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A to Z List: Middle and High School Homeschool Electives

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

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.

A to Z List: Middle and High School Homeschool 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.

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

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.

A to Z List: Middle and High School Homeschool Electives

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

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:

Hugs and love ya,

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. You’ll love this BIG A to Z List of Homeschool Electives. CLICK HERE!!!
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. You’ll love this BIG A to Z List of Homeschool Electives. CLICK HERE!!!

Big Ol’ List of All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum (a.k.a Boxed)

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

There are many reasons to use an all-in-one homeschool curriculum and the best reason is that all the planning is done for you. Also, look at my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter for more ideas.

Whether you’re new, feel like you don’t have time to lesson plan, or just need a teaching break, you’ll want to know these boxed curriculum providers or all-in-one homeschool curriculum providers.

Big Ol' List of All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum (a.k.a Boxed)

First things first.

There is a lot of confusion that swirls around the definition of what is an all-in-one curriculum. It is the same as a boxed curriculum.

That may not tell you anything either because you may think that means it comes in a box. It may or may not.

What Is an All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum

Look at my easy definition below so you sound like a seasoned veteran when you curriculum shop.

An all-in-one homeschool curriculum or boxed curriculum means that all of your core subjects like the 3 Rs and content subjects like science and history are included in the program.

The Definition of an All-In-One or Boxed Homeschool Curriculum

It means just what it says in that all of your basic subjects are covered. In addition, most all-in-one providers have teacher’s manuals or teacher notes along with suggested schedules on how to cover the material.

Like a boxed cake mix, the curriculum comes with everything you need to begin homeschooling for a school year. Normally, you need very little extra supplies to start.

The curriculum may consist of part physical books, part online, part dvd, or all physical book or all on line.

A lot of the options with this approach can be considered public school at home or workbook approach.

However, all-in-one curriculum providers have really changed since I’ve started and some take another homeschool approach like Charlotte Mason or even a unit study type of approach.

Because accredited has nothing to do with the rigor of the curriculum, you’ll want to be sure to read Accreditation Removing the Shroud of Mystery.

Advantages of All-In-One or Boxed Curriculum

Additionally, it’s important to understand the advantages of an all-in-one to see if it’s a good fit.

  • It’s all laid out which means the lesson planning is done. Some new homeschoolers are not comfortable with their freedom to homeschool and feel better having a pattern to follow.
  • Contrary to popular belief, they can save you money in the long run because you learn what you like or don’t like about teaching. You don’t spend years switching curriculum because you took the time to learn how to teach.
  • Not having to worry about lesson planning frees up your time to hone in on the weaknesses of your children that may need to be addressed this year.
  • Most companies provide you with a schedule on how to fit it all in for the day. It can be a great guide for time management and you can avoid the stress of over planning.
  • If you live in a state that has stricter homeschooling laws, an all-in-one curriculum can help you to comply with the laws of you state.

There are some disadvantages to any curriculum, but I’ll save those for another time because I want you to see the plethora of choices. I’ll add a few notes as I go along too.

Choosing Curriculum When You’re New

And if I have a savings for one or two below, I’ll let you know too.

And remember these are curriculum providers NOT schools!

Workbook Approach You Know in Public School

*Unless noted all of these are a traditional or workbook approach.
* Also, don’t be uniformed because curriculum is not accredited, only schools. Be sure you read my post about accreditation above if you need to understand the difference.

A Beka.

  • Christian
  • PK to 12
  • Accredited or Independent Study
  • Print-based and computer-based

A.C.E. (Accelerated Christian Education).

  • Christian
  • K to 12
  • Accredited
  • Colorful printed packs enhanced with CDs, DVD and computer software

Also look at my video What Is An All In One Homeschool Curriculum a k a Boxed Curriculum

Acellus.

  • Faith-free i.e. Secular
  • K to 12
  • Computer based online
  • Note: Homeschoolers have a love hate relationship with them. Some lessons are short and to the point, others seem overly easy or unnecessarily complicated. There are glitches at time and scheduling seems to be a problem. Overall, homeschoolers like the flexibility of homeschooling when they want to just login and go.

Alpha Omega LifePac., Switched-on Schoolhouse.
Alpha Omega Horizons.

