Useful Sites and Educational Links

Here is an ever growing list of links associated with home schooling and resources for home schooling parents and those who would like to provide educational opportunities to their children. ENJOY! 

Note: All of these are links to external websites. WISDOM is not responsible for any content accessed by the below links.

ART RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS 

• Art for Kids Hub - Here you’ll find all kinds of art lessons for kids, including how to draw for kids, even painting and origami for kids. (NEW)
• KinderArt - The goal of KinderArt® has been and always will be, to make art lessons accessible to everyone. (NEW)
• NurtureStore Art Lessons - Looking for online art lessons for your children? This free homeschool art curriculum gives you a year of creative lessons that include art history for kids and lots of new art techniques. (NEW)
• Teach Art At Home - Your art instruction resource for self-learners and home schoolers. You will find homeschool art curriculum, online art courses, and free art projects. (NEW)

BIBLE RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Adventures in Odyssey - Adventures in Odyssey is an award-winning, original audio drama series created for ages 8-12 and enjoyed by the whole family. (NEW)
• Audio Bible Stories - Grandmother and experienced Bible teacher Joelee Chamberlain originally recorded these audio overviews of books of the Bible for her grandchildren. (NEW) 
• The Bible Project - We are a crowdfunded project that produces media to help people everywhere experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus.  Free. (NEW)
• The Bible Project on Youtube - Experience the Bible’s unified story. (NEW)
• U B David + I’ll B Jonathan - Free Bible-based correspondence program has helped thousands of children, youth and adults build godly character and grow strong in the Christian faith.. (NEW)
• Bible Stories for Kids - Signup to receive Kids Corner's faith forming weekly devotions, Bible stories, Liz & Friends podcast, Kids in Action videos, and more. (NEW)

BLOG FAVORITES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Grace Grow Edify - Creating strong roots at home through faith and education
• Hip Homeschool Moms - Huge website of tips and encouragement for homeschoolers.
• Homeschool Your Boys - My desire is that Homeschool Your Boys will be a place where parents are inspired to teach their sons in a way which will most engage their minds and their hearts.
• Live Life with Your Kids – Wherever you turn on this blog, you’ll find encouragement to be intentional, relational and heart focused in all areas of family life.
• Our Homeschool Life - My goal is to support your homeschooling lifestyle with resources, tips, and encouragement.
• Practical Pages – This Charlotte Mason–inspired blog is a treasure trove of practical tips, art & projects & free pages.
• Raising Arrows - Large Family Homeschool Life
• Rock Your Homeschool - Learning doesn’t have to be boring or stressful. Find out how to make it a positive experience for your kids & you!
• Simple Homeschool - I love the advantages homeschooling gives my kids, and this lifestyle fits perfectly with who we are as a family.
• Table Life Blog - All the small things we do in our homeschools each day add up to something big.
• This Reading Mama - Hi! I’m Becky, a homeschooling mama with 4 blessings who keep me on my toes (and knees).

BOOK LISTS for HOME SCHOOLERS 

• Ambleside Online Book List for 1 -12 - A very complete list of books to read.
• 50 Best Alphabet Books - Alphabet books are an easy way to introduce your child to letters.
• 48 Children’s Books that Inspire Family History - A beautiful list of books that remind all of us of the importance of the family members who came before us. (NEW)
• Good & the Beautiful Book Lists - The Good and the Beautiful Book List has helped countless families bring uplifting, clean, parent-approved books into their homes! (NEW)
• The Great Big List of Ocean Books for Kids - This great big list of ocean books is just what you need!
• Living Books List - A list of living books for all ages and reading levels, organized and searchable. 
• Mensa For Kids Excellence in Reading - The Mensa Foundation is providing a year-round challenge to kids of all ages..
• 100+ Books to Fight Back the Culture (Preschool through Grade 12) - A reading list of great books for young and older children, the kind that contain wholesome adventure and inspire a heart to courageous living. (NEW)
• Picture Books for Every Month of the Year - Read Aloud Revival’s recommended list. “If you want your kids to fall in love with books, and you want to fall in love with homeschooling, you’re in the right place.” (NEW)
• Preschool Science Books - My favorite preschool books that will inspire our youngest scientists.
• Readaloud Revival Booklists - “You are the best person to help your kids learn and grow, and home is the best place to fall in love with books.”
• Reshelving Alexandria - Welcome to our collection of good, true, and beautiful titles for you to consider for your family’s home library. (NEW)
• 74 of the Best Medieval Books for Kids - A list of the best medieval books for kids that will probably provide more books than you will have time to read! (NEW)
• 63 Family Readaloud Favorites - We are avid readers in our home, and these are our favorite books. 
• 27 Nonfiction Books for Preschoolers - I’m always seeking out the best books to share with you that will work for your needs.
• Ultimate List of Classic Chapter Books to Read Aloud with Your Kids - These 50 chapter book picks are child and parent approved, and make for excellent family read-alouds!

BOOKS AVAILABLE ONLINE 

• Books Vooks - Millions of Books from Top Authors Available for free reading in the Niche of your choice. (*Needs Parental Supervision - but has thousands of children & youth  books available free online.) (NEW)
• Google Books - Search the world’s most comprehensive index of full-text books.   (*Needs Parental Supervision - but has thousands of children & youth  books available free online.) (NEW)
• Gutenberg – over 49,000 free books for download
• How to Access Books from Universities in Alberta - First, choose your local Library system and then do a search for the book you want.
• LibriVox - Free Public Domain Audiobooks (Read by volunteers from around the world!) (NEW)
• Open Library - Open Library is a universal catalog for book metadata. Our goal is to create a web page for every book ever published. (*Needs Parental Supervision - but has thousands of children & youth books available free online.) (NEW)

BUSY BAGS for HOME SCHOOLERS 

• Busy Bags 101 - Busy bags are an awesome way to keep toddlers and preschooler quietly occupied.
• Busy Toddler - A HUGE site with tons of busy bag activities. Great site. (NEW)
• Tried and True Busy Bags - Busy bags are for times when little ones need to be kept busy for a few moments.
• Wooden Toddler Busy Box - Busy boxes are really a win win. They’re entertaining for toddlers and help mom stay sane.

