Where to Start - Hip Homeschool Moms

Homeschooling Ideas for Toddlers

Toddlers are so much fun! They are active, curious, affectionate, and just plain fun! And while we don’t recommend spending much sit-down-at-a-desk learning time for toddlers, it’s still a great time to start teaching your little ones since toddlers are naturally curious and ready to learn and explore. If you’d like some great homeschooling ideas for…

Homeschool Curriculum Based on Learning Style

Homeschool Curriculum Based on Learning Style

Homeschooling can be so much easier and so much more fun when we’re able to choose the right curriculum for our students! Years ago there wasn’t much available to homeschoolers as far as curriculum. We had to do the best we could with what was available. Now the opposite is true! There’s so much available…

Preventing Homeschool Burnout

Let’s talk some more about homeschool burnout. (If you missed my first article earlier this month, you can read it here.) I’m Wendy, co-owner of the Hip Homeschool Moms site, and I’ve been homeschooling for 19 years. I’ve definitely felt burned out a few times, but I’ve learned some strategies and ideas for preventing burnout…

The Case Against Full Day Kindergarten: Part 1

Grade Levels | Homeschool | Preschool - K | Where to Start

The Case Against Full Day Kindergarten: Part 1

It is my firm opinion that full day Kindergarten is not in the best interest of our young children. Children should be engaged in open-ended and engaging play time to develop their brains and prepare for lifelong learning rather than spending a full day sitting in a classroom. This post is first in a…

Things to Consider When Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum

Homeschool | Where to Start

Things to Consider When Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum

This time of year, many homeschoolers are busy preparing for a new school year, which includes deciding on which curriculum to use. Some homeschoolers stick to what works each year (which I highly recommend; if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it), but sometimes things just aren’t working, whether it’s your entire curriculum or just a…

Traditional, Boxed, Complete Homeschooling Curriculum and How It Worked for Us!

Traditional, Boxed, Complete Homeschooling Curriculum and How It Worked for Us!

My family chose to use a full curriculum in our homeschool, and we didn’t deviate. We homeschooled for over 20 years and successfully graduated 4 children without changing our base curriculum. We found this to be a great relief, and it gave us more time to be a family. How did we do it? First…

DIY Portable Calendar Board

When our family moved last year, I was heartbroken to have to pack up our school room – for several reasons. I had worked so hard to get it all set up just a short time before (we had only lived there 6 months before we learned we had to move for my husband’s job),…

Deschooling: What Is It and Do I Need to Do It?

Encouragement | Homeschool | Where to Start

Deschooling: What Is It and Do I Need to Do It?

Have you heard of “deschooling”? If you are one of the growing number of families choosing to take your children out of public or private school in order to homeschool, you may have heard it said that you should consider deschooling before you begin homeschooling. But what is deschooling? What is deschooling? Deschooling has…

Homeschool | Where to Start

Unschooling: What is it?

Have you ever heard of the term ‘unschooling’? Perhaps you have, but you don’t really have a good understanding of what it means. Depending on where you look, you may find various definitions of the word. Unschooling.com says “Unschooling is a method of homeschooling that puts the desire, drive, motive and responsibility for life – this…

10 Ways to Get the Most from a Homeschool Conference

Homeschool | Where to Start

10 Ways to Get the Most from a Homeschool Conference

After more than 20 years of homeschooling, I have been to my share of conferences, book fairs, and seminars. I have been overwhelmed, underwhelmed, and occasionally both at the same time. Conferences these days are bigger and brighter than ever before. They bring in the big speakers, have hundreds of fascinating vendors, and often…

Using Giveaways to Build A Curriculum Collection

Homeschool | Where to Start

Using Giveaways to Build A Curriculum Collection

Gathering homeschool materials can be expensive! It’s important to find frugal ways to build a curriculum collection from scratch. When I first began homeschooling, I was a bit overwhelmed by all the options on the curriculum market. Finding what was right for my family is one of the reasons we choose to homeschool in the…

Homeschool | Where to Start

Homeschooling for Free (or Cheap)

I am embarrassed to admit this openly, but the first year we homeschooled, I budgeted $1000 for curriculum and supplies. For kindergarten. For one child. Really. Thankfully, over the past 8 years of homeschooling, I have come to realize a couple of things. First of all, just because someone on Facebook says a product is…