(Note: You save 10% by buying it from the Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op). Four different programs with different approaches and purposes from the same publisher.

  • Christian
  • K to 12
  • Accredited
  • Note: Weaver is a unit study approach and not a workbook-based approach.
  • Print-based, computer-based, and online homeschooling curriculum.

Bob Jones Press.

  • Christian
  • K3 to 12
  • Accredited
  • Print-based and video-based

Easy Peasy All In One.

  • Christian
  • PK to 12
  • Note: This is completely FREE and I will suggest it at times for new or struggling homeschoolers to start with this to see what will work and not work for you as the investment is only your time and whatever you choose to print.
  • Note: Easy Peasy All in One is a Charlotte Mason approach with a gentle workbook based approach.
  • Computer-based online.

Designed by Lee Giles beginning 2011 as she put assignments down for her children and saved them for the younger ones. It has grown in popularity over the years.

BookShark.

  • Faith-free i.e. Secular
  • K to 12
  • Print-based and some items computer- based
  • Note: BookShark is a literature-based approach.

Calvert Education.

  • Faith-free i.e. Secular
  • PK to 12
  • Accredited
  • Print-based or digital-only format with e-textbooks.

Christian Light Education.

  • Christian
  • K to 12
  • Print-based

Christian Liberty Press.

  • Christian
  • PK to 12
  • Accredited
  • Print-based

MasterBooks.

  • Christian
  • PK to 12
  • Print-based (committed to putting ink on paper) or pdf downloads for about 90% of the products
  • mix and match bundles

Moving Beyond the Page

  • Faith-free i.e. Secular
  • PK to 12
  • Print-based or computer-interface and you print lessons.
  • Note: Moving Beyond the Page is a literature-based unit study approach with a twist of classical, Montessori and unschooling approaches.
  • mix and match bundles

My Father’s World.

  • Christian

  • PK to 12
  • Print-based
  • Note: My Father’s World is a Charlotte Mason approach with a unit study twist.
All About Spelling

Oak Meadow.

  • Faith-free i.e. Secular
  • PK to 12
  • Print-based
  • Accredited
  • Note: Oak Meadows incorporates nature-based learning and a Waldorf influenced approach.

Rod and Staff.

  • Christian
  • 1 to 10. (Their belief affects grade level meaning they feel most concepts should be learned by tenth grade.)
  • Print-based

Sonlight.

  • Christian
  • PK to 12
  • Print-based
  • Note: Sonlight is literature-based with a Charlotte Mason approach.
  • mix and match bundles

The Good and the Beautiful.

  • Non-denominational Christian
  • PK to 12
  • Print-based
  • Note: Follows a Charlotte Mason approach.

Time4Learning.

  • Faith-free i.e. Secular
  • PK to 12
  • Computer-based online

Timberdoodle.

  • Faith-free i.e. Secular AND Christian options
  • PK to 12
  • print-based
  • mix and match bundles

Veritas Press.

  • Christian
  • K to 12
  • Print-based and online courses
  • Note: Veritas Press is literature-based with a Classic approach.

WinterPromise.

  • Christian
  • K to 12
  • Print-based and pdf. option
  • Note: WinterPromise is literature-based with a Charlotte Mason and unit study approach.

Homeschool Providers Worthy of Mention

Big Ol' List of All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum (a.k.a Boxed)

Add a subject or two to make them complete.

These curriculum providers below are also popular because of their flexibility and excellent literature quality.

They require maybe one or two subjects to make them complete. I’m putting them here so you can have them as an option.

Beautiful Feet Literature.

  • Christian
  • K to 12
  • Print-based and downloadable pdf.
  • Note: Beautiful Feet is literature-based with a unit study focus on history.
  • Need to purchase: Math program and depending on your child you may need to purchase a composition, grammar, and spelling program.

Build Your Library.

  • Faith-free i.e. Secular
  • PK to 10. TBA 11, 12
  • Downloadable teachers guide, you buy your own literature
  • Note: Literature-based with a Charlotte Mason and eclectic approach.
  • Need to purchase: Math program and depending on your child’s need you may need to purchase separate spelling and grammar programs.

Torch Light.

