Five Tips for Homeschool Success
- gallopade
- Jul 25
- 8 min read
“HOMEschool is where the heart is!” From stronger familial bonds to customization for each child’s unique learning style, homeschooling offers many advantages that make parent-led learning a wonderful experience.[1] As more and more families recognize these benefits and opt to go this route, the number of homeschooling families in the United States is rapidly growing. The percentage of homeschooled kids jumped from 3.4% of the population of school-aged kids in 2019 to 6.73% in 2024.[2]
If your kids are among the 3.7 million homeschoolers in the United States, then they’ve likely experienced the triumphs of at-home learning, such as higher standardized testing scores, better academic performance[3], and higher rates of social, emotional, and psychological development than students in public schools.[4] On the flip side, chances are they may have also experienced some difficulties. Poor time management, limited socialization opportunities, and burnout are some of the challenges common to homeschooling families.[5]
The good news is that these obstacles are easy to overcome, and the successes—along with the struggles—are all part of the homeschooling journey. In this blog, we’ll help families navigate the homeschooling waters with tried-and-true tips to ensure this year is the best year yet!
Tip #1: Join a Co-Op
Homeschool cooperatives (or “co-ops” for short) are groups of families who meet to provide their kids with academic and enrichment lessons and activities in a collaborative environment. Essentially, members of co-ops share their resources to help kids learn and socialize outside of the home. Co-ops range in size and location; they can be as small as two families or as large as a church congregation! Meeting places such as parks, churches, community centers, and libraries serve as some of the places where co-ops come together to host their homeschooled children. Some co-ops even have proms and graduation ceremonies for high schoolers.[6]
Co-ops aren’t meant to replace daily, at-home instruction; instead, they are intended to supplement instruction by being a supportive network of families who join forces to help teach their kids. After all, it takes a village to raise—and teach—a child!
What type of co-op should I join?
Each co-op is unique in its structure and the subjects it teaches. Some groups meet once or twice a week, focusing on math, science, language arts, and social studies. Others meet a few times a month for service projects or enrichment activities, such as dance or art. The responsibility for leading these classes and activities can be shared among parents, with each person leading a class or subject. Some co-ops may decide to hire a teacher or tutor instead, and each family pitches in to cover the expense. Costs for co-ops in general can range from a small annual membership fee to no charge at all.[7]
Deciding on which co-op and the frequency your family attends is entirely up to you and what works best with your family’s schedule. Some factors to consider when deciding which type of co-op to join are:
The Ages of Your Kids – If your kids are young, going multiple times a week may not be feasible. Instead, consider finding a co-op that meets once or twice a month for enrichment activities or field trips.
The Areas Where Your Children Need the Most Help – Is your son or daughter excelling at math but struggling with reading comprehension? Academic-focused co-ops with teachers or tutors can help by tailoring the curriculum to address your child’s specific needs.
Your Strengths – Are you bilingual? Join a parent-led co-op and lend your language skills to teach a class. Do you have a background in science? Lead hands-on instruction with science experiments. The great thing about parent-led co-ops is that families collaborate to teach in areas they are skilled in, which also means that you can have someone help teach your kids in a subject you may feel isn’t your strong suit.
Opportunities for Socialization – Among the challenges that some homeschool families face is a lack of opportunities for social interaction. A solution to remedy this is to join other families for classes during the week, or you can join an activity-based co-op that visits museums or engages in volunteer work.
How do I join a co-op?
Click here to search by your state to find a co-op near you using The Homeschool Mom’s directory. This directory provides the location, website, schedule, and classes offered for each co-op. Homeschool.com also has a robust database of co-ops across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Click here to learn more.
Tip #2: Mark “Homeschool Days” on Your Calendar
Tons of science, history, and art museums and historic sites across the country offer “homeschool days” each month, featuring interdisciplinary learning activities and exhibits suitable for multiple age groups and grade levels. The best part is that these are often available at discounted prices and are exclusive to homeschooling families, making it a fantastic opportunity to meet other kids and parents who are learning at home as well.
If there aren’t many places nearby offering “homeschool days,” join forces with local homeschooling groups to create your own. Ask local businesses if they offer tours of their warehouses, production lines, or offices for kids to learn about the various jobs performed there. During or after the tour, employees can share their work experiences and answer questions for an on-site career day.
Libraries also offer a calendar full of activities and guest speakers for all ages. Visit your local public library's website or call to inquire about upcoming events. While there may not be as many activities offered during the school year as there are during the summer, you can still ask about reserving a room for your co-op to meet in, and you can ask the children’s librarian for ideas and assistance with coordinating activities or storytimes.
Tip #3: Adapt Lessons to Your Kids’ Learning Styles
One of the many advantages of homeschooling is the flexibility it offers your family when it comes to customizing lesson plans. Unlike traditional school settings, at-home learning allows for more time to devote to teaching subjects in a way that each child best understands. For example:
Kinesthetic learners understand concepts through physical activity and experiencing things with their senses.[8] They may learn better by walking around the room while they read. Building a model of a cell from clay may help them understand the cell’s structure. Scenes from Shakespeare’s plays may be better understood by acting them out with their siblings.
Visual learners need to see things to understand concepts.[9] You can help your visual learners by utilizing Venn Diagrams when teaching the similarities and differences between various forms of government. Parts of speech can be more easily understood when they’re color-coded: yellow for a noun, red for a verb, green for an adverb, purple for an adjective, etc. Learning about U.S. presidents while looking at their portraits or photos is another way to teach visual learners their history lessons.
Auditory learners gain knowledge through listening to lessons.[10] Reading a chapter from their textbook out loud helps them retain the information. Listening to an audiobook while they read along in a chapter book may also help with reading comprehension. Singing the names of the states can help with their geography lesson. Learning Spanish can be más fácil when you incorporate Spanish songs into your lesson plans.
