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Homeschool favorites (for younger kids)
57
items As a homeschooling family of six years, let me show you some of our favorite homeschool items, from curriculums to storage solutions!
Sections
6
Games, Puzzles, Bulletins, Manipulatives & More
Books and Physical Curriculums
Reference Books
Online Curriculums, Online Resources and Programs
For The Homeschool; Storage and Supplies
Art Supplies
Games, Puzzles, Bulletins, Manipulatives & More
What I love about this is it's a beautiful and sturdy math manipulative with zero clean up (and no stress over choking hazards).
Abacus Classic Wooden Toy - Melissa & Doug
This set has helped making spelling fun for my kids!
Magnetic Letters Kit, 234 Pcs Alphabet with Magnet Board Pen and Box, Educational Refrigerator Magnets for Preschool Learning Spelling (Colorful)
This spelling game is so much fun for littles and it really helps to “piece” spelling together!
The Learning Journey 20-Piece Spelling Educational Jigsaw Puzzles
A USA floor puzzle is a great way to teach the 50 States, as well as regions. My kids love puzzles and it's always nice when a puzzle is also teaching something additional such as geography.
Melissa & Doug USA Map Floor Puzzle
Helps younger learners visually understand the value of a number, as well as the spelling.
Scholastic 0-20 Numbers Set Bulletin Board Set, 43 Pieces
A magnetic calendar is a great way to teach calendar skills to younger kids. My kids loved to change the day, month and weather and it is really fun, too!
Melissa & Doug My First Daily Magnetic Calendar
These bulletin boards are great reference cards for littles to learn basic math concepts.
Scholastic Teaching Solutions Primary Math Charts Bulletin Board Set
Teach kids about electricity safely with this kit. You can build 125 projects with this kit. It includes pretty clear instructions, but does require 2 AA batteries (not included).
Snap Circuits Skill Builder Explorer Science Kit
We use these every month and each box is a new and totally different project! I love that these projects are science and stem forward and they include easy to follow directions. These are always a hit!
Tinker Crate: STEM & Science Kits for Middle School | Ages 9-16+
I have a ton of these types of build-you-own kits because my oldest is something of an engineer in the making. One thing to note about this particular kit is that it's not super reuseable. But it is super fun and would make a great gift for someone who has a kid like mine. The bridges also look super cool!
Invent Boundless Bridges (Smithsonian Spark Lab) Kit by Creativity For Kids
This set is from Dave Ramsey. It gives clear and understandable financial advice for kids and includes a chore chart and parent guide.
Financial Peace Kids: Teaching Kids How to Win With Money
This link will bring you to the most affordable version of this game, which we love. It teaches important financial skills in a fun, monopoly-like game.
Cashflow for Kids Board Game Rich Dad Poor Dad Robert Kiyosaki COMPLETE
Tangram puzzles are so much fun for math. Tangram sets enhance spatial awareness, boosts problem solving skills and improves fine motor skills!
Tangram Puzzles for Kids - ABCya!
This colorful subscription includes physical workbooks and maps centered around learning about each of the 50 states. Cool gift and great for homeschool!
Which Way USA Book Club Subscription
Books and Physical Curriculums
This gem of a workbook is helping my kids be more mindful and kind. There are 60 thoughtful activities for kids to complete with or without their caregiver (I recommend completing with them, though, becuase this is quality time spent). It's very comprehensive to a kid's life and gives super practical techniques like breathing techniques, affirmations, paying attention to where attention is going. It also teaches gratitude, how to name, differentiate and understand feelings, how to increase confidence. I love this book!
Pre-Owned Mindfulness Workbook for Kids: 60+ Activities to Focus, Stay Calm, and Make Good Choices (Paperback) by Hannah Sherman
This book has 50 color illustrated STEM and STEAM activities for kids using things you can find around the house. Love!!
Awesome Engineering Activities
This curriculum has been wonderful in helping my kids structure their thoughts and be able to retell stories and understand more complex thinking. Great for enhancing reading comprehension and my kids really like the exercises!
Language for Thinking, Student Picture Book ...
