Homeschool Essentials

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Deciding what to include on a list of homeschool “essentials” is a very personal decision. However after 6+ years of homeschooling I have come up with a list of my top picks.

My list of essentials in the beginning of our homeschooling days, and my list of essentials now are similar yet different, is that vague enough ha?!

I truly believe you & your children can learn all they need with one of these, a library card. However the rest of the list is what I feel works best for us!

My top homeschool essentials

Library card

Hands down, my #1 homeschool essential is a library card! If you don’t have one, get one, in fact get one for each child! If your library has a limit as to how many checkouts you are allowed per card, this is a great way to get around that!

My kids have had their own cards since they were toddlers (I held on to the cards for my kiddos at that age, but it was a great way for them to learn the process).

Setting aside a day of the week for some library time, whether it’s to order books through the online catalog for pickup, or to browse in person, is another essential.

The opportunities libraries offer for learning is a priceless resource in my opinion. Every subject you or your kids want to learn about can be covered with a library card. Learning how to use a library catalog, search for books & find them is a valuable lesson for kids to learn.  

Libraries also offer a lot of free activities for children & families which is a great way to meet other kids/families from your area. Which leads to my next essential, community.

Community

Having a community is my next on the list of homeschool essentials, for both you and your kids. For you, it’s so necessary especially if you’re just starting out homeschooling. Online ways like Facebook homeschool groups in your area, can lead to an in-person community for your family.

Interacting with other kids is just plain fun for your kids. Yes they will do that with their own friends, or neighbors or cousins, but having fellow homeschoolers to run around with is nice for them too.

Same goes for the grownups! Meeting other homeschool moms (or dads or grandparents) is a great resource for you. Being able to talk to others in similar situations is always comforting and helpful.

Outside time

May seem like an obvious choice, but outside time is such a homeschool essential! Fresh air does wonders for cranky or tired kids and parents.

Simply moving your work outside to the backyard is such a small thing to do but makes can make such a difference to re-focus and refresh. Reading, whether it’s quiet reading or reading aloud, can also be enjoyed outside.

One of the biggest perks of homeschool is the flexibility of your schedule. Giving your kids some time to run around out back in between lessons, or after lunch is 100% a homeschool essential in my book! Kick a ball, jump on a trampoline, just let them run off their energy and be free!  

We talked for a few years about investing in a large playset for our kids and once we finally went ahead and ordered one, we never looked back. Having a “playground” in our own backyard is one of the best decisions we made for our family! 

Of course you don’t need a big playset, just like you don’t need a dedicated school room. Getting out of the house to a local park, or nature trail is a wonderful way to burn some physical energy and bring back some mental focus to your day.

The best curriculum for you

Finding what curriculum works best for YOU is also one of my biggest homeschool essentials. As I shared in a previous post: Best Homeschool Reading Curriculum , there can be so much pressure on finding the “best” curriculum for your homeschool.

Here’s a little secret, there is no “best.” Realizing that a couple of years in was so freeing for me.

I realized that it’s ok to walk away from a workbook, or even a whole curriculum that is just plain not working. Sure, it can cost you a bit to find what works best for you through trial and error, but it’s worth it. You can also resell the no longer needed curriculum!

Flash cards

A simple one on my list of homeschool essentials you can make yourself with index cards, or you can buy: flash cards!

Flash cards for math facts, preposition memorization, sight words, state capitals, presidents etc…you name it, you can find it in a flash card! Such a handy way to help your kiddos absorb facts.

Also completely transportable. Great for road trips, schooling outside, for siblings to help each other (or quiz themselves) while you’re working with another child, the possibilities are endless.

Trust me, they are most definitely one of our most used items in our homeschooling days.

Quality pencils

Another simple and probably super obvious homeschool essential – pencils! If your house is anything like mine your kids probably have a gazillion “pretty” or “cool” pencils from goodie bags or parties.

While they’re fun for kids, have you ever tried to successfully sharpen one? It’s such a small way to throw off a nice learning or working groove, stopping to sharpen a pencil that never sharpens properly.

Or you think it’s sharp, start writing and the lead falls out. Or the wrapping with the cute images on the pencil starts to peel causing your child to stop their handwriting to peel the wrapping – you see where I’m going??

SUPER annoying ha! Do yourself a favor and get some good quality pencils.

Pencil sharpener

Making sure to have a good, quality pencil sharpener is another must on my homeschool essential list for sure. Electric or old-school style hand crank, choose what works best for you.

We have gone through a couple of cheaper electric sharpeners so I decided to try a hand crank style that we have fastened to a wall in our laundry room.

It’s nice that it can’t get misplaced and so far it’s worked really well for us. Also, I’m all for kids having to crank their little arms and work to get their pencils sharpened!

Analog clock

In the age of everything digital, the need to be able to read an analog clock may seem antiquated but as I feel the same about kids still needing to learn cursive, it’s a necessity.

Having an analog clock somewhere in your home is one of my homeschool essentials for this reason. It is handy to have a clock model as your kids are learning to tell time.

Manipulating the clock model is a great way to learn but having an actual clock that they can glance at throughout the day to see the time is really important.

Designated storage space

Having a place to keep your homeschool essentials or supplies/books organized, no matter how small the space, is really helpful so you’re not constantly looking for things when you need them.

I know Instagram and Pinterest and even other homeschool blogs can lead us all down that rabbit hole of believing we need a perfectly organized, designated school room, but you don’t need a room.

A bin or bins you can shove under a couch, in a closet or cabinet, or a rolling cart can all work too. A lot of families work in the kitchen or dining room so a small bookcase in there would work great too.

Just having a spot to keep your “stuff” and a place where your kids know to put away their “stuff” will help keep the chaos out of your days.

Patience

Maybe this should have been my first recommendation on my list of homeschool essentials: PATIENCE!

Be kind to yourself, there will be days where you will want to question and criticize all you are doing and have done homeschooling your kids.

There will be days where your patience is more than tested by a tired or cranky child. Send them outside or off to play for a few minutes and make a cup of tea or coffee and breathe! Go back and revisit your “why” you chose to homeschool.

Taking a step back when you or your kids need it is so, so important.

A few homeschool essentials runners up

I use them all but hesitate to say they are necessary:

Magnetic dry erase board: helpful to use instead of scrap paper for math, or for spelling practice or for use with spelling tiles if you use All About Spelling. Also they are just fun to have around for kids!

Printer: If you plan to do a lot of copying or printing you can always use the copy services of your local office store, for me that’s Staples. However, having a printer at home is so helpful.

Especially as your kids get a little older and type some of their work. It’s nice to be able to have them be able to print finished work as soon as they’re finished.

Laminator: Great for making your own charts, or for laminating worksheets that kids use over and over again. I use a Scotch brand similar to this one and love my laminator!

I hope this list of what I consider essential to our homeschool days helps you find what works best for you!

What do you consider to be a homeschool essential? Share in the comments below!