Jump to the present day, and you’ll see that homeschooling is becoming more widespread and acceptable. Technology has also made it much easier to put together a homeschool curriculum that’s robust and comprehensive.

This doesn’t just make current homeschooling programs viable. The range of available resources and support groups make homeschooling a very attractive and beneficial option for many families. We’re in our second generation of homeschoolers as I have an eight-year old homeschooled granddaughter who is thriving and exceeding all grade level expectations.

What does is take to create a successful homeschool experience?

The most important determining factor besides your commitment to creating a beneficial learning environment is finding high-quality homeschooling activities and materials that all fit together to make a robust homeschooling curriculum.

The best homeschool curriculum is one that is designed with your child’s strengths and learning style in mind. The problem with cookie-cutter, one-size education systems is that too many kids with potential are never able to meet it.

In between unfunded mandates, overcrowding, and teachers who are forced to do almost everything else but teach, a lot of kids are falling through the cracks in the system and being left behind.

The first thing to consider is your child, your own comfort level with teaching various subjects, and your family’s situation.

Before you begin, answer these questions:

• What are my reasons for choosing homeschooling over more traditional education?
• How much time am I able to commit to creating a program and seeing it through? For example, juggling work and education obligations may be a challenge if you have a full-time job outside the home.
• Will I be a solo, hands-on teacher or is there a cooperative homeschooling community in my area?
• Are there some subjects that I’ll need additional help with, such as mathematics or languages?
• Are finances an issue?
• What about opportunities for socialization?

Once you’re comfortable that you’re doing it for the right reasons and you’re committed to seeing it through, here are some other points to ponder about your homeschooling plan.

Whether your child is beginning their homeschool education later or from the beginning of their school career makes a difference in your approach and the ease of transition.

Children also have different educational needs in pre-school as opposed to high school, and a child who is planning to continue their education after they get their high school diploma will need a more structured and rigorous homeschooling curriculum than one who will transition straight to a career.

Your child may also be at a higher grade level in some subjects and struggle in others.

Some kids need structure and thrive in a more formal setting, while others will find their footing in more flexible, non-traditional programs. Kids who love learning are highly driven and motivated, but other children need to be inspired to learn.

If your child is a visual learner, they may tune out unless your chosen homeschooling curriculum allows a lot of hands-on activities. Maybe your child is very active and learns better when the curriculum features outdoors activities. What is your child’s learning style? What inspires and motivates them and what types of material make them tune out?

I began to homeschool my daughter just after she entered high school. This decision was mainly motivated by her learning disabilities and the school’s inability to meet her needs, in addition to concerns about school violence and other issues in our community. Does your child have a condition like ADHD or a learning disability? Are other issues at school, like bullying or overcrowding, making it impossible for them to focus on their education?

A quick internet search will uncover the fact that there are literally hundreds of options and programs out there. In order to sort through the clutter and provide useful information, the following programs are divided into the best by types of homeschooling curricula and what we like about them. All of the programs on our list have a proven track record of success in their respective areas of excellence.

This program not only covers the core subjects, it also offers a curriculum that teaches more than 8,000 skills and access to 30 textbooks. It’s also a progressive, tech-based program that provides tools that allow you to make data-driven decisions to tailor the curriculum to your child’s learning style and ability level.

What we like: The data and analytics allow you to use technology to create a fully customizable, personalized curriculum that’s child-centric and unique to each student.

This program is designed especially for middle and high school students. It offers both core and elective classes, and your child can study online or download the coursework. It’s also accredited in all 50 states and 60 countries.

What we like: Kids can work at their own pace, and they can enroll in a few supplementary subjects or take the full curriculum. They also offer payment plans for those who can’t afford yearly tuition.

This remote learning platform focuses mainly on science, math, and technology. The education is self-directed, featuring interactive games, and it’s viewable on all devices and screens. Skill levels range from beginner to advanced, including calculus and engineering, but the curriculum doesn’t shortchange students who need a solid foundation in other core subjects like grammar, writing, and social sciences,

What we like: Coursework is very concentrated, taking a deep dive into its subject matter. The interactive nature of their FlexBook materials make learning fun and keeps students engaged.

This is a free college prep platform that has served more than 300,000 students and offers access to 3,000+ classes from prestigious universities like Harvard, Berkley, and MIT.

What we like: This program provides texts, resources and support from some of the world’s most prestigious universities free of charge.