This is a beautiful book of unfinished stories that you and your kids finish together. Lovely way to increase writing and storytelling skills.
My New Superpower and Other Stories We Write Together (Once Upon a Pancake)
This set helps name emotions, deal with dysregulatoin, learn emotional regulation-- all great skills to learn at any age.
Team Supercrew - Emotions and Powers: 4 Book Box Set (Books 1-4) -- Julie Anne Penn
We love this guided journal designed to promote a growth mindset.
Big Life Journal - 2nd Edition (ages 7-10)
I used these for both of my kids for learning to write and they are SOO helpful. Trace and erase, it's a simple, low-prep way to learn to write and draw shapes.
Write and Wipe ABC 123: Scholastic Early Learners (Write and Wipe) (Board Book)
This huge workbook is great for the youngest of homeschoolers and it's colorful and packed with activities!
My First Jumbo Workbook
This giant workbook includes activities for tracing, sorting, matching, reading and writing.
Sight Words Jumbo Workbook
Lots of different activities are included here, such as punctuation, parts of speech, place value, word problems, telling time and more. This is a great, no prep activity the kids can do again and again for practice.
Get Ready for School: Second Grade... book by Heather Stella
These are my favorite workbooks for my kids. The lessons are engaging and challenging and I love the format the work is presented in.
Complete Curriculum: Grade 3 - (Flash Kids Harcourt Family Learning) by Flash Kids (Paperback)
We have been using this Curriculum workbook and both my kids and I love it. Very complete, as in it's name.
Language Arts, Grade 5 - (Flash Kids Harcourt Family Learning) by Flash Kids (Paperback)
I love Complete Curriculum series of workbooks. It covers a large amount of curriculum in core ELA and math subjects and is extremely comprehensive. Also it keeps my kids engaged which is paramount for learning.
Pre-Owned Complete Curriculum: Grade 5 (Paperback) by Flash Kids (Editor)
This is a great curriculum to help build word decoding skills.
Bridge the Gap 2020 Edition
We bought this collection of science books last year and love them so much!
Usborne Beginners Science Book Collection 10 Books Set for Children's Education
We have read every book in the series and what I love about it is that it weaves science and history into the adventurous storylines; the kids never get bored with these books.
Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 1-15
This book is meant to be a supplement to a larger math curriculum. So far I love the philosophy, which is building skills through stepping stones facts. There are a ton of games to help in understanding concepts. A+ from me!
Multiplication Facts That Stick: Help Your Child Master the Multiplication Facts for Good in Just Ten Weeks
Reference Books
We love this encyclopedia from DK. Easily readable and understandable explanations for all your explorations.
DK Children's Encyclopedia - (DK Children's Visual Encyclopedias) (Hardcover)
A classic tool in the homeschooler's journey, this thesaurus has served us well over the years.
Scholastic Children's Thesaurus, (Hardcover)
A classic tool in the homeschooler's journey, this dictionary has served us well for years.
Scholastic Children's Dictionary (2019) | The Scholastic Parent Store
This softcover includes 450 maps and illustrations and has proven to be a must for our homeschool time and time again.
National Geographic Concise Atlas of the ...
My daughter became interested in mushrooms this year and we love this book I purchased for her. It's a hardcover, glossy paged book filled with hundreds of pages of mushrooms, their habitats, Latin names and classifications. Love!
Mushrooms: How to Identify and Gather Wild Mushrooms and Other Fungi (Hardcover)
Great anatomy book for kids to learn about the body and how it works.
Junior Scientists: Human Anatomy for Kids : A Junior Scientist's Guide to How We Move, Breathe, and Grow (Paperback)
I bought this book for my kids as a reference that we can use for years to come.
The Human Body (An Illustrated Guide to... book by Charles B. Clayman
Online Curriculums, Online Resources and Programs
This is a wonderful, free ELA program
Duolingo ABC
This is what we use for our math curriculum and I wouldn't use anything else. It's a spiral learning based program, with very clear and short and engaging videos to teach the concepts. You also get every grade level included, so it's perfect for multiple learners and those that need to catch up.