CAREER PLANNING for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Career Aptitude Test - This free career aptitude test can give you insight into your job personality. (NEW)
• Career Fit - We all know that there’s more to being a good fit for a job than just how smart you are and your personality type.
• Career Fitter - The Career Test trusted by Companies, Universities, and Human Resource Departments around the world. (NEW)
• Career Insite - This is your one-stop guide to career planning. You’ll find everything you need to plan your work and learning here.
• Career Profiles - A website that provides a summary of thousands of potential careers including the average salary, work hours, employment rate, and entry-level educational requirements. (NEW)
• Career Test - Recommendations for great new careers that best match your answers.  (NEW)
• My Blueprint - Simple student portfolios and career education resources.
• Occupational Outlook Handbook - It provides a summary of thousands of potential careers including the average salary, work hours, employment rate, to help a person determine if a degree and/or job is a good fit. (American, but it might be useful.) (NEW)

CATHOLIC RESOURCES FOR HOME SCHOOLERS

• Blue Mantle - Blue Mantle Educational Supplies is a family business promoting and supporting a homeschool lifestyle as well as a Catholic way of life.. (NEW)
• Catholic All Year - I have a great devotion to celebrating the liturgical year in the home. (NEW)
• Catholic Home Schooling (the Complete Guide) - I'm Elizabeth. Protestant turned Catholic. Devoted wife. Mother of 4. Homeschooling mama. (NEW)
• Take Up And Read - Read and reflect on the weekly scripture with us. (NEW)

CHRISTMAS RESOURCES & MORE for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Christmas Around the World - Our free Christmas Around the World unit studies each last five days. Other than a recipe on the 5th day, they require zero prep or purchases. (NEW)
• Christmas I Spy Printable Worksheets - Free printable christmas worksheets. 
• Christmas Jokes for Kids (Paper Chain Countdown) - kids will love listening to a new Christmas joke each day.
• Christmas Unit Study Resources - Shared in WISDOM’s TLC eLetter #5
• Snowman Painted Rocks - “Here’s a fun craft idea for winter – paint some snowman rocks!” (Also good for a Busy Bag activity)

CURRENT EVENTS FOR HOMESCHOOLERS 

• CNN 10 Student News - CNN’s 10 minutes of World News Coverage (for grades 6 to 12) *Reviewing each episode is recommended.  Free (NEW)
• Current Events (& Christian Worldview) for Your Teens - Here are resources to study current events with high schoolers and middle schoolers. (NEW)
• DoGo News - DOGO has grown into the leading global literacy platform used by millions of students and English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. (NEW)
• KidNuz Podcast - Today’s top stories and current events - all non partisan and age appropriate. To engage kids in current events, encourage critical thinking and spark meaningful conversations. (NEW)
• PragerU - PragerU offers a free alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education. (NEW)
• World Watch News - A 10 minute news show designed for teens that is far from what is on most networks today. Christian.  (Free week trial. $7.99 month / $79.99 yr) (NEW)

CURRICULUM REVIEWS for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Cathy Duffy Homeschool Curriculum Reviews - Cathy Duffy has been reviewing curriculum for the homeschooling community since 1984. 
• Home School Base – curriculum reviews for all subject areas.

CURRICULUM SUPPLIERS for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Please click here for WISDOM’s list of curriculum suppliers

EDUCATIONAL EXTRAS for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Collective Nouns for Animals - Why are names of animal groups often so weird or funny? One reason is that many of these collective animal group names originated in medieval times, especially the English hunting tradition. 
• Easy Woodworking for Kids - Here are some of my favorite woodworking projects for kids
• Happy Birthday Coloring Page - Celebrate birthdays with these super cute free printable Happy Birthday Coloring Pages
• How to Make Your Own Visual Reading List - We have been making visual reading lists for a few years now and they really help my kids. I spend the summer choosing books for each child and then compile the book covers on a page.  (NEW)
• Keepers of Home - After-school Online Enrichment Program - Here, your child will find a variety of fun and educational endeavors such as drawing, knitting, youth career coaching and more.  (NEW)

ELEMENTARY RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• The Amazing - Incredible Handwriting Worksheet Maker - Make full-page custom handwriting worksheets in seconds!  (NEW)
• Around the World I Spy Worksheets – Help kids start to learn about countries around the world with these super cute, free printable I spy worksheets.
• Continent Song 1 - Easy educational Extra.
• Continent Song 2 - Teach the kids how to sing the Continents!
• Countries Around the World – Explore other countries around the world with these super cute, free printable country coloring pages!
• Five in a Row Lesson Plans - Please note that these resources are meant to complement, not replace, the Five in a Row units. *EXCELLENT! (NEW)  
• The Dad Lab - TheDadLab has quickly become an online sensation. Also on Youtube and Facebook. (Science, crafts and play.) (NEW)
• How to Play the Kaboom Game - This game can be used for multiple subject areas and to practice many concepts for any grade level. (NEW)
• Kaboom Game Ideas - Find a way to use Kaboom! to teach/review EVERY content area, or any targeted skill. (NEW)
• Magic Tree House Activities - Every two weeks a group of bloggers will do an activity based on the book. That means that in 24 weeks we will go through 12 books. *Ages 6 - 9 (NEW)
• Magic Tree House Travel Map - The Magic Tree House books help to teach history and geography. (Great for transitioning from early readers to longer chapter books.) To go along with the series we have been filling in a Where in the World? Magic Tree House Map and now you can too. (NEW)

