planner that really works for me and encapsulates everything that I want and need. Bullet Journals a 100% personalised so I am hoping that it works.
Time Out
Homeschool moms don’t often get a break from being “on”. From the moment you wake up til the moment you go to sleep and more often than not multiple times throughout the night you are it. When you are with your children 24/7 it can be exhausting. Obviously you love your children but there are times when you need to take care of yourself first before you can take care of everyone else.
Self care as a homeschool parent is vital. You need it and your kids need you to take it. Figure out what relaxes you and revitalises you and then do it. Let your partner know that this is something that you need too. For myself I like to wander the supermarket isles alone once in awhile, or sit in my car and eat chocolate alone. My husband is also great at getting up with the children every morning so I can sit in bed for an hour and watch Netflix. It is not much but it is so important that you take some time for yourself.
If you don’t then you are on a one way street to homeschool burnout. I have been there and it is not pretty!
Busy Activities
I homeschool with a bunch of littles running around like maniacs.There are periods in our day when there needs to be quiet and focus. During those times I like to pull out busy activities for my youngest children.
Busy activities are things that young children can do unassisted and quietly. Some of my favourites and my children’s favourites are:
Magnet tiles. Every family should have these. They are one of those toys that will last for years and still engage the youngest child to the oldest adult.
Wooden Blocks: I love that these are going to last for years and even generations. I prefer to buy quality over quantity, it always works out better in the long run.
K’nex: These are great for little hands and brains. Once they have mastered the sets for younger children they can move on to the more complex sets which are pretty amazing.
Play doh: I try to stay away from mess when I can’t actively supervise but with play doh I make an exception because it is only used at the table. I used to make my own but I found that it made so much more mess and was hard to get out of carpets that it just wasn’t worth it. My three year old has a playdoh shelf that has a bunch of different sets for him to use on it.
Window Markers: There is something a bit rebellious and exciting about being allowed to draw on the windows. Window markers have always been a big hit with my children especially the 3-5 year old range.
Well Stocked stationery Trolley
Stationery is a must for homeschool. I use a trolley to store all our pens, and supplies, and it is only used in school time. If it gets used at other times things seem to get lost and then once school rolls around it becomes disruptive to have to go looking for supplies.
Stock up on scrap paper, colouring markers (I always use Crayola washable markers because they really do wash off everything), paints, erasers, rulers, pens and everything else. This is one area you really should go a bit crazy.
The trolley keeps all our extra supplies but it also holds each child’s pencil case with their essentials in it. This makes starting the school day quick and easy since everything is in one place.
A Community
You need a village. Go out and find other homeschoolers who can be your support system. This can be online or in person, but you need them. I don’t know how many times these other parents have encouraged me when I was feeling defeated or offered heartfelt love and advice to me.
These people know your struggles and they understand, they will celebrate your triumphs with you and love your children.
There is so much a community can offer you but don’t forget that you have so much to offer back.
Homeschool co-ops are a great way to make friends and build up your village. They are groups of families who meet together regularly for field trips and classes as well as fun social events.
The Internet
The internet brings the world into your home. Granted some of it you would rather not have in your home but on the whole the internet provides us with so many opportunities. You can learn pretty much anything at the University of YouTube.
There are wonderful educational programs offered online such as reading eggs, and Khan academy. The knowledge that is just sitting at our fingertips is awe inspiring.
Library/books
I put library and books into the same category because some people (myself) can not be trusted to borrow library books and return them in a timely fashion. For myself it works out better if I just buy the books. I currently owe $100+ in overdue fees.
Books are like the hard copy of the internet, but there is something that you get from books that the internet and technology simply can not replicate. It is important for children to touch and feel books from and early age. A love of reading turns children into children who love to learn. It makes them independent knowledge seekers. This is what we want for our children, to love learning. Books are one of the most crucial parts of creating great thinkers.
If you are after some great series to get you kids to love reading you need to check out this post.
Read, read, read and then read some more to your children. In the coming year we will be switching up our read aloud time to include it as a part of our morning basket routine. I think it will be a nice way to ease into the day of work ahead.
As you can see you don’t need all the bells and whistles to make a great homeschool. When you homeschool you are teaching your children how to learn and to love learning. The best way to do that is through example. Let them see you learning something new, reading and taking on challenging tasks. Encourage them to ask hard questions and look for the answer. Homeschooling is a wonderful experience that has brought me so much joy even when they days are long and frustrating it is all worth it in the end.
