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Let’s be honest, homeschooling can be expensive. You have to buy books, curriculum, museum tickets, and even sometimes pay for portfolio reviews. Any free homeschool resources you can find, you’ll take.
And that’s why I’m here. I’ve rounded up the best free homeschool resources from apps and whatever the internet has to offer. Plus, I’ve categorized, labelled, and packaged them up for you.
Yes, all of the following resources are totally free. 100% zero money. No dollars, pesos, or bitcoins, either.
Of course, as much fun as it is to score free resources, you can spend HOURS hunting stuff down. If you’re ready to find all the curriculums, all in one place, be sure to check out the Secular Homeschool Curriculum Guide. We’ve got it all broken down by grade and subject, complete with reviews. But for now, onto the freebies!

Free Homeschool Resources Near You
Go to the library.
Like, get on a first-name basis with the children’s room librarian. (Ours is Miss Nicole.) If you can’t find a book or resource you want, librarians can hunt them down like nobody’s business. Most libraries are also connected to some kind of ‘interlibrary loan’ system, so you can borrow books from other libraries, too. Finally, libraries nowadays are connected to online ebook & audiobook resources like Libby, OverDrive and CloudLibrary, but you need to be a member to get access.
Book clubs
This might be something you first see advertised on the library’s bulletin board on your next visit. In fact, it might be hosted at the library. But there are lots of kids book clubs running all over the country. Some are connected to external organizations like 4H or a co-op, but still might be open to the public. Keep an eye out!
Local Nature Preserves
If you have any designated natural spaces nearby, like preserves, state or national parks, or sanctuaries, look for learning opportunities. Not only are they great spots to visit on your own for class time (hello, nature walk), but the group of people who run them often want to teach. You might find guided outings for bird watching, clean-ups, foraging, or animal tracking. Most of these locations also have brochures at visitor centers or trailheads, and have websites with information, too.
Home Depot Activities for Kids
Did you know your local Home Depot sponsors free kids DIY and STEAM project times? Check out their website and find your nearby store for a list of event times & activities. They also have a section with online guides & resources to projects.
Multi-subject resources
PBS Kids They’ve got videos, educational games, and now even a podcast for kids. And obviously, they’re all featuring your child’s favorite PBS kids show characters.
Khan Academy I don’t have to explain this one, do I? If you’ve been searching for free homeschool resources for longer than ten seconds, someone’s recommended this one to you. But it’s for a good reason; Khan Academy was my go-to resource as a classroom teacher because it goes at the kid’s pace and is so comprehensive. You might need to supervise your kid more with Khan than with, say, a youtube video though. Only because they might still get questions.
Education.com Printables, printables as far as the eye can see! They’ve got worksheets for every subject and grades preK-7.

Free Science Resources for Homeschoolers:
National Geographic for Kids (Youtube Channel) Animal videos, weird but true facts, and days in the life of real live scientists exploring our world today. What’s not to love?
SciShow Kids (Youtube Channel) This channel offers follow-along science experiments, explainer videos, and spotlights on important scientists.
SciShow (Youtube Channel) These guys upload a new episode EVERY DAY. Saturdays are question and answer formed, based on questions they get throughout the week. They also have a lengthy list of sources in the shownotes of every episode if you want to get more information
National Science Foundation– The NSF educator resource page has in-depth videos and associated worksheets for multiple grades and multiple subsections of science.
Free Language Arts Resources for Homeschoolers
Author Studies What little kid doesn’t like new books? This free, downloadable packet of printables is a great way to start doing author studies. You can also find more free, complete curriculum by searching “author study” and seeing nearly a dozen complete lesson plans on authors from Roald Dahl to Jan Brett.
Epic There’s two versions of this free homeschool resource: Epic Unlimited, which gives you access to 40,000 premium titles, audiobooks and more, and the basic version Epic Free. Epic free still has plenty of great books for kids!
Virtual Book Club for Kids Ok, this site is wicked cool. Not only do they have a dozen lists of good books for kids (esp the younger crowd), but they provide entire weekly lesson plans & activities to go along with each book of the week.
New York Public Library Tons of virtual events for kids, including read-alongs and poetry time.
Teach Your Monster to Read Would you like your child to start reading in a British accent? Because that just might happen if they use TYMTR for any length of time. (Note: only the computer version is free.)
ReadWorks This site comes with loads of reading passages & associated questions for grades k-12, plus English Language Learner content.
Free History/Social Studies Resources
Smithsonian Institution They’ve got games, virtual zoo & museum tours, and activities to help history come to life. They also have a selection of science and art resources here, too.
Crash Course Kids This is the youtube spin-off channel for the teen-focused Crash Course channel.
iCivics I used this website CONSTANTLY as a teacher. They’ve got tons of games and simulations that help kids understand how our government works and why we should care to participate in democracy.