ENCOURAGEMENT & TIPS for HOME SCHOOLERS

• A Typical Home School Week - The images below help give you some ideas on what a typical week can look like for different families, ages and stages.
• Build Your Home School Treasure Chest - A homeschool treasure chest is where you store the gems of your homeschooling adventures.
• Choose Peace Over Productivity - Peace is THE goal of our days.
• Dot Marker Printables – SO many printables to choose from!
• Five Secrets to Add Fun to your Homeschool Every Day! - 5 secrets for adding fun to your homeschool.
• Five Ways to Manage Home and School - A great list of ideas to help organize your home school and home..
• Giant Chore List for Kids - Giving children chores from an early age helps them learn essential lessons of life — responsibility, self-reliance, and work ethic.
• Hackschooling Makes Me Happy - A Ted Talk - When 13 year-old Logan LaPlante grows up, he wants to be happy and healthy.  (NEW)
• Homeschooling Pre-teen Boys: 8 Guidelines that Bring Peace – Some of these ideas could work for teenagers, too!
• How to Use Your Happy Planner to Plan Your Homeschool - This is a great tutorial page on how to set up a Happy Planner for your home school needs.
• Just do the Math - A child can learn math - all of it grades K through 12 - in eight weeks.” (NEW)
• 100 Great Things About Homeschool - a great list of all the things that are best about homeschooling your children!
• Our Secret to Keeping Toys Organized - These strategies have resulted in my kiddos being less overwhelmed and me doing a whole lot less angry cleaning.
• Random Acts of Kindness Calendars - Each Kindness Calendar is full of fun ideas inspired by the different month and season. Find simple and creative ways to spread kindness around your community or even the world.  (NEW)
• RSA ANIMATE: Changing Education Paradigms - This RSA Animate was adapted from a talk given at the RSA by Sir Ken Robinson (NEW)
• Sir Ken Robinson *Do Schools Kill Creativity?* - Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity. (Ted Talk video - 21 million views) (NEW)
• 10 Things that Make a Great Homeschool Day - “What would your day look like if everything went well?"
• The Baby IS the Lesson - I thought I was trying to teach Math, but in reality I had been teaching how an adult values the precious gift of children.

• What is a Morning Basket? - All ages can homeschool together doing activities like reading aloud, studying the arts, or even efficiently combining students for subjects.

FALL RESOURCES & EXTRAS for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Fall Learning Activity Ideas - Baking, reading, field trips and STEM activities
• 20 Easy Fun Crafts for Preschoolers - These projects are simple, cheap, quick, and super fun to do!  (NEW)

FINANCES & FRUGAL LIVING RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS 

• A Candle in the Window Hospitality Network - A Candle in the Window Hospitality Network is a growing network of Christian households delighting in hospitality. (1 year membership - $50 US) (NEW)

• Kids Money for Teachers - Here you’ll find important financial topics to cover by grade level, downloadable lesson plans, fun activities and games, and much more. (NEW)
• Hidden Secrets of Money Series by Mike Maloney - Watch to learn about gold and silver, central banking, wealth cycles, deficit spending, monetary history, the financial crisis, the fiscal cliff, the debt ceiling and more. Recommended by a WISDOM Mom.  (NEW)

FREE RESOURCES FOR HOME SCHOOLERS (NEW)

• Master List of Free Homeschool Curriculum for All Ages - Did you know that you can homeschool for free? (NEW)
• My Top 10 Favorite Free Homeschool Sites - For our family so far, homeschooling has been a great fit.. (NEW)

GAMESCHOOLING for HOME SCHOOLERS

• A Master List of Games - There is a game for almost any concept or subject area and we keep a huge collection in our home.
• A Simple Homeschool Challenge: A Book + A Game Each Day of the Month - A book and a game a day means I call our homeschool day a success as long as we manage to read one book and play one game.  (NEW)
• Best Educational Games - One of my best homeschool tips is to play while learning. 
• Best Math Board Games for Kids - This list of board games for kids includes card games, board games, and dice games that are both fun to play and will sharpen children’s (and adult’s!) math skills.  (NEW) 
• Gameschooling 101 - Discover the joys of gameschooling and how it can boost learning at home.
• Periodic Table Game for Kids - Need an idea for teaching the Periodic Table of Elements to Kids? 
• 10,000 Dice Game Rules and Scoring - It’s a fun and easy game that’s simple to play with a group of people.
• The 30 Best Games for Family Game Night - This list is different. My family has been testing board games with our crew of six for more than 10 years, then roping friends and neighbors into testing our favorites too. (NEW)
• Twenty Card Games for Families - These are games to play with a deck of cards that kids can learn and families can play together. (NEW)
• Sticks Card Game - This is a variation of a card game "Phase 10" with random challenges on sticks. (It also makes a great homemade gift!)
• The Ultimate Guide to Gameschooling - Rather than playing games occasionally just for fun, gameschooling families see them as essential to their homeschool daily activities. (NEW)

GEOGRAPHY RESOURCES FOR HOME SCHOOLERS 

• Scratch the World Travel Map - Keep track of the countries you study, read about or travel to - using this map. Simply *scratch* off the coating. (Purchase online) (NEW)
• Scrunch Map - This long lasting map of the world can be easily folded or "scrunched" Into the included storage pouch. (Purchase online) (NEW)
• Worldle - This country outline identification game is pretty clever and really well built (and incredibly simple). (NEW)

GRADUATION IDEAS for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Celebrating Home School Graduates - It is our hope you will find inspiration to celebrate and honor your graduate in a memorable way unique to your child and your family. (NEW)
• Easy Graduation Tassel Ornament - A lovely way to commemorate your Home School teen’s graduation! (NEW)
• Five Lessons I Learned From Our Home School Graduations - There are so many lessons I learned from both of my sons’ homeschool graduations. I hope my thoughts will inspire you as you walk this path with your own children. (NEW)
• Home School Graduation Guide - Whether you’re planning a small ceremony for a few close friends, or a larger event, we hope this guide will equip you to create a meaningful graduation ceremony. We know our future leaders are among our homeschool graduates. (NEW)
• Twenty One Home School Graduation Ideas - I’ve gathered 21 amazing homeschool graduation ideas that will help your family to celebrate old traditions and make new memories. (NEW)

HIGH SCHOOL RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Chemistry Tutorials - We provide easy to follow chemistry tutorials, articles on elements, science experiments, an interactive periodic table, and more. (NEW) 
• GPA Calculator (Fast Transcript)
• High School is Actually the Best Part of Homeschooling - I want to tell you what you don’t often hear: high school is actually the best part of homeschooling.
• Homeschooling High School: Taming the Fear - High school is looming, and I suddenly feel lost and full of fear. This homeschool terrain feels different.
• History for the Ages - Short History Lectures. (NEW)
• How Home Schooling Prepared Me to Excel in College - A WISDOM Graduate shares five ways homeschooling prepared her to excel in College. (NEW)
• 100+ Home School Teen Activities to Help Them Connect - Finding friends for your homeschooled teen can be a struggle. Lots of ideas here. (NEW)
• 100+ Ways to Socialize Home School Teens (Part 2) - Armed with our list of 100+ ideas, it’ll be a breeze to socialize homeschool teens from now on! (NEW) 
• Teach with Movies - TWM is a collection of lesson plans and curriculum materials in which movies are employed to inspire, inform and motivate students. 