  • Faith-free i.e. Secular
  • K and 1 only available now
  • Downloadable teachers guide, you buy your own literature
  • Note: Literature-based with a Charlotte Mason and eclectic approach.
  • Need to purchase: Math program and depending on your child’s need you may need to purchase separate spelling and grammar programs.

You’ll also love these other tips:

Big Ol' List of All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum (a.k.a Boxed). There are many reasons to use an all-in-one homeschool curriculum and the best reason is that all the planning is done for you. CLICK here to grab this list!
Big Ol' List of All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum (a.k.a Boxed). There are many reasons to use an all-in-one homeschool curriculum and the best reason is that all the planning is done for you. CLICK here to grab this list!

3 Risks of Not Tracking Your Homeschool Lessons (Even If They’re Laid-Out)

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’m sharing 3 risks of not tracking homeschool lessons.Too, I have hundreds more free homeschool planner forms on my page Homeschool Planner.

I get asked all the time that if you’re using laid-out lesson plans is it necessary to lesson track.

My answer is always the same — YES. 

Tracking homeschool lessons is different than lesson planning although they are linked.

3 Risks of Not Tracking Homeschool Lessons {Even Using Laid-Out Lesson Plans}. Having tracked lesson plans from the beginning prepared me for record keeping in the higher grades, but there are other reasons. Check out these SUPER helpful lesson tracking tips! #homeschooling

Look at these 3 risks of not tracking your homeschool lessons even if you’re using laid-out lesson plans.

DON’T CONFUSE LESSON TRACKING WITH LESSON PLANNING

One/ Kids can advance to a higher level mid-year. You want to be ready.

I had one son who struggled with spelling consistently each year until middle school.

He jumped a whole year in our spelling curriculum and I was ready to pull the trigger because I was tracking his progress.

I was writing down the words he was struggling with, writing down the errors he was making in his usage, and having him review his errors.

Checking off boxes is not tracking progress, it just shows completion.

3 Risks of Not Tracking Homeschool Lessons Even if You Use Laid Out Lesson Plans. Scoot by and check out the AWESOME tips!

If you don’t track progress, it’s easy to fall in a public school mindset.

For example, instead of homeschooling for mastery or being ready to move to another level in a subject, you may think that completing a laid-out curriculum is key to mastery.

Don’t fall for the mindset that completing a laid-out curriculum equates with your child mastering concepts. It does not.

Tracking and writing out progress lets you see a true picture of what is going on each day. Completing laid-out lesson plans means just that. It doesn’t always mean success.

I’ve always referred to my well-written notes although I didn’t start off that way.

Two/ NOTHING can replace your well-guided tweaks to a lesson plan.

The second thing I’ve learned is to not forget one of the most fundamental reasons that brought me to homeschooling which is to adjust the curriculum to meet each of my kids’ needs.

When I track lesson plans, I can adjust them immediately to fit my sons’ needs for the current moment.

For example, early on I could tell that one of my sons was advancing quite rapidly in math. Instead of having him do all the math lessons, I would pick and choose the problems.

Other days I had him do only the odds or evens.

Tweaking lessons plans and tracking his progress while using a laid-out math curriculum, I knew he could maintain practice in whatever skill he was learning. But he could also move ahead.

If I hadn’t tracked his work in a lesson planner, it would’ve been very frustrating for him.

Early homeschool planners while I've been lesson planning and tracking for years.

Doing work that has been previously mastered is a turn off for kids who are advanced or gifted and can cause them burn out.

Then, as homeschool parents we wonder why our kids hate a subject that was previously loved.

Tracking progress on a lesson planning page you’re tweaking is key to looking back and planning forward.

Also, having a place to track your tweaks made to laid-out lesson plans reminds you of the progress your child is making or problems he is having.

Three/ Lesson planning and lesson tracking are inextricably linked when you need to view progress and when preparing for older grades.

Another reason lesson tracking is critical is because it prepares you for teaching the older grades.

It’s the difference between sailing effortlessly into teaching high school and drowning in feelings of being overwhelmed.

Lesson planning early on equals awesome record keeping in the older grades. See how over at seasoned veteran Tina Robertson's blog.

Doing both lesson planning and lesson tracking, the high school years were a cinch from a record keeping standpoint.