Discovery Education Who wants virtual field trips? (You, duh.) Discover has plenty of science-based field trips, but one of their most recent was a behind-the-scenes look at President Biden’s Innaguration.
Classroom Law Project The Classroom Law Project is devoted to helping the youth of today to “become active, engaged, and informed participants in democratic society.” So they offer classroom resources, virtual courthouse tours, and even the blueprints to building your own Mock Trial team!
Related:
Free Math Resources

CoolMath and CoolMath4Kids Seriously? This thing is still around? Yup. The actual interface is kind of dated (esp on the original), but they’ve got plenty of math games for kids of all ages. CoolMath starts at pre-algebra levels, so if your kid is younger than 6th grade or so, head over to the 4Kids version!
STMath This one will definitely be free through June 2022, and after that they’ll still offer plenty of free printables, lessons, worksheets, & more.
Prodigy Prodigy has a series of games for your children to play, a parent dashboard where you can view how well your child is learning, and seriously cute illustrations. They’ll try to upsell you on the Premium Membership experience, but even they admit on their site the free version is still awesome & fully functional.This one can honestly be used as a complete curriculum.
Zearn This site is listed as being for teachers & students only, but there is an option during the sign-up process to select “homeschool.” That will get you access to all their math professional development (so YOU understand whatever the heck you’re trying to teach your kid!), lesson plans, games, and more.
Free homeschool resources (for parents)
The Homeschool Resource Room Advice Channel
Free Homeschool Planners to Create Your Custom Binder!
And finally, the Homeschool Resource Room newsletter! Subscribe for monthly emails where we share freebie resources specific to that time of year.
Don’t forget, if you want to cut out the thirty hours of pinterest scrolling you’re labelling “homeschool planning,” be sure to save yourself the hassle and get the Homeschool Curriculum Guide, now updated for 2021.
For more reading on this subject:
- FREE Typing Games for Kids: KidzType Review!
Hillary Swetz
Hillary is a former teacher who went rogue and became a freelance writer. When not offering support and advice to homeschooling families, she tends to her own garden, family, and cat. You can connect with her on her website, homegrownhillary.com.
FAQs
What curriculum do most homeschoolers use? ›
- Alpha Omega Publications Complete Homeschool Curriculum. ...
- Calvert Homeschool Curriculum Review. ...
- Time4Learning Homeschool Curriculum Review. ...
- The Good and The Beautiful Complete Homeschool Curriculum. ...
- Easy Peasy All-in-One Complete Homeschool Curriculum. ...
- BJU Press Homeschool Curriculum.
- Best Overall: K12.com.
- Best Budget: ABCmouse.com.
- Best for Structure: Time4Learning.
- Best for Community: Connections Academy.
- Best Free: Khan Academy.
- Best for College Prep: edX.
- Best for Math and Science: CK-12 Foundation.
- K12. K12 Online School is a platform that provides all the educational materials you will need for your children to get a school education. ...
- Time4Learning.com. ...
- Khan Academy. ...
- ABCmouse. ...
- Easy Peasy. ...
- BJU Press. ...
- Alpha Omega. ...
- Used Homeschool School Books.
Yes, Khan Academy can be used as a complete curriculum. It can also be used as a supplement to learn just certain math topics.
Is Khan Academy free for homeschooling? ›Created by experts, Khan Academy's library of trusted, standards-aligned practice and lessons covers math K-12 through early college, grammar, science, history, AP®, SAT®, and more. It's all free for learners and teachers.
What is the most common issue for homeschooled children? ›Perhaps the most common problem with homeschooling is the lack of motivation to do their work. Sometimes homeschoolers find it difficult to motivate themselves at home, especially if they have too much busywork in their curriculum or the curriculum doesn't suit them for other reasons.
What US state has the most homeschoolers? ›States with the most homeschoolers are North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. North Carolina has the highest homeschooling rate of 10.6% out of all students, followed by Virginia with 4.8%, Florida and Georgia with 4.6%.
Do colleges like homeschoolers? ›Fortunately, college admissions is handled very similarly for homeschoolers as it is for traditionally schooled students. In fact, many admissions offices actively seek out homeschoolers. Admissions officers evaluate each student within the context of his/her own background and the opportunities they've had.
What is the easiest way to homeschool? ›- Create a designated learning space. ...
- Follow a daily schedule. ...
- Map out the school year ahead of time. ...
- Set learning goals together. ...
- Take learning beyond the classroom. ...
- Make learning a family activity. ...
- Collaborate with other homeschoolers. ...
- Ease into school.
- Use Audiobooks. ...
- Double a Subject Each Day. ...
- Throw a Big Subject Party. ...
- Plan to Skip School Breaks. ...
- Skip Lessons. ...
- Read on Weekends. ...
- Assign Homework for Evenings. ...
- Scheduling Your Homeschool So You're Not Behind.
