Homeschooling Hacks: 24 Websites Every Parent Needs

Listen to the podcast version:

Empower Your Homeschooling Journey with these fabulous Educational Resources and Websites

In the world of education, homeschooling has emerged as a wonderful way to educate your children, giving you more control over their learning journey.
This guide will help you find homeschooling resources and support online so you can confidently take on this educational path.
Here you will find my favorite websites for overall curricula, subject specific websites, multimedia websites, social learning, gamification learning, and activity sheets.

Special note: I am recommending websites as overall or course specific.
However, I could not tell if any of them were good at teaching a child to write.
One, that specifically did not make the list, listed all that it taught in Language Arts and none of those things will help your child learn to be a good writer.
Check out what to look for in a great writing curriculum.

Online Curricula

You are now teaching subjects that just were not your “thing” when you were in school.
You need help!
These sites offer entire curriculum programs.
There is a difference between online school and online programs.
These are not online schools.
You are still the teacher, these simply have the entire school program mapped out with all of the lessons, tests, and activities available to you.

Calvert Homeschool:
I like this program for its flexibility.
This is the one program I have found that allows you to choose between online or print curriculum.
It appears they both cover the same things, you just may be tired of your child looking at a screen.
This program excels at electives.
It offers over 100 electives, however, the price per elective is $9.95 per month.

The jury is out on whether this is a secular program or not.
It seems that it “mostly” is, however, there is a book in the early grades, “A Child’s History of the World” that is biblically focused.
Reviewers say that is the only one.

Time4Learning :
Offers an online curriculum for homeschoolers, covering math, language arts, science, and social studies for PreK-12th grade.
What I like about this program is for the upper grades it offers 15 electives.
For an additional $5 a month per course, your child can take electives they are interested in.

*This is a secular program.

Power Homeschool :
This uses Acellus courses and is an accredited online school.
It has a heavy STEM focus.
What I like most about it is that it has a community support page for parents and parent instruction videos.
This program is not only focused on the subjects, but also on the homeschool challenges and experience.

*This is a secular program.

Subject Specific Websites

General, overall curricula and programs are easy.
However, if you choose programs that are specific to a subject, you will usually get better quality.
The downside,  it is more costly and takes more time to put together various programs to create a yearly plan for your child.

Math: Art of Problem Solving :
I love problem solving, so this had me just by its name!
This site is specifically for students in grades 5-12.
It is a very comprehensive math site, including a math olympiad training program.

Science: Mystery Science :
This site is for K-5.
What I love about this site may be a turn off for many homeschoolers.
It shows the lessons and how they align to state standards.
Many teachers use these lessons in their classrooms.
What I like about this is if you are not committed to homeschooling “for life,” you can easily make sure that your child knows what they need to so that they have an easy transition back into regular schooling.
It has a “hands on” science approach with many experiments and answers to questions kids would ask.

Language Arts: Read, Write, Think:
I love this site.
It was created by English teachers.
It has rubrics (I love rubrics) to teach your child how to write a persuasive paper, for example.
The only downside, in my opinion, is that their website is outdated and a little difficult to navigate.

Challenge Your Child Supplement Their Learning Keep Them Engaged Over Break

The Possum’s Tale is a complete learning unit.

• Digital, interactive book that is fun!
• FREE navigational plan comes with the digital book to help your chid find 51 hidden clues and solve the puzzle of the entire book.
• 6 learning units, for each grade level or age grouping.
• Each learning unit has a lesson in: Grammar, Comprehension, Writing, Art/Fun, and Social Emotional Learning.
• Mulitple activities for each lesson!

GET HERE!

Interactive and Engaging
Digital Book with 51 Hidden Objects and a Puzzle!

Individual Lessons, Activities or Worksheets

Sometimes your child just needs a review.
Other times, you may want to do a deeper dive into a specific subject.
I love these sites for grabbing some great worksheets or individual lessons.

Khan Academy :
Offers free video lessons and interactive exercises for a wide range of subjects, including math, science, history, arts, and more.
They also offer a Khan Academy Kids.
The best thing about Khan is it is absolutely free.

TeachersPayTeachers:
This site has almost anything you could dream of.
I went on it quickly and there is a project based learning unit that centers around a hot cocoa stand.
There are free resources as well as units that cost more.
I also like the fact that if you find a unit you have in another resource, does not cover a specific topic as well as you would like, you can add to it from this site.

Education.com :
The best thing about this site is you can get, I believe, 3 free lessons a month.
t is a great resource to implement a program you already have.
The website is very user friendly.
The menu includes: worksheets, lesson plans, games, science projects and more.
Once you have chosen what you are looking for you can choose the grade level and subject matter.

Websites You Can Build Lessons Around

This category sounds odd, however, there are several fabulous websites out there that are educational that you can create a lesson around.
For example, Project Gutenberg is a vast free online library.
There are 25 pages of free fairy tales.
You could find, or create, a lesson plan online to go with one.

NASA for Students :
Does your child love all things space?
NASA has developed a fabulous site for families.
It has science experiments, videos, Earth science, Astronomy and Planetary exploration and so much more.

TED:
Features educational videos and lessons on a wide range of topics.
This site lets you build a lesson around any TED talk, TED-Ed resource, or YouTube video.
You can also find and use existing lessons on a variety of topics. 

Crash Course:
Crash Course offers a collection of educational YouTube channels covering subjects like history, science, literature, and more.
Hosted by engaging presenters, these videos provide concise overviews of various topics, making them suitable for supplementing homeschool curriculum.