More important to me was that I had a good pulse on the skill level of my rising high school teen because I had journaled and tracked his progress along the way even while using boxed curriculum.

A teacher’s manual is a guide. Your lesson tracking is your child’s unique visual map of his strengths and weaknesses.

Through the years, it’s been easy to look back and read my notes on each child’s progress. Immediately I could adjust either my lesson plans I created or tweaked laid-out lesson plans.

PURPOSEFUL HOMESCHOOL LESSON TRACKING

I’ve come a long way since creating my own planners way back and I know you’ll really love my detailed and beautiful pages to use for either tracking or lesson planning.

Beautiful, colorful and detailed Glam It Up Homeschool Planner over at Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

(This is the Glammed Up Option – don’t you love it?)

You’ll gain some other valuable seasoned tips from these posts:

Hugs and love ya,

How to Transition a Child From Reading to Literature

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When I was in 8th grade I had an English teacher who loved words and literary analysis. I picked up her love of words and reading, but not so much her affection for literary analysis. Later in life, my fondness for literary analysis and literature was ignited but my earlier aversion affected how I started teaching reading.

When I was in 8th grade I had an English teacher who loved words and literary analysis. I picked up her love of words and reading, but not so much her affection for literary analysis. Later in life, my fondness for literary analysis and literature was ignited but my earlier aversion affected how I started teaching reading. Click here to get tips on understanding the difference between teaching reading and literature.

Determined that my boys would not be aliterate, I did some things right and some not so right when I first began to teach reading.

What I should’ve done with my first son was to introduce elements of literature earlier than I did. I’m grateful I didn’t totally mess up my kid because his love for excellent literature is apparent today.

From Reading to Literature

Let me back up first because understanding what is literature and what is reading can be confusing to the non-professional. It was to me.

And because there are so many facets about comprehending what is literature, it can seem almost over the top to grasp.

I’m going to speak in broad terms here because it’s important to see the big picture before you know how to transition a child from reading to literature. Teaching a child to read has these elements:

  • from the time he can sat on your lap, you begin reading aloud;
  • you teach him to associate symbols, which he later understands are letters with sounds;
  • you teach him that grouping together more than one letter helps him to blend sounds;
  • you begin to engage in formal and direction instruction which is phonics;
  • you continue with assisting him in learning phonics to about the fourth grade if necessary;
  • while you’re teaching him letter sounds, he cements those sounds by reading them in books, which gives him a purpose for reading;
  • you progress from early readers to chapter books; and
  • all throughout the years, you should be very picky about the quality of literature so that you hook an emerging reader on to lifelong reading.

Not focusing just on how to read but fostering a love of it in the early years is the key. That’s a tough enough job.

Here is one of my favorite programs to teach reading!
All About Reading

Switching gears to teaching literature is a gradual process as I’ve learned. It’s my opinion that whether or not you take a literature course in college, you’re not really prepared to know when to introduce all the features of literature to a young child. Of course, if you’re an English teacher that is different.

Before I go further, it’s important to also look at the elements of teaching literature which gives you a starting point in how to teach it. Here are some easy to understand features:

  • it’s about using good books that inspire readers;
  • it can effect the lives of people;
  • it may be praised for its literary value;
  • it may be famous for its historical value;
  • it’s about learning genres along with the elements of fiction;
  • it’s about exposure to a higher level vocabulary;
  • it’s learning how to extract meaning beyond what the author is stating;
  • it’s appreciating why literature can move us;
  • it’s about choosing a method, whether it’s an oral discussion only or part worksheet or part oral discussion to find one that suits your child’s learning style; and
  • it’s about moving from soft or fun literature to sophisticated literature which may not always be so fun.

As you can see, literature is an immense area to study. Knowing when to transition to teaching literature and not teaching reading is not an exact science.

Taming it doesn’t have to be a struggle if you know what to focus on at which ages or levels.

Now that you have an overview of the difference, here are a few strategies that won’t overwhelm you.

One/ Introduce genre in a natural way and not like I did with a workbook.

Even though I messed up with one child, I still had time to for a do over.

Instead of pulling out a worksheet to match genre types for books which your kids may not have read, simply explain the type of book it is.

As we read together from about third grade on, I saw the need to start explaining the genre and setting.