HISTORY RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Christian History (12 volumes) – ‘The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years’ takes the reader on a journey spanning seven continents, dozens of empires and hundreds of nations.
• Mystery of History is a chronological, Christian, complete world history curriculum. Easy-to-use, historically accurate, and Christ-centered.
• Story of the World – Suitable for early and middle grades.
• The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide – A resource book for teaching geography to children in kindergarten through twelfth grade.

HOME EDUCATION METHODS for HOME SCHOOLERS 

• Home Education Methods - Discover the strengths of each approach, points to consider and resources to learn even more. (NEW)

HOME EDUCATION SUPPORT for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Alberta Home Education Association  - AHEA acts as a liaison between home educators and the Provincial Government with a focus on preserving the rights and freedoms of homeschooling parents in Alberta.
• Alberta Homeschooling Association - (AHA) Alberta Homeschooling Association is a non-profit community of people interested in homeschooling and home-based education in Alberta. 
• The Canadian Homeschooler - MY MISSION: To help Canadian homeschooling families connect with each other and also with companies and resources that will help them on their learning journey from start to finish.
• Home School Legal Defense Association – Expert legal support, insurance coverage, and advice from our experienced staff are just some of the many benefits of joining HSLDA.
• Statistical Research on Homeschooling - Focuses on homeschooling research, homeschool facts, homeschool fast facts, and in-depth scholarly articles.

HOME SCHOOL PHILOSOPHIES 

• How to Use Delight Directed Learning to Simplify Your Homeschool - This is very effective in accomplishing my goals for an enjoyable, sustainable homeschool model. (NEW) 
• What is Delight Directed Homeschooling? - The simple answer to that question is “teaching your students according to their interests and passions.” (NEW) 

HOME SCHOOL RESOURCES FOR MULTIPLE SUBJECTS

• Brainpop – Transform passive screen time into active learning with movies and quizzes on 1,100+ topics. (Check out the Family Plan!)
• Daily, Weekly and Monthly Holidays – Add some fun into your homeschool by celebrating some of these holidays.
• Free Coloring Pages – by an Albertan artist
• FunBrain Games (K to Grade 8)
• Fun-Schooling - A delightful homeschooling method for active, curious, and creative children for all ages.
• Gimkit - Games really helped me become engaged in school. That's why I built Gimkit — to be the kind of game I'd want to play in class. (Game Show Quiz style for any subject.) (NEW)
• Homeschool Buyers' Co-op - get discounts on popular resources
• Kahoot! - It only takes minutes to create a learning game or trivia quiz on any topic, in any language.  Host a live game with questions on a big screen or share a game with remote players. (NEW)
• Number Nut Online Quizzes
• Shepherds Software – hundreds of free online games for all subjects
• Teach with Movies - TWM is a collection of lesson plans and curriculum materials in which movies are employed to inspire, inform and motivate students. 
• Toy Theater (Elementary Educational Games for Kids)
• What in the World (memberships are available through WISDOM)

INFORMATION - ALBERTA EDUCATION RESOURCES

• Alberta Education Resources

INTERNET SAFETY FOR EVERYONE (NEW)

• Be Internet Awesome Review (with a link to Interland) - A fun way to help kids learn about internet safety, privacy and security. (NEW)
• Connect Safely - Parent’s Guide to Snapchat, Discord, Roblox and so much more. (NEW)
• Family Contracts for Online Safety - Here are pledges that kids, teens and parents can agree on. They can be printed out and signed by both parties. (NEW)
• How to Make Google Search Safer or More Precise - Google offers lots of search options, including “SafeSearch”. (NEW)
• Internet Safe Training (for parents) - These courses provide you with all you need to create a safe, fun and productive cyber-environment within your home. ($$) (NEW)
• Online Safety for Kids - The Canada Safety Council is now offering online safety training courses for kids! ($) (NEW) 
• Online Safety Quiz - The Online Safety Quiz is your chance to show that you know how to be a safe Internet surfer. (NEW) 
• Safe Kids - SafeKids.com is one of the oldest and most enduring sites for Internet safety. (NEW)
• Why No Internet Safety Course for Kids and Parents? - To keep your children safe on the internet, connect to their digital lives whether you like it or not. (NEW)

KINDERGARTEN RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• How to Homeschool Kindergarten: 6 Essentials for a Successful Year - Kindergarten is for covering the basics, living in a literature-rich environment, and cultivating curiosity. 
• Virtual Book Club for Kids - Get ideas for activities, crafts and recipes based on popular themes and featured books to inspire you to connect and create with your children. (NEW)

LEARNING STYLE RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS 

• 8 Types of Learning Styles - Every student has a strategy they use to remember information more efficiently while studying. (NEW)
• How to Embrace Different Learning Styles in Home Schooling - We recommend learning more about the types of learning styles and how your child learns best. (NEW)
• What is Your Learning Style? - A Self Assessment for Students and Parents. (NEW)

LEGO LINKS for HOMESCHOOLERS

• Build a Lego Tiny Neighborhood - Here’s a LEGO building idea that is so much fun! Use your bricks to build a tiny neighborhood. (NEW)
• Homeschooling Using LEGO Bricks - Do as we do in our homeschool—act out important events from history. 
• 8 Creative, Simple Ways to Homeschool with LEGO - Do your kids love LEGO too? 
• Teeny Tini Mini Lego Projects to Build - Build some teeny tiny LEGO® projects like tiny vehicles, tiny animals, little bitty robots, and more!
• More Teeny Tiny Mini Lego Projects - We’re back with more teeny tiny mini LEGO® projects to build! 
• Build a LEGO Number Line - These number line activities will feel more like play than learning, which is always a win for math time.
• Lego Animal Mosaic Building Cards - There are 8 different animals to build, and the ideas will also inspire kids to create their own designs!