Websites That Use Gamification:

These websites use game-like elements to make learning more engaging and fun.
I love anything that can make learning fun.

Prodigy:
Prodigy is a math and English platform that uses a role playing game format (RPG) to engage students.
It adapts to each student’t skill level to provide fun and interactive ways to reinforce concepts. 
This site is very proud of how it aligns to core strands.
It says it follows the common core requirements through 6th grade for writing, I do not see how in their example online.
If you have this, I would love to know how they have the students learn to write?

Adventure Academy:
Wow! This website is beautiful.
Students can create their own character.
They then enter a virtual world.
It covers subject like math, language arts, social studies, and science.
It offers quests, games, and activities to keep students engaged.
This one says it helps your child learn to be a writer, so I am curious how it does this.
If it can do everything, this is a very engaging and affordable  program.

ABCmouse:
ABCmouse is intended for younger learners, however, if you go to the link, you can also enter ABCacademy which is for ages 8 – 13.
This is the program that everyone talks about on their blogs.
It offers a comprehensive curriculum for math, reading, science, and art.
It has very engaging aspects in addition to the typical gamification elements, like an aquarium, interactive farm, and an interactive zoo.
My only concern, which is a personal one, is that it is intended for kiddos ages 2-8.
If you read “Healthy Screen Time” you will see that children under the age of 2 should not be using screens, at all.
And children ages 2-5 should have NO MORE than one hour of high quality screen time a day, and never without you.

*As an aside-if you are thinking this one hour of screen time is impossible!
I also wrote “Unplugged and Happy: 100 Hobbies Your Kids Will Love More Than Screens.“

Social Learning Websites

Social learning websites can provide homeschoolers with opportunities to interact with peers, collaborate on projects, and engage in group discussions.
My favorite “way” to homeschool is in a co-op.
In this format, students get the much craved for interaction with others, and as parents, you can teach one subject that are passionate about, which is one of these options.

Outschool:
This site offers a wide range of online classes taught by independent educators.
These classes cover various subjects and interests, allowing students to interact with teachers and classmates in virtual classrooms.
It’s a great platform for supplementing homeschool curriculum and engaging in social learning experiences.

K12:
K12 did not “make the cut” for my online curricula, simply because it is an online school, not a program.
If you do want to compare “what is out there” look at this site: it offers a lot.
The socialization page is exciting. This site offers online forums and discussions for students to form communities around shared interests with peers from across the country. It also has virtual field trips and school based clubs.

Homeschool Co-ops and Local Groups (various platforms): Many homeschooling families organize co-ops and local groups for social interactions and collaborative learning. Platforms like Facebook Groups, Meetup, and local homeschooling associations often provide information about these gatherings. Participating in these groups can allow homeschoolers to engage with others.

Multimedia Learning Websites

Multimedia resources can greatly enhance the homeschooling experience by providing interactive and engaging content.
Sometimes these can be confused with the Gamified sites. 
Usually multimedia means videos, movies, quizzes, and flash cards or other interactive learning.

BrainPOP:
BrainPOP offers educational animated videos on a wide range of subjects, including science, social studies, math, English, arts, and more.
Each video is accompanied by quizzes, activities, and additional resources to reinforce learning.

National Geographic Kids :
This website offers educational resources on various subjects, including geography, science, and history.
It includes videos, articles, and interactive activities that are designed to engage young learners.
It has a very user friendly website.
One of my favorite “places to go” on the site is “Weird But True!”

Discovery Education: 
This is an amazing site.
The only problem is I cannot see how to sign up as a parent/homeschooler.
I did find that discoveryk12.com (if it is the same thing) offers an almost complete curriculum: reading, language arts, math, history, science, visual/performing arts, and physical education and is only $99 per student per year.
This is definitely worth checking out!

Special Learning Websites

This category is for topics that I wanted to include that did not fit anywhere else.

Foreign Language: Duolingo:
This free language app is available for iPhone, Android, and the web and offers fun and engaging lessons for a variety of languages.
Duolingo is a great option for homeschooling parents who want their kids to learn a new language but need a more affordable option than tutoring or language classes. 
There are a lot of options out there.
I actually use Rocket Languages and love it, however, it is not interactive.
If you are able to pay for a foreign language program Little Pim tops the list for younger children and Fun Easy Learn is the choice for older children.

Challenged Learner: Little Wooden Toybox:
This site is for parents with young children who have Autism and ADHD.
It has printables that are designed to engage your child that offer emotional regulation, early education skills, and life skills.

Challenged Learner: Right Brain Learning System:
I like this site.
Diane has her email if you have any questions.
Chances are you will.
While her methods are said to really help the challenged learner, they can be bit complicated to follow.
When I looked at the “Daily Lesson Plan for a Struggling Reader” I saw a lot of text.
So, as long as you, mom are not challenged, this will be a fabulous place to start.

In the realm of homeschooling, there’s a wealth of educational websites waiting to be explored!
Depending on how you approach your search, it can be a battle or a fun journey discovering the ones that you want to use.
Consider websites that match your child’s style and passion while offering fun, interactive content.
Pick websites that are easy to use, cost-friendly, and offer the lessons you want.
Remember, keep an eye on your child’s online activities to ensure they’re using these resources responsibly.
With the right websites, your child can explore a world of learning tailored to their unique needs.

“First rule of the Internet… do *not* read the comments. Should’ve told you that.” ~Yess in “Ralph Breaks the Internet”