Now that two of my sons are young adults, I get different opinions from them.

One son critiqued me and wished I was more formal at the time when explaining the type of literature we were going to discuss and to include more worksheets. The second son critiqued me and said he wished there were no worksheets at all.

Teaching literature should take your child’s learning style into consideration but I also remember that I’m doing the teaching. And just because something is forced, it doesn’t mean it’s not good for my sons.

A balance between discussion and workbooks I feel gives a well-rounded approach and I ended up adapting to both learning styles

Two/ Book reports are not always required but you’ll want to determine a standard in how to analyze a reading.

What you would expect from a middle school student is not the same that you would expect from a high school teen.

Instead of doing book reports, take time to discuss the book with them. This means they read and come back to tell what they learned. I know it takes time, but literature is about taking time to let it move you.

In the beginning, they will just want to tell you what the book is about. Believe me after hearing the retelling of To Kill a Mockingbird numerous times, I thought I would lose patience. But seeing expressions on each of my son’s faced as they read it, made each time feel new. Each kid will identify with the protagonist, Scout, whether they agree with her or not. And understanding a six-year-old with a great wit is what drew my sons into learning about the story.

Three/ Analyzing  and teaching literature is a gradual unfolding.

I did this part wrong too. When Mr. Senior 2013 started middle school, I thought that instantly he was going to understand things like a figure of speech, the elements of fiction, author’s point of view, and etc.

I needed to slow down and realize that from about middle to high school, analyzing literature is a gradual process. Just like higher level math requires a more mature thinking, so does literature.

Don’t be locked into grades, but evaluate each child’s reading level and comprehension.

If a child can’t read well yet or is still struggling to comprehend, it’s hard to delve into a deeper meaning of a novel.

Let him lounge in the learning to read stage a while longer.

If You Can Read, You Can Teach Literature

Although I didn’t completely turn my son off to excellent literature, I almost made the mistake by several educators which is to make learning about it too mechanical.

With my next sons, I added in hands-on learning in the elementary grades and middle school.

For example, while discussing the setting of a book, my sons drew what they thought a time period looked like.

When we read Winnie-the-Pooh they drew a forest for the Hundred Acre Wood. A simple map brings the setting of the book to life.

More Language Arts Resources

I didn’t know using puppets would be such a great hit with understanding If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

Those are just a few tips in such a broad topic but I wanted to dive into sharing with you what worked and what didn’t work for me.

I’m going to continue on this topic by sharing some upcoming posts with tips about teaching your kids to high school.

Would you like to get some more tips? Tell me what kind of help you need the most.

Hugs and love ya,

3 Ways to Instantly Gain More Time in Your Homeschool Day

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

With the growing amount of digital curriculum and multiple devices that most homes have now, you’re supposed to get more time in your homeschool day. But I find the opposite is true.

More than ever homeschoolers are stressed to the max with growing to-do lists.

When I read that some homeschool days are 8 hours or longer, I’m shocked. And all I can think of is how every bit of learning is sucked out of a day. I shudder to think if the homeschooled child will grow up loving to learn.

I started homeschooling where we only used the computer for after school time. I’ve also homeschooled where things have changed to family members having multiple devices each. That doesn’t always equate with more time.

3 Ways to INSTANTLY Gain More Time in Your Homeschool Day. Read the tried and true tips at Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I have 3 ways to help you instantly gain more time in your homeschool day.

Minimalist Game is not for Mindless Morons

ONE/ I talk many times how everything we needed for living overseas had to be packed into just two suitcases per person.

One small thing that gave me big time-savings results instantly without overwhelming me in ridding myself of clutter in an almost 4,000 square foot house was to play the minimalist game.

On the first day of the month throw away one thing. It can be anything, a homeschool book or something in your kitchen.

On the second day, chunk two items.

On the third day, pitch three items and so on for every day of the month.

What works best when you’re overwhelmed in the day is to have a solution that is easy and simple to implement.

Solutions that require tons of energy just don’t work because of our homeschooling lifestyle.

The return on the minimalist game is that less to organize and less to clean in your day frees up time in your day for other things like spending time on yourself, on field trips or just resting.