MATH RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Boddle - Foster a love for Math (NEW) 
• Chegg ($18.95 a month – Homework help and Exam Prep)
• Discover 6 of the Best Math Card Games for Kids - Whether you’re looking for some easy card games to provide consolidation of a concept you have already taught, or even as a way to emphasize number facts; I’m sharing my top 6 math games with cards. (NEW)
• Hooda Math Games – 500 Math Games for all ages
• Illuminations – Educational Online Exercises (K-12)
• IXL (memberships are available through WISDOM) -. IXL provides unlimited practice in more than 6000 math and English language arts topics. 
• Jet Ski Addition - Do you know addition facts through 12? Can you add numbers in your head? (NEW)
• Khan Academy – Empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom.
• Life of Fred – Each section tells part of the life of Fred Gauss.
• Math Blaster - Do you have what it takes to save the Galaxy? ($29.95 Life Time Membership) (NEW)
• Math Enhancement Program - It includes lesson plans, practice books, answer keys, and Year End Reviews for Years 1 through 6. Very thorough resource and some solid math. (NEW)
• Math Playground (K to Grade 6) - Math Playground was created for students who needed a fun way to practice math facts. Math Playground has grown to include problem solving and mathematical art to real world math and thinking games. (NEW)
• Math Game Time (Pre-K to Grade 7) - Our games are fun, educational and trustworthy.  Math Game Time was created by educators to help kids succeed.  Our goal is to provide a fun, educational playground for students in Pre-K through 7th grade to excel in math.
• Math Guy - MathGuy.us was created to provide FREE MATERIALS for use by math students, parents and teachers.(NEW)
• )Math is Fun Multiplication Drills - We offer mathematics in an enjoyable and easy-to-learn manner, because we believe that mathematics is fun. K to 12
• Math Nook (K to Grade 12) - Tons of online math games.
• Math-U-See Placement Tests
• Multiplication.com – All games center around learning the multiplication tables.
• Prodigy Math - Every battle brings more skill-building math questions for students to solve.(NEW)
• The Twenty+ BEST Math Card Games - A great way to engage kids who would otherwise loathe math practice is to play a game. Here you will find some of my favorite math card games, organized by topic! (NEW)
• The Ultimate Homeschool Math Comparison - A great blog comparing many homeschool math curriculums.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES for HOMESCHOOLERS

• 40 Ways to Relax in 5 Minutes or Less - We’ve rounded up 40 ways to relax and relieve stress, fast.
• Homeschool Burnout - What You Need to Know about Rest - Let me encourage you sweet mom. 
• Teaching from Rest - “Eventually, I felt the Lord leading me to let go of everything, to lay down everything I was doing, and start over from scratch. 
• 10 Simple Ways to Reset Your Mind, Body and Soul - My technique for getting out of a slump is to focus on doing things that are going to improve those areas of your life.
• The 3 R’s of Homeschooling During Troubled Times - Three different Rs become essential to continue homeschooling with excellence or maybe simply with sanity.
• The Ultimate Guide to Doing a Brain Dump - One of the easiest time management hacks, especially for moms with anxiety, is doing a brain dump. 

NATURE STUDY RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• 1000 Hours Outside – The entire purpose of 1000 Hours Outside is to attempt to match screen time with nature time.
• Evergreen Nature Study - Evergreen trees can be found all over. So they make a great winter nature study topic for your homeschool. (NEW) 
• Handbook of Nature Study – Home of the Outdoor Hour Challenge
• How to Begin Nature Study with Your Kids - It’s a great way for kids to learn about the natural world through hands-on time outside, exploring. (NEW) 
• How to Go Hiking with Your Kids - One of the benefits of homeschooling that we truly enjoy is being able to travel whenever we want. (NEW) 
• Nature Calendar - Every month I get emails and messages from families that tell me how much these simple calendars inspire them to get outside. (NEW)
• Nature Study Freebies - Find great themed freebies on nature study for your homeschool: nature study notebooks, nature study journals, logs for nature study, and more.
• Nature Study Ideas - This 10-day series will help inspire you with nature study ideas that take a simple approach.
• 101 Nature Study Ideas for Homeschoolers - Welcome to a treasure trove of nature-inspired learning prompts.
• Spring Nature Study Ideas - Ten different ideas for nature study topics to learn this spring. (NEW) 
• Wild Kids Online Magazine - This month’s issue is 20 pages, in PDF form as always.  As always, it is 100% ad-free and absolutely free to print out, read online or send to your e-reader.(NEW)
• Winter Nature Study Ideas - Winter is an amazing time to get outdoors to learn more about nature, but you can also easily bring your winter nature study indoors too. (NEW) 

NEW TO HOMESCHOOLING (WHERE TO START)

• Homeschool Today - Getting Started - Every homeschool journey is different.  (NEW)
• The Ultimate Home School List of FREE Curriculum - There are tons of wonderful and free homeschooling curriculum options for preschool to highschool available. (NEW)
• Where to Start - Lots of blogs and tips from the Hip Homeschool Mom

PERSONALITY TESTS 

• Free Personality Test -  Learn how your personality type influences many areas of your life. (NEW)
• Homeschooler Personality Test - by The Smiling Homeschooler! - Find out what type of Homeschooler you are! (NEW)
• SHAPE - Spiritual / Ministry Test - This test combines your Spiritual gifts, Heart (passions), Abilities, Personality, and Experiences in order to help a person determine God's purposes for his/her life. (NEW)
• Spiritual Gifts Survey - This test helps a person determine which of the spiritual gifts listed in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10; 28-30, and Ephesians 4:11 are his/her most dominant. (NEW)