CTCMath - Welcome
This site has been a lifesaver for our homeschool family. We started off with the free plan but quickly realized I NEEDED the paid plan. We use resources from education every week. I love that I can download items for every grade, included in the plan, so it's perfect for families with multiple children. And the low cost, low prep approach to the site is much appreciated for our busy lifestyle and budget. The material is top-notch, too, with tons of topics to choose from.
Educational Games, Worksheets, and More for Kids
I have had an HSLDA membership for years now, and the price is well worth the peace of mind I have that if should something go wrong betwee, myself and the district, I am covered by HSLDA and will be provided with an attorney for any such issues. In addition, HSLDA has a wealth of resources available for homeschooling families and that's always a big plus.
HSLDA - Making homeschooling possible
Vooks is a great app with video books with subtitles, suitable for young readers and pre-readers.
Vooks: read-aloud animated books for kids
Science curriculum for younger kids includes an app and physical books.
Tappity - The #1 Educational Science App for Kids 4-10
For The Homeschool; Storage and Supplies
We actually have 2 of these whiteboards, one for each kid. And they've been so helpful in our homeschool! We use them for writing our schedules and of course for any material I'm teaching that might benefit being written (or drawn) out for the kids.
U Brands 23 x 35 in. Magnetic Dry Erase Board, Whiteboard, Silver Aluminum Finish Frame
Dry erase markers are another must-have in our homeschool. So much of what we learn gets written on the whiteboard that I'm constantly buying new packs of dry erase markers.
EXPO Low Odor Dry Erase Markers, Chisel Tip, Assorted Colors, 16 Count
Having a printer for this homeschooling family is kind of a must. Recently, I upgraded to Brother brand. At first I was wary about the ink, but this version includes up to one year's worth of ink in the box, and so far we've printed like crazy and haven't had to replace. Also, another feature I love is not having to print through an app. 100% reccomend.
INKvestment Tank MFC-J1215W Wireless All-in-One Inkjet ...
This adorable bookshelf is what I chose for all my kids' books.
Tidy Books Kids 45.3" Book Display | Wayfair
Here's another organizer I feel I can't live without in our homeschool. I have several, one I use for storing schoolwork that's been completed but not sorted yet. Another I use for bigger crafting projects. And I have a third I use for random items I accumulate for our homeschool that haven't been used yet.
Sterilite Wide 3 Drawer Cart Black
We just got one of these and it's perfect for field trips and playdates at the park.
Bentgo Fresh Lunch Box - Aqua
We bought these cute water bottles with motivational sayings on them to help keep the table spill-free and also to go on trips!
KEINXS 32 oz Water Bottles with Times to Drink and Straw Motivational Water Bottle with Time Marker Leakproof & BPA Free Drinking Sports Water Bottle for Fitness Gym & Outdoor
This giant jug of a water bottle holds almost a gallon (101 oz) and we love to use it for family beach days and other field trips. Stainless steel, keeps cold things cold and hot things hot!
TAL Stainless Steel Zeus Water Bottle 3 Liter, Black
Art Supplies
This sweet book has incredibly illustrated nature based projects to try with your kids.
The Big Book of Nature Art book by Yuval Zommer
I recently bought this portrait drawing book for my kid's art co-op and it is fantastic. The instructions are clear and go step-by-step and the kids' results were pretty incredible!
Pre-Owned Portrait Drawing for Kids: A Step-By-Step Guide to Drawing Faces (Drawing for Kids Ages 9 to 12) Paperback
We have recently gotten into scratch art and this is a great kit!
Smarts & Crafts Go: Scratch Art Studio, Gender Neutral Kids Activity Kit, 53 Pieces, Child Ages 6+, Unisex
We learned how to paint with watercolors this summer and they were a hit! Watercolors are versitile and beautiful and so many gorgeous paintings came from learning this skill…
Watercolor Paint Sets: Pans & Tubes | BLICK Art Materials
Cute, basic set from Crayola
Crayola Creativity Tub, Art Set, 102 Pcs, Craft Supplies, Art Toys for Kids, Beginner Unisex Child