There are so many great options for middle and high school homeschool electives for teens that it can be hard to narrow down the choices. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips.
Sometimes we need a little nudge to remember that the freedom of homeschooling opens doors for opportunities for our kids beyond the traditional elective options.
This A to Z list of middle and high school best homeschool electives should give you a headstart in helping your teen decide what he would like to pursue.
I try to think out of the box when choosing electives.
Too, remember each teen has a very different personality. You know that, so don’t homeschool middle and high school in fear meaning take a boring and predictable path for electives.
Although they can be, these are not the core subjects. This is the time to explore a teen’s passion no matter how odd it may seem.
A to Z List: Middle and High School Homeschool Electives
There is no other time in a teen’s life that he will have freedom to explore even the mundane.
I know your anxious about your teen’s next journey as he enters adulthood, but let him delve into his passions and likes here. Just like you didn’t push when they were younger, don’t do it it here either.
Also, something else I learned after my first high school teen is to start earlier.
For example, by feeding one of my son’s passion for writing in the middle and high school years he has continued on with his love of writing past graduation.
High school electives can begin in middle school; it gives your child a head start in time to pursue his strengths.
Look at some of these out of the box ideas.
In addition, I’ve listed some of my lapbooks and unit study ideas. I aim toward middle grades and up for most of my unit studies and lapbook; I try to create them for multiple ages.
A
Acting
Animation
App creation/coding
Archaeology
Anatomy. My Human Body Lapbook and Unit Study post has more great ideas.
Archery
Accounting
Architecture
Agriculture
Aromatherapy
Design and Art
Art History. Art History for Kids has some more ideas on creating a study.
Astronomy. Look at my Astronomy Lapbook and Unit Study for more ideas.
Auto maintenance/mechanics
Look at tips I share on my YouTube Channel, How to Homeschool EZ
B
Baking
Ballet
Birding
Bible Study
Blogging
Bee Keeping. You’ll find a Bee Lapbook and Unit Study here on my page.
Book club
Blacksmithing
Also, your kids will love Literary Adventures which are self-paced language arts courses.
Budgeting
Business management
Also, don’t think you have to learn all these things on your own. Look at some these fantastic middle and high school courses to explore which are already laid out.
Look at some of these courses from learn music in our homeschool.
- Music Appreciation of the Romantic Era for High School
- 100 Delightful Classical Musical Pieces Mini Course
C
CPR
Cake decorating. Hobby Lobby used to give cake classes by private individuals. Check out Wilton to see locations.
Car care
Career exploration
Cosmetology
Cartoon Drawing
Creative Writing. Also we loved Writing Rockstar units for middle school.
Carpentry
Child Development
Construction
Costume Design
Choir
Classical music
Coding
Computer building, programming, or science
Cooking skills
Criminal Justice
Crew
Crochet
Cross fit
Culinary Study
D
Dance
Debate
Dog training
Digital Marketing
Drama
Drivers Ed counts as a half-credit with some schools.
Of course, if you can decide the credits for your teen you can make this any course you want to. You can include safety in a vehicle, safety on water, or just a Safety 101 course.
E
Early childhood development
Electric dance music/digital music
Engineering
Economics
Entomology
Energy
Ethnic culture
Ethnobotany
Etiquette
Exploring different careers
Homeschooling in Middle School Resources
- How to Successfully Homeschool Middle School
- A to Z List: Middle and High School Homeschool Electives
- Fun Winter Craft Ideas for Middle School Homeschool
- 10 Best Science Movies for Middle School
- Which One is Really the Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum (a comparison)
- How to Choose the BEST Homeschool Middle and High School Language Arts Curriculum & Options
- Free Middle School Science Curriculum and Magazines
F
Fashion design
Fencing
Fishing
Floral design
First Aid. Many of the trainings for health related paths are certificate programs for persons of any age.
Film Making
Foreign languages
Forensic science. CSI: Web Adventures has some fun games and a free educator guide.
Furniture stripping, repairing, etc.
G
Gaming development/design
Gardening
Geocaching
Geography. Local, physical, or world geography are great topics to delve deeper into by teens.
One easy resource for us we liked was Runkle Geography. Look at my post here Geography, Country Studies & Timelines.
Geology
Genetics. There are many free sites to search about ancestry and genes.
Golf
Guitar
Gymnastics
More Homeschool High School Teen Elective Resources
- 14 Fun and (maybe Frugal) Homeschool High School Electives
- A to Z List: Middle and High School Homeschool Electives
- Best High School Homeschool Curriculum Packages (Accredited and Not Accredited)
- A Homeschool Beginner’s Guide to Figuring Grades and Saving Time
- 25 Great Homeschool High School Science Curriculum
H
Herbology
Hiking
Home design/interior design
Homemaking
Homeopathic medicine
Horticulture
Human development
Hydroponics
Studying my boys love of history, I was able to sneak in literature and history while delving into the medieval time period with Beautiful Feet Books.
I
Information technology
J
Java script
Jewelry making
Journalism
K
Knitting
L
Logic
High School Elective Ideas
M
Marine biology
Mechanics
Meteorology
Myths
Midwifery
Mineralogy
Music/Musical Instruments
N
Nature studies. There are 26 Nature Studies here on my page with lapbooks.
Naturopathy
Nursing/Art of Caregiving
O
Oceanography
Ornithology
P
Painting
Parkour
Philosophy
Photography
Physical education
Physical fitness
Piano
Plumbing
Psychology
Public speaking
Q
Quilting
R
Robotics
S
Sailing
Scrapbooking
Sewing
Social media influence
Survival skills
Swim team
T
Technology
Theater
Trail and woodland management or design
U
US Politics
V
Venturing (scouts)
Video production
Videography
Violin
W
Weaving
Web design
Welding
Wildlife management
Wood burning
Wood working
Writing
X
Xenology
Y
Yearbook
Yoga
Youth leadership
Z
Zoology
I hope this A to Z list of high school electives helps you brainstorm some options for your teen. Has your teen tried any of these high school electives yet? Are there any others you’d add to the list?
I think you’ll love these other tips for when planning middle and high school:
- How to Build High School Curriculum Directly From Amazon
- How to Easily Meet the Lab Component of Homeschool High School Science
- Best Homeschool High School Literature Suggestions For Teens
- How to Choose the Best Middle School Literature And Favorite Resources
- How to Choose the BEST Homeschool Middle and High School Language Arts Curriculum & Options
- Get It Over and Done: How Do Homeschoolers Graduate Early
- How To Homeschool Middle School – Why Eclectic Of Course!
- Homeschooling High School: Curriculum, Credits, and Courses
- Homeschool High School–How to Log Hours for High School?
Hugs and love ya,