PHYS ED RESOURCES for HOMESCHOOLERS (NEW)

• BoBo Fitness on Youtube - You can use my videos for an at-home PE class or anytime you just need to burn some energy and have some fun! (NEW)
• OPEN (Online Physical Education Network) Active Home - OPEN has one mission: to improve the effectiveness of physical education for every child. (NEW)
• Glory to Glory Fitness -  We exist not only to bring hope to people’s health but to bring Glory to God in everything we do. (NEW)
• Homeschool PE: Outside the Box Options - PE stands for "physical education,” not only “physical exercise.” You can create the perfect homeschool physical education class for your child because it can be a helpful combination of education and exercise. (NEW)
• 100 Home School Phys Ed Ideas that are Fun and Easy - These 100+ physical education activities are easy and fun, and they’ll keep your kids active and healthy. (NEW)
• PE Bowman on Youtube - PE Bowman using his passions to fulfill his purpose, all in God’s timing. (NEW)
• 75 Ways to Love Phys Ed as a Home Schoolers - Exercising with children, tweens, and teens doesn’t require a lot of money or even specialized equipment. (NEW)

PODCASTS for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Brave Writer - The creator and owner of the podcast is a veteran homeschooling mom of five who has learned not to take life or homeschooling...too seriously. (NEW)
• Canada Homeschools Podcast - A great variety of podcasts.(NEW)
• Honey! I’m Homeschooling the Kids - A podcast that steps into alternative education, parenting, and living a fun, fuller family life. (Alberta Mom!) (NEW)
• It’s Not that Hard to Homeschool High School - Ann shares her own successes, strategies, and struggles from her experience homeschooling five ornery ordinary kids through graduation, and there are interviews with experts in all aspects of this journey. (NEW)
• Making Biblical Family Life Practical - Hal and Melanie address real world issues, current events, marriage, parenting, raising sons, and family life. (NEW)
• Papa’s Bible Stories - (Podcasts, Spotify, Audible and more) The stories are entirely Bible-based, scripture is quoted at every opportunity, and the kids are always pointed to the Bible as the authority. (NEW) 
• Raising Arrows - Learn how to manage your home and homeschool with practical, simple, guilt-free ideas from a mom of 10! (NEW)
• Raising Lifelong Learners - Join Colleen Kessler for interviews, audioblogs, tips, and encouragement to help your differently-wired kiddos become lifelong learners. (NEW)
• Readaloud Revival - Host Sarah MacKenzie has built an amazing community that encourage parents to build a family culture around books. (NEW)
• Schole Sisters - Classical education methods, the teachings of Charlotte Mason, and three friends who have the heart to encourage homeschooling moms to teach with leisure (schole).  (NEW)
• The Simple Homeschool Podcast - Helping you discover the unique style of home education that fits your unique family. (NEW)
• Simply Convivial - Focus your attention on Christ, on faithful stewardship and obedience, and on doing the right next thing. (NEW)
• The Smiling Homeschooler - This is the best podcast for homeschooling moms who need encouragement! Our goal is to help you smile more! (NEW)
• 36 Educational Podcasts for Homeschoolers with Teens - Free educational podcasts are a great way for homeschoolers to explore a variety of topics and current events, especially if you homeschool high school. (NEW)
• Sonlight Connections: A Homeschool Podcast - Join us for inspirational

conversations about literature based learning and general home education. (NEW)

• Stark Raving Dad - Welcome to the Life Without School podcast, where I help you and your children live the life you want to, not just the one you’re told you should. (NEW)
• 10 Minutes to a Better Homeschool - Pam Barnhill unpacks how to have a better homeschool 10 minutes at a time. Full of practical tips, stories, interviews, and inspiration. (NEW)
• Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network Shows - Lots of different hosts and programs. (NEW)
• The Ultimate Guide to Homeschool Podcasts - Listening to podcasts can be a great way for homeschool moms (and dads!) to receive encouragement, inspiration, and engage in self-education. (A HUGE list!) (NEW)
• Your Morning Basket - All your burning Morning Time questions answered right here -- every other Tuesday. (NEW)

POETRY TEA TIME for HOME SCHOOLERS 

• A Beginner’s Guide to Poetry Teatime - We’ve been doing poetry teatime for a couple years now, and it has become such a lovely tradition for us. (NEW)
• How to Begin a Simple Poetry Teatime in Your Homeschool - The basic ingredients for a successful poetry teatime are tea, treats, and poetry. That’s it. (NEW)
• How to Get Started with Poetry Teatime – Your whole family gathered around the table with a pot of tea and a stack of poetry (or picture) books.
• Themed Teatimes - This master list includes all of our themed Poetry Teatimes, perfect for the whole year! (NEW)
• The Ultimate Guide to Homeschool Poetry Tea Time - With our simple guide to poetry tea time, you and your kids will look forward to it every week!  (NEW)