This program was designed for children ages 3 – 8 and really allows your child to jump-start their education in a way that’s fun and highly accessible. It costs only $10 per month, making it also highly budget-friendly. But, with 850 different lessons in 10 different subjects, you get a lot for your money.

What we like: The award-winning phonics program and gamification. All classes are taken via PC, tablet, or smartphone. Who says learning can’t be fun?

This homeschooling curriculum is not only available completely free of charge, it teaches subject matter from kindergarten to levels beyond high school graduate, including AP courses for college prep students. Kids can take full courses for their grade level or use this platform to complete advanced courses, electives, and supplementary materials. Khan Academy be used for SAT prep, too.

What we like: Students take assessment tests to place them into challenging classes, and there’s quite a range of variety of subjects from traditional to non-traditional that are difficult to find in other school curricula, including computer programming, finance, and entrepreneurship.

This remote learning platform is a solution for kids with ADHD, dyslexia, and other conditions that make alternative learning a necessity. The focus is on providing kids with the skills and confidence needed to reach their potential in a non-traditionally school environment.

What we like: They put the focus on children with outside-the-box thinking and learning styles who might otherwise fail to thrive in more structured environments.

For those students and their parents – who need structure and accountability, this curriculum has it all. Courses are conducted remotely in s completely digital environment, and the website also provides planning tools and style guides to help plan classes and track progress. Materials range from animations and games to downloadable worksheets.

What we like: Reasonable prices, including a discount for parents with multiple children enrolled, and a vast range of activities and games to supplement learning.

This organization is part self-directed schooling and part extended homeschooling family. There are no grades, tests, or barriers, and courses are taught by creative individuals whose main mission is to inspire a love of learning. Classes are mixed ages and available online or in person.

What we like: The emphasis on self-directed learning and lack of traditional measurements that lead many school children to a life of stress and anxiety. The focus is on learning, not testing.

If you want to go a more traditional route in a non-traditional setting, this program offers a basic K-12 curriculum that’s very flexible. You can download the full program or just pick the courses you need, such as core studies in math, science, history, and English. Optional classes can be geared toward your child’s interests and future goals and gleaned from other sources. Be sure to check out the criteria for your state to make sure that it meets standards for your area.

What we like: This is a robust program that covers the full spectrum of public school coursework, and you have access to individual tutors or teachers in various subjects.

The homeschooling curriculum you choose should take several things into consideration. First of all, does it adequately cover the expected topics and content for the target grade level, perhaps with room for advanced studies? If not, why not? Are there opportunities for socialization outside of the homeschool setting? In my area, there was a local homeschool association that organized dances and field trips.

What about outside help? Some parents are willing and perfectly able to become their child’s sole educator while others outsource their child’s education, or some parts of it, to private tutors and homeschooling groups.

Perhaps cost is an issue in your family. If the program you like is out of your reach financially, is there a comparable program that’s free or lower in cost? Is it possible to follow the syllabus of the high-end program and create your own homeschool plan from online resources? Our area has access to local museums that offer free programs for kids, parks, and other opportunities for supplementary learning at little to no cost.

What is the approach to learning? The content should match your child’s learning style and interests as well as your own ability to teach it. Are you and your child in agreement about the program? For instance, maybe you favor a more structured approach but your child is more interested in free-form learning or vice-versa.

How is the program delivered? Does it consist of textbooks that you must purchase, is it delivered in a virtual classroom environment, or are you able to download the contents and present them in a way that matches your child’s learning style.

Lastly, it should be a robust, high-quality program that’s fully accredited to meet or exceed grade level standards in your area and best helps prepare your child for their future, wherever it leads.

Between pandemics, unhappiness with public school systems, and lack of access to affordable private school alternatives, many parents are opting their kids out of the formal education system and teaching them at home.

The range of homeschooling settings, resources, and technologies makes this a viable option for families in a variety of circumstances and at all socio-economic levels. Best of all, there’s room for you and your child to find a successful alternative to traditional schooling on your terms. We hope this guide proved helpful to you as you and your child embark on your own homeschooling journey.

The successful adults of tomorrow will be those children who mastered the right mix of skills today. Literacy will always be important, but the so-called soft skills like creativity, empathy, and cooperation are what employers are looking for now and in the future.

For additional activities that teach your child these future-skills, please check out our Future-proof Your Child program which is linked below.

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