I get a lot of questions from parents who are considering homeschooling and just beginning their journey. We're just beginning our journey too (this is the year Z would have gone to kindergarten if she was attending public school) although we have known for years that we wanted to homeschool. Since Jeremiah and I tend to do a lot of reading, both online and in print, to support whatever project we happen to be taking on, we have collected a pretty substantial list of learning resources we have found very useful as we have begun homeschooling, and I wanted to share some of them with you - our favorite homeschooling books, forums, blogs, and websites - beginning today. The great thing about good homeschooling resources is that the activity-oriented books are also good enrichment resources any family can use, regardless of the context of their child's "main" education, so there should be something useful here for anyone who wants to better engage with their child on their learning path.

Getting started

These are the best homeschooling books we have read for the determining your goals and clarifying your perspective on the potential and challenges of homeschooling as you decide if this option is right for your family.

Teach Your Own by John Holt. if you're only going to read one introductory homeschooling book, it should be this one.

Understanding Waldorf Education: Teaching from the Inside Out by Jack Petrash

The Unschooling Handbook: How to Use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom by Mary Griffith

The Homeschooling Book of Answers: The 101 Most Important Questions Answered by Homeschooling's Most Respected Voices by Linda Dobson

Homeschooling: The Early Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 3- to 8-Year-Old Child by Linda Dobson

Books for homeschoolers and public school families

These books have learning ideas useful for any family, whether it is for homeschooling or to supplement education that occurs outside of the home. We have and love the first three titles, and are very interested in and have heard good things about the other three.

The Complete Home Learning Source Book: The Essential Resource Guide for Homeschoolers, Parents, and Educators Covering Every Subject from Arithmetic to Zoology by Rebecca Rupp

Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves: Transforming Parent-child Relationships from Reaction and Struggle to Freedom, Power and Joy by Naomi Aldort

Playful Parenting by Lawrence J. Cohen

Family Math for Young Children by Jean Kerr Stenmark

1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up by Julia Eccleshare

The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas: 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Ages 3-12by Linda Dobson

Internet resources

Here are some great web resources - forums and traditional web publications - for homeschooling families.

• Learning at Home and Beyond forum at Mothering.com - discussion groups for all different types of homeschoolers


• EclecticHomeschool.org


• DonnaYoung.org Homeschool Printables and Resources - This site has a ton of free printables - everything from lesson planners to math worksheets


• TheHomeschoolMom.com - More lesson plans and forms
  
• Home Education magazine site

Some of our favorite homeschooling blogs

We read a wide range of homeschooling blogs, and find great ideas on so many of them. But these are a few we have found that regularly provide us with inspiration, insight, and ideas into the art and habits of child-centered learning.

• 5 Orange Potatoes


• Camp Creek Blog


• Handbook of Nature Study


• Wee Folk Activities

Are you considering homeschooling, or homeschooling your children already? Do you have any favorite resources to share? Tell us in the comments!