PRESCHOOL RESOURCES for HOMESCHOOLERS

• ABC Activities for Early Learners - I love those early learning years! Finding unique ways to explore letters and numbers can be so fun.
• Alphabet Clothesline - This fun learning activity for preschoolers and kindergartners combines fine motor practice with learning the letters of the alphabet!
• Alphabet Match - Why not make learning letters a little more fun with these hands on free printable alphabet match pages?
• Duplo Math Games that Kids will Love - These games are perfect for preschoolers and kindergartners
• Fine Motor Skills Ideas - Add fine motor skill activities to your day to help your children strengthen their hands.
• Homeschooling Your Preschooler in 20 Minutes a Day! - Thinking about homeschooling your preschooler? It’s not hard. (NEW)
• How Long Should the Homeschool Preschool Day Last? - “Homeschooling gifts families with the ability to create routines that revolve around family life rather than attempting to fit family life in around their routines.”
• How to Paint with Kids - Wow, what good tips. Life changing.  (NEW)
• How to Plan a Homeschool Preschool Unit (without spending any money!) - I like to do age-appropriate unit studies that I know my preschoolers will enjoy.
• Muffin Tin Mondays - Basically you just use a muffin tin, load it up with a variety of different foods and serve the muffin tin as your child’s plate for lunch (or dinner).
• Name Sort Activity for Preschoolers - TP Name Sort Activity is great name recognition activity for preschoolers using toilet paper rolls! 
• Numerous Nifty Number Activities for Preschool - Some great number activities for preschoolers!
• Our Charlotte Mason Morning Basket for the Early Years - It also helps build your family bond and creates lifelong learners
• Preschool Crafts that are Positively Perfect - This is my main page which will house ALL of my preschool crafts. 
• Preschool Science Books - My favorite preschool books that will inspire our youngest scientists.
• Printable Alphabet Search Pages - Color the pictures, then search for the letters and circle them. There’s a page for each capital letter!
• 6 (Surprising) Ways to Prepare Your Littles for Learning - I think these six things stand out as preschool essentials!
• 10 Tips for the NEW Home Preschool Mom - If this is your first year of teaching home preschool, then I hope this post will be encouraging to you!!
• Tips for Teaching Letters and Letter Sounds - Welcome to Part 1 of Teaching the Alphabet!
• 25+ Super Easy Dot Stickers Learning Activities for Preschoolers - Dot stickers deserve a busy-mum-life-savior award. 
• The Ultimate Play Dough Kit - This ultimate DIY play dough kit for toddlers is perfect for learning and investigating. *It is also a homemade gift idea!
• What are the Best Materials for your Homeschool Preschool? - Here are some highly recommended preschool resources that I absolutely love.
• Why I Quit Homeschool Preschool and What I do Instead - The “preschool standards” can easily be taught while just living everyday life with your child!

PRINTABLES for HOMESCHOOLERS 

• Donna Young Printables and Resources - Donna Young was teaching her children at home, had bought a new internet capable computer, and decided to put her homeschool and household files online. (Two subscription options) (NEW)
• The Top 30 Homeschool Websites for Free Printables - We have curated a list of sites that we think can make homeschooling easier with free printables. (NEW)

PROGRAM PLANNING RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• WISDOM’s Education Program Plan - Your Education Program Plan (EPP) is your most important document. It defines your home education program, assures your authority, and prevents imposition of provincial testing. Your plan is flexible, and you may change it at any time in the year.
• My Child’s Learning – A Parent Resource – This resource will provide you with a better understanding of Alberta’s curriculum and related information for your child. 
• World Book Typical Course of Study – This American resource has a page showing what is taught in each grade. It is very helpful for putting together Program Plans for your child. (My favorite!)

READING RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Bob Books - The clean layout, short words, and simple phonics make learning to read a fun and natural step for a child that knows the alphabet.
• Explode The Code is a research-based, multisensory program geared to improving literacy with direct, systematic, phonics instruction. (A favorite!)
• Five Popular Homeschool Reading Curriculums Explained (& How to Choose)  Learn the features of all five curriculums, along with who they might be a good fit for and the cost of each one. Bonus tips on how to make learning to read less stressful (from a homeschool veteran).
• How to Read Aloud Everyday! - (by Sarah Mackenzie) I‘m convinced that the minutes and hours I spend reading to my children are the best invested moments of my entire life.
• How to Set Reading Goals for your Children - a great tutorial on how to set reading goals. 
• Letter of the Week – created by a homeschool mom for children from birth to age 11. Free. (Very good.)
• Mrs. Perkins Dolch Words – a website dedicated to providing teachers and parents with everything they need to teach Dolch sight words to their children.
• Reading Bear is the first free program online to teach beginning readers vocabulary and concepts.
• Starfall (K to Grade 3) Free
• Bethlehem books - A small, home grown publishing company dedicated to restoring to families a treasury of wholesome, character-building literature.
• Eighth day books - Eighth Day Books has specialized in classic books across the disciplines of art, science, and the humanities since 1988. 

RECIPES for HOMESCHOOLERS (QUICK & EASY!) 

• The Best Vegetable Dip - A family favorite for years!
• Muffin Tin Mondays - Basically you just use a muffin tin, load it up with a variety of different foods and serve the muffin tin as your child’s plate for lunch (or dinner).
• Texas Brownies - Another family favorite - quick and easy!
• Tiger Bars - These were on the back of the Chipits Butterscotch bag. So good!

SCIENCE RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• 10 Amazing STEM Books - STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education.
• Animal Cams- A great collection of live animal cameras around the world. Spend some time watching animals in their natural habitat.
• Animal Live Cams- In no particular order, these are the 25 best animal live cams that will definitely add a smile or sense of wonder to your day:
• Apologia - Apologia’s creation-based homeschool science curriculum has been voted #1!
• The Best Science Picture Books for Your Home School - We love a good science series and there are tons of them on the market today. 
• Boreal Northwest: All You Need to Turn Science Lessons into Science Connections - Boreal Science is Your Complete Solution for Materials and Support for Every Science Subject
• Free Monthly Science Activity Calendar with clickable links - Created by the Homeschool Scientist! Very good!
• Free Science Resource for Your Homeschool - Here are several FREE science resources for your homeschool!
• Gameschooling – the Best Science Games for Your Homeschool - Top picks for gameschooling science.
• Homeschooling Science in the Early Years: 5 Ways to Keep It Fun - Today I am sharing five ways to keep science fun. 
• Home School Science Made Easy - I'm going to share with you the best of our free homeschooling curriculum for home school science. (K-12) (NEW) 
• Interactive Periodic Table -  This is our new design for the modern periodic table. (NEW)
• Monthly Science Calendars - Make a resolution to add a little science to everyday! Get your kids excited about science by showing them that science is truly everywhere and is fascinating. This FREE science calendar download is an easy way to get started. Each day has a link to fun science projects and captivating science stories and information. (NEW)
• Science Bob – Here’s a list of great science experiments with instructions that you can do right at home.
• STEM Resources for the Entire Family - Some of my family’s favorite STEM resources.
• Teaching Kids to Code - Put simply, coding is the language of computers. Coding allows children to understand technology.
• The Ultimate Guide to Homeschool Science - Full curriculum options, supplemental resources and more! Both secular and Christian options as well!
• Top 10 Homeschool Science Curriculum Comparison - If you are in the market for an elementary homeschool science curriculum, this post is your one-stop shopping guide! 