What state has easiest homeschooling? ›
Fast facts on homeschooling
Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont have the most restrictive home school laws. Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Texas have the least amount of regulations regarding homeschooling.
Homeschooling is expensive because the curriculums, textbooks, materials, your homeschool space, and loss of income all contribute to the high costs of homeschool. The added costs of outside classes, tutoring, music, arts and other extracurricular activities are also expensive.
Is Easy peasy homeschool enough? ›After reading through many Easy Peasy homeschool reviews on this program, I've concluded that it is enough. Parents don't have to supplement it with other material. One of the mothers in the reviews forum said, 'It has everything you could need. '
What's better than Khan Academy? ›We have compiled a list of solutions that reviewers voted as the best overall alternatives and competitors to Khan Academy, including Pluralsight Skills, LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and Codecademy.
Is there an age limit on Khan Academy? ›Students age 13 and up can create their own Khan Academy accounts. If a student is under 13, however, we take extra precautions by preventing them from creating accounts on their own. We want to support you, as parents, in being involved in and aware of your child's online experience.
Are courses in Khan Academy free? ›Our mission is to provide a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere.
Is Time4Learning enough for homeschool? ›Time4Learning is intended to be used as a homeschool curriculum, afterschool alternative to tutoring, and/or for summer learning to make up for learning losses. If you are looking for an online curriculum for classroom use, please contact Edgenuity for information.
Is IXL free for homeschool? ›How Much Does it Cost to Homeschool with IXL®? The IXL homeschool curriculum offers various monthly and yearly options for families. These prices are per child, and any additional children are $4 more per month or $40 per year.
Is there a homeschooling app? ›HomeSchool Helper is consistently rated as one of the best apps for homeschoolers. This app was built specifically for homeschoolers to plan lessons, track student progress, calculate grades, manage book lists, plan field trips, and keep track of tasks.
What do psychologists say about homeschooling? ›87% of peer-reviewed studies on social, emotional, and psychological development show homeschool students perform statistically significantly better than those in conventional schools (Ray, 2017).
Are kids better off being homeschooled? ›
The National Home Education Research Institute suggests that homeschoolers actually have higher measures of social, emotional, and psychological development than their public school peers.
Are home schooled kids happier? ›Another study in 2020 proved that homeschooled students did better in social and emotional development than students from conventional schools.
What race Homeschools the most? ›3% to 4% of the school-going population in the US is homeschooled, according to the most recent federal data. 51% of the homeschooled students are female, while 49% are male. White students make up for the bulk of homeschooled students representing 68%. Hispanics are second with a 15% representation.
What age do most homeschoolers graduate? ›While it is sometimes even younger, a fair number of homeschoolers graduate at 16; more commonly, they are on track to graduate at 18 like their schooled peers. At the same time, many homeschoolers take an extra year for high school, finishing at 19, again, like many peers in school.
What President homeschooled? ›Woodrow Wilson – 28th President of the United States, home schooled by his father. Franklin D. Roosevelt – 32nd President of the United States, home schooled by parents and private tutors.
What is your GPA if you are homeschooled? ›Take the sum of the grade points and divide them by the sum of the course credits taken in a given year, and then round to the nearest two (2) decimal places. This is the yearly GPA.
Does Harvard accept homeschoolers? ›What if I am homeschooled? Each applicant to Harvard College is considered with great care and homeschooled applicants are treated the same as all other applicants. There is no special process, but all relevant information about your educational and personal background is welcome.
Are homeschoolers socially awkward? ›There's no evidence that homeschooled children grow up to be any more socially awkward than their traditionally educated peers. So long as your child has other avenues to socialize, homeschooling has no negative impact on their social skills.
How do homeschoolers get free books? ›Try the local library. Your local library may have some textbooks in their collection. Libraries can also locate specific volumes via interlibrary loan. Some common programs include Hooked on Phonics and math programs.
Can you claim money for homeschooling? ›“Do you get paid for homeschooling your child?” There is no payment fund or facility for parents who choose to home educate their child. Home education is a choice made by parents (or legal guardians) and is self-funded.
What every mom needs to homeschool? ›
- An awesome planner to organize your homeschool and your life. Having a planner is essential as a homeschool mom! ...
- Erasable pens. So, I'll be honest. ...
- A Laminator. ...
- A good printer. ...
- Good pencils. ...
- A good pencil sharpener. ...
- Encouraging books. ...
- Binding machine.
' They miss out on homework and busy work. On the flip side, they miss out on the dynamics of working with a group on class projects. They might also miss out on prom and band and team sports. They will miss out on receiving instruction from another teacher if solely schooled at home.
What is Unschool homeschool? ›Unschooling is a style of home education that allows the student's interests and curiosities to drive the path of learning. Rather than using a defined curriculum, unschoolers trust children to gain knowledge organically.
