Little House Learning Co. — Homeschool 101

When I first sat down and googled homeschooling I was confused. I read one article that told me how to homeschool but the very next thing I read said the complete opposite. Between all of the product promotion, strong opinions and the sheer amount of information on blogs, podcasts, youtube videos, instagram, facebook and homeschool curriculum websites, it was very overwhelming! I spent the next four years researching everything I could get my hands on. I spent well over 1,000 hours trying to fully understand the world of homeschooling and all the methods, curricula, and approaches.  And I now I have compiled everything...

One of the most common questions I get asked is, "How much does homeschooling cost?". Either it’s from families who are looking into homeschooling and overwhelmed by the price tags they see everywhere or it is from nay-sayers who say that homeschooling is only for the very wealthy.  Being in the homeschool community, I know that this is a hard question to answer. No two homeschooling families look the same, and neither do their income levels! The United States Census Bureau (USCB) did four surveys in 2021 about income levels for homeschooling families (see table below). 57.3% of homeschooling families...

Is a designated homeschool space necessary for you to home educate your children? Absolutely not!  One of the biggest mistakes a new homeschooling family can make is being stressed about their homeschool space--either feeling like they need to clear a whole room for all the "school stuff" or running out and spending massive amount of money on setting up a classroom in their home.  So forget all of the pinterest shopping lists and beautiful images you've probably drooled over (or maybe that's just me). Here are the truly essential things you need to homeschool:  My Ultimate Homeschool Supply List: An Honest Top...

Here's something you should know about me--I love planning! I also consider homeschooling to be my job of sorts, so I spend a lot of time thinking about, prepping for and planning our homeschool, especially in the summer months when we're off.  Whether you're planning your first year, are already a planner like me or just you wish that you were, here is a step-by-step look at how I plan our homeschool year. Homeschool Planning 1. Decide on a Curriculum: First I assess what grades I'll be teaching and decide on what curriculum we will be using for the year. I call...