SPECIAL NEEDS RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated Network – Encouraging homeschooling families with special needs children
• Disabilities and Special Education Lesson Plans – This page contains lesson plans and resources for students with disabilities.

SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR HOME SCHOOLERS 

• Country of the Week -  Gorgeous country profile sheets, coloring sheets, word searches, recommended videos and so much more. (Year - $48 or Month - $5) (NEW)
• The Flower Letters -  Ready to step back in time to experience powerful stories of love and intrigue, all told through actual letters?  Each letter is packed with elements designed to enhance the storytelling experience. ($12 / month) (NEW)
• Letters from Afar - Welcome to Letters From Afar, the ongoing story of an explorer traveling the world. You'll learn about each destination's culture, cuisine, wildlife, landmarks, oddities, heritage, and more! (Monthly - $6, 6 months - $36, Year - $72) (NEW)
• Letters From Francis - Meet Francis, a fun-loving little goat living at the Segunda Vida animal rescue ranch alongside Dr. Hank, the ranch veterinarian. Each month, Francis meets new animals from all around the world.  (Monthly, 6 month, 12 month plans - starting at $6) (NEW)
• Heritage Letter -  Imagine receiving a new letter in the mail each month from someone significant from America's great past. An explorer, a leader, a statesman, a pioneer, an inventor, a scientist, a doctor, a naturalist, an author, an artist… ($6 US monthly) (NEW)
• Polar Pen Pal - Each mailing includes postcards with details of their life in the Arctic! You also get a monthly boarding pass to their Arctic Learning Adventure, which has additional content for subscribers on a special page online. (6 week, 6 month, or 6-in-one package - $36 and up) (NEW)
• Post From The Past - Each letter is from a different historical figure (like a scientist, author, artist, or inventor) that made an outstanding contribution to the world. They will tell you the stories of their life. You'll also get a photo of that historical figure with each letter, and access to free digital downloads that go along with the letter. ($11.77 Cdn Monthly) (NEW)
• Sunnie Press - Every month, you'll get a map in the mail, ready to unfold and color! Each one is different and each is a fun surprise. The front side can be colored, while the back is full of activities, facts, and a checklist to keep everyone entertained for a while. ($8 US a month) (NEW)
• Writings From The Wild - The letters, written by a different animal each month, include new vocabulary words and encourage readers to learn more about the animal. In addition to the letter you'll get each month, the envelope also includes a collector's card and access to a downloadable activity sheet. (Monthly - $6, 6 month - $36, 12 month - $72  and up) (NEW)

SUMMER EXTRAS & MORE for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Still more Summer Unit Study Resources - found in WISOM’s TLC eLetter # 3 (NEW)
• Summer Unit Study Resources - found in WISDOM’s TLC eLetter #10 (NEW)
• Water Balloon Target Practice - “It was quick & easy to set up, fun (and wet) for the girls to play and they didn't even realize they were working on basic math skills.”

UNIT STUDY RESOURCES for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Around the World in 11 Weeks -  We will ‘travel’ six continents by watching videos, reading books, making food, creating hands-on projects, completing fun learning activities, and more! (NEW)
• Free Unit Studies - Over 1500 Easy Fun School Unit Studies.  Great resource. (NEW)  
• Peanut Butter Fish Free Unit Studies - 10 FREE unit studies based upon fiction and non-fiction books to give children a fun way to read and learn..  (NEW)
• Homeschool Share – This is a place where homeschool moms share literature based unit studies they have created. *GREAT resource 
• How to use Home School Share - The site is user-friendly and easy to navigate. The unit studies and lapbooks are organized by level, making it simple to find what you’re looking for. (NEW)
• Norway Unit Study Resources - shared in WISDOM’s TLC eLetter # 12 (NEW)
• Oceans Unit Study Resources - shared in WISDOM’s TLC eLetter # 9 (NEW)
• Owl Unit Study Resources - shared in WISDOM’s TLC eLetter # 11 (NEW)
• Unit Studies Made for Dads to Teach - “It is our stated goal to have fathers lead this unit study with their families, where applicable.”

USED BOOKS AND CURRICULUM for HOME SCHOOLERS

• A Likely Story Used Books - A Likely Story offers a huge selection of gently used, quality books for the whole family! To request a digital catalog, please email Emily at ransomed2serve@gmail.com.
• There are a number of Home School For Sale Curriculum Pages on the WISDOM Home Schooling Home School Support Group List - on page 4.

VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS FOR HOME SCHOOLERS (NEW)

• 31 Amazing Educational Virtual Field Trips - Over the past few years, virtual field trips have proven themselves to be a game-changer. 
• The 21 Best Free Virtual Field Trips - Travel virtually all over the world.
• Virtual Field Trips + Printable logs - Virtual field trips allow children to visit places around the world without ever leaving their homes. Through virtual field trips, they can visit other states, countries across the globe, and even other planets (NEW)

WINTER RESOURCES & MORE for HOME SCHOOLERS

• Snow Volcano - “I wanted to incorporate some science into all this fun snowy play.

YOUTUBE RESOURCES FOR HOME SCHOOLERS

• A Homeschool Family by Tim Hawkins - Oh, the misconceptions and realities of homeschool life, from comedian (and homeschool dad)  (NEW)
• Blimey Cow - Just a couple of (home school) brothers trying to make the world a little less messy. (NEW)
• Boyd Family Adventures - WE ARE THE BOYD FAMILY!!! A giant, weird, traveling, hippie, homeschooling family with 8 KIDS! (Home school with WISDOM)   (NEW)
• Dad Can - A dad reading Magic Treehouse and Geronimo Stilton aloud. (Great for beginning readers to listen to while reading the books.) (NEW) 
• Hack Schooling Makes Me Happy - When 13 year-old Logan LaPlante grows up, he wants to be happy and healthy. (NEW)