Read/write learners need to read texts and write their notes to let the information sink in.[11] Writing a glossary of words they’re unfamiliar with as they read a book can help improve their vocabulary. Lists are also helpful tools: create a list of math equations to refer back to, or write a list of the states in alphabetical order.
If you have more than one child you’re homeschooling, and each of your kids has a different learning style, tailoring lessons to meet each child's needs can quickly become overwhelming. To prevent this from happening, try alternating the way lessons are taught each day of the week so that each learner has a chance to learn the material in his/her own way. For example, Monday can be geared towards your kinesthetic learner and include physical activities. Wednesday can be listening-based and include audiobooks during reading hour. This way, you avoid overloading your lesson planning and teach your kids to be understanding and considerate of the ways other people learn. That’s what we call a win-win!
Tip #4: Take Breaks
Since homeschooling offers flexibility in terms of instructional time, you can adjust the start and end times during the school day and take breaks during the week when your kids need them. Each state’s laws regarding the number of instructional days and hours homeschool students must complete vary, so be sure to check your state’s Department of Education to ensure compliance. Click here to select your state on the U.S. Department of Education’s webpage for an overview of requirements to get started.
Depending on your state’s requirements, one day during the week could be designated as a field trip for hands-on learning and a much-needed break in your routine. If, during the day, your kids need to take a break from studying to get outside and play, seize that moment to explore the outdoors and engage in play-based learning!
Every moment can be a learning opportunity. In addition to academics, life skills can also be taught on outings outside the home. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
Learning how to address, stamp, and mail a letter at the post office can be a fun activity for younger kids. You can also ask postal workers ahead of time if they offer tours of their sorting room.
Financial literacy begins by learning to count money. Try collecting coins, counting them, and then taking them to the bank or a counting machine in a grocery store to convert them to dollar bills.
Your kids can help collect and sort the family’s recyclable materials at a recycling center to learn about sustainability.
Going on a hike during the week? Challenge your kids to a scavenger hunt to find different wildlife, trees, and vegetation for an environmental science lesson.
Money management and math can be taught as you go up and down the grocery store aisles by putting your kids in charge of adding up the price of each grocery item, calculating the total cost (plus tax), and staying within budget.
Tip #5: Keep Learning Throughout the Year
Unlike traditional school, homeschooling doesn’t have to end during the summer or holiday breaks that school districts designate. Modify your schedule to include a few hours each week for continued learning that helps kids retain information. During the summer, kids can practice math concepts and reading comprehension in the morning and then have the rest of the day to play. For ideas on summer learning, read our “A Parent’s Guide to Avoiding the ‘Summer Slide’” blog.
Holidays provide a fun reason to theme your lessons! Thanksgiving can be an excellent opportunity for your kids to write an essay about what they’re grateful for and then practice public speaking by reading it aloud at the family’s Thanksgiving dinner. At Christmas, you can bake and decorate cookies to practice fractions and measuring.
For free resources in STEM, social studies, and language arts, click here to explore our library of activities that make any day a learning adventure!
At-home learning is a fantastic experience, and we wish you the best of luck on your homeschooling journey! Check back often for more tips, free resources, and activities for your kids, and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Sources:
[1] Ray, Brian, PhD. “Research Facts on Homeschooling, Homeschool Fast Facts.” National Home Education Research Institute, 15 September 2022, https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/CommitteeDocuments/28/20735/20Sep2022%20-%20Research%20Facts%20on%20Homeschooling%20Handout.pdf. Accessed 14 July 2025.
[2] “Homeschooling Statistics.” Mastermind Behavior, 3 March 2025, https://www.mastermindbehavior.com/post/homeschooling-statistics-3147c#:~:text=What%20are%20the%20current%20homeschooling,from%20just%201.7%25%20in%201999. Accessed 11 July 2025.
[3] Kaminski, Jessica. “Homeschooling Statistics 2025.” Brighterly, 22 May 2025, https://brighterly.com/blog/homeschooling-statistics/. Accessed 11 July 2025.
[4] Ray, Brian, PhD. “Homeschooling: The Research.” National Home Education Research Institute, 27 January 2025, https://nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling/. Accessed 14 July 2025.
[5] 21K School Team. “Challenges Faced by Homeschoolers and How Can They Overcome Them.” 21K School, 3 June 2025, https://www.21kschool.com/in/blog/challenges-faced-by-homeschoolers/. Accessed 14 July 2025.
[6] Faulconer, Jeanne, M.A. “What is a Homeschool Co-Op?” The Homeschool Mom, https://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/what-is-homeschool-co-op/. Accessed 14 July 2025.
[7] Faulconer, Jeanne, M.A. “What is a Homeschool Co-Op?” The Homeschool Mom, https://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/what-is-homeschool-co-op/. Accessed 14 July 2025.
[8] “Understanding Your Learning Style.” Wilfrid Laurier University, 2008, https://web.wlu.ca/learning_resources/pdfs/Learning_Styles.pdf. Accessed 15 July 2025.
[9] “Understanding Your Learning Style.” Wilfrid Laurier University, 2008, https://web.wlu.ca/learning_resources/pdfs/Learning_Styles.pdf. Accessed 15 July 2025.
[10] “Understanding Your Learning Style.” Wilfrid Laurier University, 2008, https://web.wlu.ca/learning_resources/pdfs/Learning_Styles.pdf. Accessed 15 July 2025.
[11] “Understanding Your Learning Style.” Wilfrid Laurier University, 2008, https://web.wlu.ca/learning_resources/pdfs/Learning_Styles.pdf. Accessed 15 July 2025.
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