Homeschooling resources can be amazingly helpful but can also take you down a rabbit hole. Each day only has 24 hours (even though somedays we try to squeeze extra in, the day is finite!). As a busy working mom in the corporate world with kids completing online school and busy sports, I need the MOST effective and efficient homeschooling resources.
New to eLearning? Setting your child up with awesome resources will simplify the process for everyone (and bring happiness, I promise!).
This is NOT an extensive list of resources…..this is a list of OUR favorites that work for us – personally, we think will make YOUR life happier and easier. In addition to patience, these homeschooling resources are what WE need.
This post contains affiliate links. (In non-blogger language, that means I might get a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click on some of the links below.) Thanks for supporting OnlineSchoolMom! Important note: I am not including anything on this list that I do not recommend.
Our Favorite Homeschooling Resources
Educational Podcasts
We LOVE podcasts for FREE, easy entertainment in the car, while completing chores, or even while taking the dog for a walk. Our favorites (divided by age) are linked here. All you need to do is click on the show (you don’t even have to subscribe to listen).
Kids Podcasts
Teens Podcasts
YouTube Channels
Obviously, this list could be endless- we love the educational value of YouTube. These are our carefully selected faves -it took us lots of time to settle on these selected shows!
Younger-Elementary
Tweens and Teens
Subscription Boxes as Homeschool Resources
We love this brand of activity boxes – the #1 reason I love them is for their clear instructions. These are literally something the kids (buy the right age-range) can do safely without your assistance. KiwiCrate (get 30% off your first box)- we have used the Kiwi Crate (ages 5-8), Atlas Box (ages 6-11), Doodle Crate (ages 9-16) and the Tinker Crate (9-16+). Typically, the kids want to dive in as soon as it hits our doorstep- it’s also a good thing to keep on the shelf for a weekend or low-key day when you have a few hours for a fun activity.
Academics in a Box (We like Groovy Lab in a Box)
Geared to kids age 8 and up, these are awesome STEM activity boxes. Personally, I like it because everything is in one place- no additional supplies needed. It’s a great thing to pull out with a grandparent or on a rainy day.
Our family enjoyed receiving these boxes for over a year. Everyone would guess which country it was going to be, and the box contained various treats and snacks authentic to that area. A short list of fun facts about the country was included and we always looked it up on a bigger map and researched a bit on our own.
Not quite related to homeschool, but I usually do have my daughter make a list of her faves and do some photo editing after her receipt of this clothing box!
My youngest is quite obsessed with Kidpik– her monthly box of clothing plus an accessory and pair of shoes. Although it’s expensive (about $75 per month), it DOES make it so I rarely buy other clothes for her when out and about. If she asks, I can always just remind her about her Kidpik.
You can tailor the box to your daughter or son’s preferences– Maggie dislikes jeans and likes glittery shoes and accessories. The quality of the clothing and shoes is quite good and the resale is high in our geography.
Educational Board Games- Awesome Homeschooling Resources!
Games are a phenomenal way for kids to learn. Each of these has a special place on our shelf and is not only educational, but is also fun for a family to play.
- Passport to Culture
- Pizza Fraction Fun
- Ticket to Ride
- Money Bags
- Sum Swamp
- Think Fun Rush Hour
- Think Fun Roller Coaster
- Quick Pix Math (you can get these for addition/subtraction and multiplication/division)
- Quiddler
- Zeus on the Loose
- Professor Noggin card games (various trivia topics- we love these for in the car!)
Educational Toys That You Will Keep Forever
Out of all the toys we have ever owned (like most people, it’s way too many), these are the ones I am saving for my grandchildren. In fact, these are the ones that still sit in my living room that my older kids still fiddle with. These are lifetime homeschooling resources.
Plasmacar (you may want to ride it too- I have!)
Magnatiles (these are expensive, yet so worth it for timeless, creative play…and then are indestructible…they are addictive)
Haba Marble Run (this is a beautiful toy to keep in your living room in a large basket and inspires creativity!)
Google Chrome Extensions
With so many extensions, which ones do you really, really need?? We will keep adding to this list, but for now, these are our “must-haves”.
Grammarly– help your child become a better writer WHILE they write…we use the free version
Easybib -because “a bibliography is fun” said no one ever
Kami– FINALLY an easy way for you and /or your child to edit right on a document via the computer or iPad (less printing!) Check out our short tutorial video here.
Educational Netflix Shows
Yep, we know- there are SOOOOO many- we narrowed down the list!