In addition, instead of feeling like you’re paralyzed before you start a project like sorting through all of the books at the end of the year and deciding whether you need it or not, it becomes a doable and easily conquerable project.

TWO/ Set up your children’s learning area where they can manage it, not you.

Another mistake I’ve seen which wastes value time is rounding up the curriculum for the day.

Even preschoolers can be taught to take and return their learning toys to the right places. By training my sons from the time they were young that everything has a place, I’m spared stress in the morning.

For younger kids, use rolling storage. True, you may need to roll it out in your learning area, but they learn to put it away and learn from a young age to not leave things out.

It takes time to set up a learning area, but it’s so worth the effort. I start by measuring every book and every item that each child will need for the year. Then I decide the storage containers.

Some years, we used stack of drawers and other years, I used baskets on bookshelves.

Start slowly, again, by measuring every item so that it fits into a storage container.

Your day should start by your children getting their own supplies while you enjoy some last minute time to yourself. Your day gets off to a much better start and you don’t waste time collecting curriculum.

THREE/ I’m not saying switch your homeschool approach, but I am saying to tighten it up.

I’d like to tell you that there is one homeschool approach that works better, clutter wise, than the other, but there is not.

Each homeschool approach brings its own amount of curriculum clutter. And then add to that enthusiastic teachers and we can over teach. We’re just doing too much for our student.

In addition to your children having their own learning space setup to suit them, you need to see ways that you can slash your teaching.

There simply is no need to do every math problem or to assign homework in homeschool.

Look at these practical ways that have worked for me through the years.

  • Never cover one subject when you can cover two subjects at one time. If you’re going to survive and thrive in homeschooling, you must abandon the thought of keeping subjects separate. For example, if your child loves science, then his reading assignment or literature should be about famous scientists and how-to books. Forget trying to cover the extra reading of literature if you can get a two-pher out of it. The same idea applies for history. Leave the reading of literature that you couldn’t work into your day to your child’s spare reading time or for leisure. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that readers don’t need to be channeled to read literature that you have removed from your formal day. It’s okay to not leave all the choices up to the kids for what to read during leisure time.
  • At a certain stage, my boys always seemed to want to start to fighting when our day began. One remedy was to have one or two of them do their chores while I worked with the other one at the table. This not only worked off a bit of energy, but it kept them from not being around each other constantly. The added bonus was that chores got worked into the day and made my day shorter.
  • If your child is steadily doing math, which should be done every day, cut back some lessons to half.
  • In addition, if you have a strong math guy like I have, then focus on reading a living math book for the day and move on to another subjects that requires attention. Sure, my math lover didn’t mind doing extra lessons and he could from time to time. But also, as the teacher, I needed to guide him to using his time to investigate other subjects and strengthen in skills in them. So if covering a subject orally can be reinforced that day through a book or audio book, do it.
  • Give each kid his own printed schedule. Teaching your kids to stick to a routine helps them to move through their day quicker too. Are you using my teacher and student schedules?

Expect the Unexpected – Roll with It!

THREE/ School like you live life. Plan for the unexpected.

I have a method for cooking each week. I cook a bit more at the beginning of my week. If I cook chicken, I make a bit more in the beginning so that I don’t have to cook at the end of the week. I already have my chicken cooked for my chicken tacos at the end of the week.

Homeschooling is the same. Unless you need to, quit trying to balance the days.

My advice is if you can squeeze more school into the beginning of your week before it gets busy, then it’s less that needs to be done at the end of the week.

Homeschool from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m for three days and then for the last two days quit by noon.

You’ll gain way more time in your schedule by pushing a bit in the beginning and the best part is if that something unexpected comes up, you’re still rocking on fine.

Let go of stressful homeschooling because I’m telling you in the end what matters most is the time spent together. Make room now for more of it.

With the growing amount of digital curriculum and multiple devices that most homes have now, you're suppose to get more time in your homeschool day. But I find the opposite is true. More than ever, homeschoolers are stressed to the max with growing to-do lists. Having started homeschooling where we only used the computer for after school time and homeschooling now where things have changed to family members having multiple devices each, I have 3 ways to help you instantly gain more time in your homeschool day. Click here to read these tried and true tips!

You’ll love these other tips!

Hugs and love ya,

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