Everyone’s homeschool journey is different. Some start homeschooling in kindergarten, while others make the transition from public (or private) school into homeschool when they’re much older – say, in middle school or high school.
We’ve compiled a list of common things to look for at each age:
Kindergarten through preschool (ages 0-5)
A lot of “learning” will take place just through play and physical exercise. Your children will be learning such things as the alphabet, numbers, shapes and patterns, etc.
Many homeschool families (especially the veterans!) will not sweat the small stuff in this phase.
Rather than spend money on programs that promise to give your child an academic head start, simply take the time to enjoy your kids and involve them in practical, hands-on activities. In fact, many homeschoolers debate the usefulness of a structured, classroom-type structure at this point.
See more in our blog post about homeschooling (or not homeschooling) preschool.
Elementary school (ages 5-11)
Here things get even more interesting when you start homeschooling! Your kids are more aware (and able to articulate) new thoughts, concepts, insights and experiences all around them. They may also assert more of their independence to you and your ways of thinking.
Find out your child’s learning style, as well as the different types (or flavors) of homeschooling. See what works best for your family.
If you have children already in public school, you should officially withdraw them before homeschooling (we have sample letters you can use in our Start Homeschooling section).
Middle school (ages 11-15)
It’s perfectly normal at this point to feel some trepidation about homeschooling – even if you’ve been doing it for a while! As your kids grow and start questioning everything, including your own authority as a teacher, you may find yourself second-guessing yourself too.
But take heart – you are still the best authority (and expert) on your children’s learning!
Know your strengths and limitations as a teacher. If you can’t teach music, for instance, look for a homeschool co-op, enrichment program or local music store that does.
It’s OK not to have all the answers at this point. Rather, focus on cultivating your child’s love for learning, general knowledge, basic skills (reading, writing, arithmetic), and character.
High school (ages 15-18)
This can be the most challenging – as well as the most rewarding – part of your homeschool journey.
Sometimes parents can feel overwhelmed at the idea of homeschooling their teenagers, especially if they’ve experienced school only in a classroom setting until now. However, it’s not only possible, but also highly recommended!
Just like at any other stage, homeschooling can help your teen build stronger family ties, boost academic skills, combat negative peer pressure, explore work/service opportunities, and much more.
Now more than ever, your role as a teacher isn’t to handhold your students, but prepare them for a lifetime of success. You’ll likely be balancing a host of things beyond the classroom: e.g. extracurricular activities, driver’s ed, college prep, transcripts, and possibly work or service experience.
It may be a crazy journey at times, but we guarantee it will be worth it!
This post was originally published in August 2015. It has been updated for timeliness and comprehensiveness.
Questions? Feel free to contact us about any homeschool-related questions you have.
My daughter who’s turning 4 we’ve been back and forth on this issue but we really want to try home schooling. Any tips for just starting out?
That’s great that you’re considering homeschool so early! Don’t worry. You still have plenty of time!
Our suggestion would be to start at this page, “Homeschool Now,” and follow the steps there. You can also email our office at info@midwesthomeschoolers.org for any specific questions you may have.
Thanks!
Shanxi
Great info. Thanks for the tips
Anytime! 🙂
I’m about to have my first kid and none of the schools around here is an excellent place to be at. So I thought of homeschooling my child. But I don’t know where to start to how old she needs to be to start schooling. I don’t want to start too early and I don’t want to start too late.
Hi Jasmine,
It’s great to hear from you and that you’re thinking of homeschooling. It’s my personal opinion that you can never start too early or too late – homeschooling at its core is designed to cultivate a lifelong love of learning, which can begin at any age!
This blog post, “How to research homeschooling when your child isn’t old enough (yet),” is a great start to help answer your questions. It outlines some steps you can take before your child reaches school age to build your homeschool network, research things like curriculum and learning preferences, explore the legal procedures, and more.
Hope this helps. Congratulations, and feel free to reach out anytime!
All the best,
Shanxi