- Diagnosis
- Blown Away
- The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
- Wild China
- Ken Burns (some of this shows left Netflix in early 2020 but a few good ones are left)
- JFK-The Making of a President
- Disney Nature
- Brainchild
- The Who Was
- You v.s. Wild
- Inside Bill’s Brain
- Pick of the Litter
- Nova
Educational Amazon Prime Shows
- A More Perfect Union
- Inventions That Shook the World
- American Heritage Series
- Drive Through History
- Empires
- The Men Who Built America
- Liberty Kids
- The Most Dangerous Ways to School
- Travel Through History
- How We Got to Now
- Xploration DIY Sci
- America, The Story of Us
Educational Disney Plus Shows
- One Strange Rock
- Disney Shop Class
- School House Rock
- Brain Games
- One Day at Disney
- Drain the Ocean
- Hamilton (this is our new fave)
Educational Websites
Another category with endless awesome ones- here are our favorites!
Course Subscription Sites
Graphic Design Site
If you haven’t used this, sign up (it’s free) and give it a try. You will feel like a graphic designer. My 9 year old can create greeting cards on it, so you can too. The site continues to expand and now even includes slide creation and logo development.
Educational Apps
Honestly, for this one, we usually refer to anything Leah Nieman recommends. We do have a few favorites of our own narrowed down (note that we love TONS but these are what we use most).
Epic (seriously the best- so many amazing books, including audiobooks, ‘read-to-me’ books, ‘read-to-self’ books…we can’t live without Epic)
Quizlet (our fave for flash cards)
Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Sheets….these are lifesavers and timesavers
Scanner for Homework Into PDFs
Tiny Scanner (the pro version is worth the $4.99)
Favorite Notetaking for the iPad (definitely one of the top homeschooling resources)
Noteability with Apple Pencil (we want to get the newest version of the Apple Pencil but we are happy with the 1st generation for now)
Reference Books
We have bookshelves and nightstands STACKED with books. Only a few make this list as our top ‘reference’ faves.
- Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
- How To Be Good At Math
- History Year By Year
- DK Children’s Encyclopedia
- The Synonym Finder
- The Elements
Music Streaming for Kids
Spotify Kids (you can add podcasts too- first month is free)
School and Office Supplies
I had to add this confession in first…. I have an obsession with eraseable pens. These write so well and make taking notes with multiple fun colors a breeze. Just a quick warning: Don’t put your hot coffee mug on your notes pages as the eraseable ink will erase from heat! I also love almost any school supply, but these are my can’t live withouts…
Laminator (use this for all sorts of things- schedules, password lists, flash cards….)
Acer Chromebook (this is perfect for my 9 year old)
Beats Headphones (they are expensive, but we have tried many cheaper versions and they don’t seem to last- my kids are uber careful with these and use them all the time; we have the basic version)
Bungee office chair (this is actually mine and it is so comfy- I have it in blue)
Ikea Desk (this is the one both my older kids have– it’s not huge, but it fits the need); we also love the Ikea shelving
Label Maker (you can get some really fun refill label stickers in various colors)
We use the HP Ink Program– it assesses our use of ink and sends new cartridges when we need it and is the lowest cost ink we’ve found.
Kitchen Products
Seriously- anything that makes our lives easier in the kitchen OR for eating on-the-go is a huge WIN for me. I would rather pay more for something that will save me time and I’m not willing to sacrifice healthy eating– that’s a must for us. I definitely don’t cook all the time for my kids and I want them to be able to do the basics and then some.
Favorite Containers for On-The-Go Eating
Favorite breakfast egg cooker (quick and easy for egg sandwiches)
Vitamix (expensive but we use it each and every day and will for years and years)
Panini maker (because grilled cheese and avocado with a bit of spinach is a staple here)
Instant Pot (seriously for baked potatoes, shredded chicken, rice, pasta- if you don’t have one, you gotta try it)
Food labels (no more siblings arguing over who ate what, and this way they won’t eat YOUR food)
Last but not least….You need to have a little fun to make homeschool doable. Making homemade ice cream is seriously science- we love our machine.
We will continue to update this with any new or changing favorite homeschooling resources. Make sure to join our Facebook Private Group for All Things Online School- Help For Homeschool.
Want some more help with online homeschooling AND life? Be sure to check out these posts-
35 Ways to Survive and Thrive as a Homeschooling Working Mom
Don’t Make These 20 Mistakes When Homeschooling or Online Schooling Your Children