What is hybrid homeschool? ›What is hybrid homeschooling? Hybrid homeschooling is a form of education where children attend formal classes in traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms for part of the week and work from home the other part of the week.
How many hours should I homeschool per day? ›How many hours a day do you have to homeschool? Most home school parents find that they can effectively homeschool their children in around 2-3 hours each day for 3-5 days each week.
How do I homeschool 1 hour a day? ›A one hour homeschooling schedule would involve one hour of formal instruction, and then lots more time spent on field trips, fun projects, games, reading, chores, and any other activities you or your child get interested in. One hour homeschooling, and the rest of the time spent on natural learning opportunities.
Do homeschool students fall behind? ›A 2012 study shows that homeschoolers were [at least] twice as likely to report being behind grade level than non-homeschoolers. Statistically, then, as homeschoolers, we're two to three times more likely to be behind than our publicly educated peers.
What type of homeschooling is best? ›The Classical Method. The Classical method is one of the most popular homeschooling styles. It borrows the wisdom of time-tested educational practices dating from as far back as Ancient Greece and Rome.
What percentage of American kids are homeschooled? ›In 2020–21, among adults 18 years old and over who had students under 18 in the home, 6.8 percent reported having at least one child homeschooled. When examined at the child level, the data show that 5.4 percent of children were reported to be homeschooled in 2020–21.
Is homeschooling better or worse than public school? ›Most of 80% people agree that homeschooling is better than public school in some reasons. Lack of violence, better social development, more effective learning, better education, and flexible are several advantages that support people to choose homeschooling rather than public school.
Is homeschooling really worth it? ›
Research suggests homeschooled children tend to do better on standardized tests, stick around longer in college, and do better once they're enrolled. A 2009 study showed that the proportion of homeschoolers who graduated from college was about 67%, while among public school students it was 59%.
Is it healthy to homeschool? ›Benefits of Homeschooling: Physical Health
Your child can move more, play outside, spend extra time on things like dance and sports, connect with nature, move while learning academics, and gain confidence with time for skills practice. Prioritize sleep.
The average cost of homeschooling ranges from $700 to $1,800 per child per school year, according to Time4Learning.com (opens in new tab), an online resource for homeschool families. This includes the cost of the curriculum, school supplies, field trips and extracurricular activities.
Do homeschoolers feel lonely? ›Homeschoolers aren't necessarily more prone to loneliness than other people, but our loneliness can be profound. For one thing, we're parents, a condition that increases risk for loneliness across the board. (In one study, British mothers said their first year of parenthood was the loneliest year of their lives.)
Is there any free online classes for kids? ›KidLit is a free online class is designed to help children develop their reading and writing skills. KidLit offers a variety of activities such as reading stories, writing stories, and playing games that help kids learn in a fun way.
How can I homeschool in Texas for free? ›iSchool Virtual Academy is a fully-accredited, tuition-free online public homeschool for students in grades 9–12 across the state of Texas.
Are there free homeschool curriculums? ›FREE Homeschooling Programs Online
Easy Peasy – All In One Homeschool – uses all FREE online resources, 180-day lesson plans for PreK-8th. Old Fashioned Homeschool – 40-week schedules and uses mainly free resources with textbooks and Living Books, K-12th. Khan Academy– over 4600 online videos teaching all subjects.
Aim for an average (not an exact) time.
We recommend an average of 45 minutes for each subject each day, but that might mean that on Mondays you do 30 mins of math and on Tuesdays you spend an hour. Be flexible and allow your child's pacing and rhythms to inform the lesson times.
Khan Academy is a non-profit that offers online learning tools for dozens of subjects, including K-12 math. It's free for students and teachers alike, making it a good choice for parents looking for a math app for kids without the price tag.
Is Khan Academy kids completely free? ›100% FREE! No ads, no subscriptions. Kids will love to learn. Our program engages kids in core subjects like early literacy, reading, writing, language, and math, while encouraging creativity and building social-emotional skills.
How many hours a day is required for homeschooling in Texas? ›
7. How many hours a day are we required to do school? Homeschools in Texas are private schools and are not regulated by the state. No minimum hours are required.
Can homeschoolers get SNAP benefits in Texas? ›f. Additionally, information provided by HHSC states that SNAP recipients are exempt (Work Code P) if they are homeschooling a child at least 30 hours per week.
Can you homeschool with just workbooks? ›Homeschooling with workbooks can be a very straightforward way to learn. If you plan to use workbooks in your homeschool, you'll want to know the advantages and disadvantages. Many parents appreciate the ease and portability of using workbooks, while kids also get to work independently.
What curriculum do free schools follow? ›Free schools can decide what to teach their pupils. However, they must teach English, maths and science to receive funding, and they have to make provisions for teaching religious education. They have to have a balanced curriculum to make sure that children get a good education.